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Bellingham's Waterfront Photo Gallery

Please click on the links below to see Bellingham past and present.

What did Bellingham's waterfront look like one hundred years ago?

A century ago, the shoreline along the Bay looked vastly different. Historically our region relied on resource-based industries of mining, logging, and fishing. The Bay was largely a delta of the Nooksack River where the Lummi Indians hunted and fished. The towns of Fairhaven, Sehome, and Whatcom hugged the shoreline. Ambitious wharfs up to a mile long stretched out into deeper waters. Taxis, tugs, sternwheelers, and ferries connected the three towns as well as wooden boardwalks on pilings along the edges of the waterfront.

The natural shoreline has been altered over time. Accumulations of sediment from the Nooksack River and Squalicum Creek were used to fill in portions of the Bay.

Current Photo Gallery (click to view)

The planning area for the Waterfront Futures Project covers 11.5 miles along the Bellingham Bay shoreline. The Natural Systems and the Environment work group of Waterfront Futures walked the entire stretch of shoreline along with other interested citizens during the months of May, June and July of 2003. A boat tour gave the entire Futures Group a view of the shoreline from the water as well. The following collection of photos will give the viewer a sense of what can be seen when walking the waterfront.

If you see an opportunity or are inspired by an idea as a result of viewing these photos, please feel free to send us an e-mail. Identify the picture by number if you like. Should you want to see the shoreline from the air then click on the aerial photos link also available on this website page.

Aerial Photos of The Planning Area

Every couple years, the Washington Department of Ecology updates aerial maps of Washington's shoreline. Take a look at what our shoreline looks like in this collection of photos from April 2002. The aerial view shows the spectacular interaction Bellingham has with the dynamics of Bellingham Bay, the mountains, and creeks of our region.

Past and Present Photo Comparison

After viewing the historical photos, you'll see that in these current photos, things have changed in Bellingham.

Submit a Waterfront Photo:

Sunsets over the bay, views from the water to our city, unique perspectives, parks, photos of people working and playing on the waterfront, connecting points to the waterfront?

Photographs are an important tool to help people take a fresh look at our waterfront. Do you have a favorite waterfront photo for us to add to our website photo gallery? We’d love to post it! Either mail us a photo or e-mail an electronic version at 300 dpi (if possible).

We reserve the right to select photos appropriate for this website.