We offer walking tours and historical edutainment in Bellingham, Washington
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Guided historical walking tours of Bellingham's Downtown core & Historic Fairhaven District, and MUCH MORE!
in , September 9, 1891 Forepaugh Circus visited in September, circus grounds in Happy Valley. “Whatcom was a bit peeved because the circus grounds were located in Happy Valley. The day was rainy and the people complained of extortionate cab fares, but everybody went.”
For more on this exciting event, see our blog post:
The story of the historic Fairhaven Marker referencing Cleopatra's Barge and the arrival of the Adam Forepaugh Circus in Fairhaven, Washington in 1891.
in , September 6, 1914 musical comedy r***e, “The Candy Shop” was the opening attraction of the winter theatrical season at Bellingham’s Metropolitan Theater on Dock Street (Cornwall Ave). With an all-star cast of 65, the Herald called it a “delicious, highly-spiced, mirth-coated musical confection,” that equaled the Ziegfeld Follies. They quipped, “… of plot there is none, but when there are pretty girls galore, ravishing costumes, exquisite stage sets and half a hundred people who do superbly well the particular bit of foolery allotted to them, who cares for plot?”
Deserving special mention was “the atomic Daphne Pollard… (who) sings and dances and capers about the stage as madly and as joyously as any elf or woodland nymph, the reincarnation of one of which she must assuredly be…” The Australian-born vaudevillian had performed with the Pollard Lilliputian Opera Company (a children’s troupe) since the age of six, emigrating to Seattle with her family around 1906. Daphne would go on to star in over 50 motion pictures.
The Metropolitan Theater stood on Cornwall next to the BNB building at the corner of Holly Street, and was also known as Beck’s Theater, and the American. It was demolished for a new J.C. Penney's in 1959.
in , September 5, 1908 "…Upon complaint of several women of the neighborhood, J.E. Ericsson, a member of the Y.M.C.A., was arrested by patrolman Locke this morning for taking his morning calisthenics in his room, clad only in swimming trunks… For some time past the women living near Ivy Street have complained that Ericsson… has been in the habit of pulling off near-to-nature stunts, in a garb not approved by Anthony Comstock. …Ericsson was much taken aback by his arrest. He brought his tights along to show he was not wholly undressed… He stated that he did not know it was a ‘sin’ to exercise in his own room and he said that he had not pulled the shades because they would keep out fresh air…. Chief Cade told him that in the future he had better be more careful about taking his physical culture exercises, admonishing him that the women of the neighborhood would soon find out if he was doing any such stunts without using proper discretion. Ericsson asked permission to be allowed to perform out in the woods, and Chief Cade assured him that there would be no objections if he would go deep enough into the wilds, far, far from the eyes of women." 👀🧐
So excited for this podcast!
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Apparently it's world beard day! Some clippings from the 1953 Bellingham Centennial celebration's "beard contest" including some local "gals' getting in on the act, and the Jaycee's "Beard Patrol" wagon locking a guy in the stocks.
The float of the Beautician's Local in the Labor Day Parade, 1936. The banner reads "If your hair is unbecoming to you, you should be coming to us." They are following the Baker's Union, headed up Bay Street from Holly in Bellingham, WA. Parades were a big feature of Labor Day in Bellingham through the 1940s. P.S. In related news - our next podcast episode is about the history of Bellingham's "Beauty Culture" 💅
Happy 🐶 🩷
This week in very steampunk Aug 23-29 1908 a "Monster Airship" made ascensions at White City, Bellingham's Silver Beach amusement park.
"Looking like a picture used to illustrate a weird tale of fiction, Captain James Moore, in his airship America, sailed over the White City last night, while crowds of spectators stood on the ground in open-mouthed wonder at the feat. At all times Captain Moore had his strange-looking craft under perfect control, and as he circled about high over the heads of those on the ground, cutting figure eights up around the Ferris wheel and the roller coaster, those on the ground marveled at his nerve and the wonderful ability of his machine.
There were many exclamations of surprise and wonder as the frail-looking craft was taken out of its big tent. The weights were adjusted carefully, Captain Moore climbed aboard, and then the engine was started. Shifting himself to the rear of the airship and ordering the attendants to let go, Captain Moore was off. Without a falter the machine began to go up steadily and carefully until it reached a height of 300 feet or more…
The machine circled about in the air for a few minutes and then came down, landing in the very same spot where the start was made. A few minutes later he went up again… The delicacy of the machine was the topic of conversation among the crowds. The outfit is a frail-looking affair… Captain Moore will make ascensions every day this week at the White City.
The two ascensions made yesterday swell the total number of times that Captain Moore has gone up in the America to 172.”
RIP Capt. Moore.
The Whatcom Museum's History Sunset Cruise is always a GOOD TIME! So fun to see the city from the water and shout out to Brian Griffin still killing it at 92, what a gem! GTG recommend!
🎵Sea Cruise - Huey "Piano" Smith🎵
San Juan Cruises
Just doing a little Halloween event planning down at the SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention and had to pose with this cute hat and cute baby we found!😘 Who's ready for Halloween? 🎃 ⚡💖⚡
in , August 18, 1931 “Davy Jones’ locker opened at sunset… off Coronado Island (near San Diego, California) and closed on the hulk of the famous old clipper ship, Bohemia, which half a century ago was the pride of the American merchant fleet… The pathetic part of the Bohemia’s passing was she was sunk in a war that ended more than twelve years ago and her adversaries were units of the United States battle fleet disguised for the moment as U-Boats of the imperial German navy for the purpose of making a motion picture. Captain Thomas Ryan, old and gray, commander of the Bohemia, wept as his ship was sunk.”
The 3-masted wooden ship had been built in Maine and launched in 1875, she was later acquired by the Alaska Packers Association and made many appearances in Bellingham Bay carrying salmon industry cargo up and down the coast. In 1925 Cecile B. DeMille acquired The Bohemia from “ship breakers” to join the “Hollywood Fleet” for use in the making of films. The Bohemia starred in a few other motion pictures before being sunk in the making of “Suicide Fleet,” a pre-code RKO film starring James Gleason, Ginger Rogers and Robert Armstrong. The movie debuted at the Mount Baker Theatre later that year in December.
Just popped over to see ourselves featured on the walls of the historic Mount Baker Theater, NBD! And do a little promoting for our shows coming up in 2025! Get your tickets/find out more at the link in our bio! Mount Baker Theatre
On August 18, 1890, Daniel J. Harris aka “Dirty Dan” Harris passed away in Los Angeles, California. The various newspaper accounts of his death couldn’t agree on much about his life, nor even the date of his passing. Find out more about what we know and don’t know about Dirty Dan on our tours this weekend!
The Los Angeles Herald reported: “There died in Los Angeles, the 18th inst., a man who was intimately identified with the fortunes and interests of the Pacific Coast. Daniel J. Harris, or as he was commonly known here, Colonel Harris… went to sea at an early age, and after adventures all over the world… He settled in Washington Territory in 1853, took up a donation land claim on Bellingham Bay and laid out on it the prosperous and growing town of Fairhaven, which has since developed into a city, and is now the chief town of that bay... Death has cut short the usefulness of Colonel Harris, but his kindly personal character, his unonstentatious demeanor, and his sterling friendship to those who were worthy of it, will long live in the circle of his friends.”
Sunday we’re devoting a whole tour to Dan's history and his old stomping grounds in Fairhaven. Link in bio! 🎵AC/DC Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap🎵
New podcast ep! Kolby and Marissa discuss the history of the Terminal Building in Fairhaven, lost to a tragic fire last year. We hit the highlights from Sideboard Saloon to Busy Corner, Terminal Store and beloved Tony's Coffee Shop, and discuss the difficulties of preserving and making old buildings safe.
https://bellinghistory.com/blog/2024/8/13/the-podcast-history-of-the-terminal-building
In this episode we explore the history of Bellingham’s beloved Terminal Building, also known as Tony’s Coffee Shop for many years. The oldest building in the Fairhaven Historic District suffered a tragic fire in December of 2023 that included a loss of life. We take a look at the 130+ years of t...
in , August 14, 1910 the Herald reported on the nearly completed building on “Dock Street” (Cornwall Avenue) erected by the Bellingham Bay Improvement Company. Designed by architect F.C. Burns, the building was described as “substantial,” with a facade featuring a terra cotta cornice and immense copper framed windows to provide “ample light for store rooms.” The building would house the Chamber of Commerce on the upper levels and early occupants of the ground floor storefronts included the Cafe Richelieu, Kersey’s Floral Shop and a retail store for Ford’s Creamery. In the 1920s the J.C. Penny Company took over the building for a good 40 year run. Today it is home to the amazing Chuckanut Bay Distillery and the Penny Farthing Restaurant and soon to be open rooftop bar! Good Time Girls highly recommend!
We've got a special weeknight Fairhaven Gore and Lore Tour with Sarah TONIGHT - Tuesday 8/13 for those who can't get ghosty on the weekend! Did you know Fairhaven is Bellingham's haunted hotspot? Find out the spooky legends and lore from Fairhaven's creepy wild west past! 🎵Ghost Town - Eddie Miller 👻🎵
in , August 8, 1915 – the news reported on the death of Jimmy Kiyohara, who is buried in Bellingham's Bayview Cemetery: “a Japanese contractor for the Apex Mill near Anacortes was shot and instantly killed early today following a quarrel with employees of the mill. Kiyohara, witnesses say, entered the employees’ quarters of the mill to arouse the workmen and while awakening the men, took occasion to chastise several who had been on a carousal Friday evening. A quarrel arose during which it is alleged Kiyohara drew a knife. Enraged at being confronted with a knife, three of the men are said to have chased Kiyohara from the shack and down the railroad track. The shooting followed.”
Jimmy’s birth name was Hisao Kiyohara. He had previously worked as a merchant tailor on lower Holly Street in what was essentially Bellingham’s “Japan Town” at the time. Kiyohara made the news in 1909 when he filed a lawsuit for damaged dignity after being refused service in a white-owned restaurant.
You can visit his final resting ground with us and learn more on our Bayview Cemetery Tours. The next tour is this Sunday, August 11th at 6 pm. See our website for details (bellinghistory.com/links in bio)
In August 1883 the "wild man of the woods" was in the news.
The "Wild Man" had been described as: "a wild, strange… individual who has been walking through the woods and forest on the outskirts of the city… frightening the children and timid women. He has been seen lurking around in different localities, and has even been bold enough to approach private residences in the upper part of the city, and pick up crumbs and meat bones from the door yards. An attempt has been made by officer Leckie and others to capture him, but without avail. The man is physically a giant, measuring over six feet in height, but always runs when approached by men. He is coatless, hatless, and bootless, and goes in a stooping posture, with his eyes apparently constantly bent on the ground as though endeavoring to find a lost trail. Except for a low, guttural wail, he has not given any expression to any sound resembling human voice. From appearances, he has evidently been wild in the woods for many years past, and his history doubtless would be an interesting one if it could be obtained.”
The Whatcom Reveille later reported: “It has been discovered that Whatcom’s ‘wild man of the woods’ was formerly a gentleman of wealth and affluence, but in an unguarded moment stopped at Seattle and asked the price of real estate. The exorbitant figures paralyzed him, and he had been a raving maniac from that moment...”
Clearly that last part was in jest but 141 years later we can relate to such shocking real estate prices...
Come down by the seaside with us for our last Shore Leave Tour of the Season! Sunday August 4th in beautiful Bellingham, WA. bellinghistory.com
RIP Santa Claus! in , July 28, 1932 The Herald published this interesting death announcement for Hans Peter Johansen who had been known to thousands of Bellingham and Whatcom County children as ‘Santa Claus’ before his demise. Hopefully those children weren’t reading the newspapers or they were in for a rude awakening! 🎅⚰️😵
in , July 26, 1973 this photo appeared in the Herald captioned, “It’s the season. It’s harvest time and Whatcom County Sheriff DeFries, left, and Detective Kuehnel reaped a crop of 375 ma*****na plants… The crop, worth about $3000 on the open market, was discovered hidden in a vegetable garden located behind a raspberry field off the Roberts Road. Kuehnel left his business card on a garden stake to let the owners know who stopped by."
*****na
Throwing back to July 2022 at the beautiful Lairmont Manor. ❤️
in , July 24, 1974 these were some ads in the personals section of the “Want Ad” pages of the Herald. #3 is especially fun “I walk no more… GHOST with years of experience at the former Grand Theater seeks a new position with traditions.” The Grand Theater had been recently demolished along with surrounding buildings at the corner of Commercial and Holly Streets where the U.S. Bank is today. We wonder if the ghost found a new gig?
Come hear more Bellingham ghost stories on our Gore and Lore Tours - Fridays!
in , July 21, 1891 the Bellingham Bay Express reported: “A young dude who tried to make a mash on a pretty girl on Front Street on a Sunday night, is mourning the destruction of his hat. The young lady used her parasol to advantage.”
"Mashers" were street-harassers in the parlance of the time. Women fought back with parasols and hatpins! (Also: bumbershoot is a word for an umbrella!)
Who's been listening to our podcast? New episode dropped exploring the story of poor, unfortunate soul Ursula Unfug, a s*x worker who stood trial in 1893 for the murder of her secret husband, editor of an Olympia Newspaper. Featuring special co-host, GTG founder Marissa McGrath! Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or see our website (link in bio)
in , July 15, 1890 The Bellingham Bay Express announced “Mr. F.W. Breitenstein has the foundation dug for a brick building on the corner of F and 17th Streets. It will be two stories 21x28 feet. The lower story will be used as a store room, while the upper one will be occupied as a dwelling.” Today the building houses The Lettered Streets Coffeehouse. ☕🧡
Streets Coffeehouse
in , July 13, 1921 “The bottle wiggle is said to be the latest dance in Bellingham. It is done by bootleggers, not on a regular dancing floor, but on the street corners. According to an absolutely authentic story a bootlegger put on this amusing specialty at Dock and Holly a day or so ago. The bootlegger saw an anxious looking bird taking a $10 bill out of one pocket, straighten it out, look at it , put it in the other pocket, and vice versa. The vendor knew that his services were desired, so he went to his cache and pretty soon appeared on the street with his coat bulging over one hip pocket. Meantime a big, bland policeman with a friendly grin had stationed himself so that the bootlegger had to pass him to get to his customer. The whisky seller went up to the policeman, facing him so the coat bulge would not show, and started a conversation about it being a fine day, and how’s the cop’s health, and don’t it beat the band the way a policeman’s got to stand around wearing out shoe leather – and all that sort of talk, all the while edging around, keeping the cop facing him by his extraordinary flow of language. Then Mr. Bootlegger went backing off toward his customer, and kept walking backward until the policeman still smiling innocently as the moon, turned away to talk to some other citizen. ‘And that cop,’ said the narrator of the story, ‘never had the faintest notion that anything was wrong. The bootlegger was sore afterward for going to all the pains to wiggle and edge around.’”
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#ThrowbackThursday #throwitback 🎵Missy Elliott - Throw It Back🎵
LAST CALL for SIN & GIN tours! We've got a few more left before we go into full fall spooky mode. #GetItWhileItsHot
The Whatcom Museum's History Sunset Cruise is always a GOOD TIME! So fun to see the city from the water and shout out to Brian Griffin still killing it at 92, what a gem! GTG recommend! 🎵Sea Cruise - Huey "Piano" Smith🎵 #fieldtrip #historycruise #ooeeseacruisebaby #researchanddevelopment #bellinghamwa #bhamwa #Bellinghistory #goodtimegirlsbham San Juan Cruises
Just popped over to see ourselves featured on the walls of the historic Mount Baker Theater, NBD! And do a little promoting for our shows coming up in 2025! Get your tickets/find out more at the link in our bio! Mount Baker Theatre #ShowBiz #history #historictheater #vaudeville #mountbakertheaterbellingham #goodtimegirlsbham #bhamwa #nobusinesslikeshowbusiness
On August 18, 1890, Daniel J. Harris aka “Dirty Dan” Harris passed away in Los Angeles, California. The various newspaper accounts of his death couldn’t agree on much about his life, nor even the date of his passing. Find out more about what we know and don’t know about Dirty Dan on our tours this weekend! The Los Angeles Herald reported: “There died in Los Angeles, the 18th inst., a man who was intimately identified with the fortunes and interests of the Pacific Coast. Daniel J. Harris, or as he was commonly known here, Colonel Harris… went to sea at an early age, and after adventures all over the world… He settled in Washington Territory in 1853, took up a donation land claim on Bellingham Bay and laid out on it the prosperous and growing town of Fairhaven, which has since developed into a city, and is now the chief town of that bay... Death has cut short the usefulness of Colonel Harris, but his kindly personal character, his unonstentatious demeanor, and his sterling friendship to those who were worthy of it, will long live in the circle of his friends.” Sunday we’re devoting a whole tour to Dan's history and his old stomping grounds in Fairhaven. Link in bio! #fairhavenwa #Bellinghistory #bhamwa #dirtydan🎵AC/DC Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap🎵
New podcast ep! Kolby and Marissa discuss the history of the Terminal Building in Fairhaven, lost to a tragic fire last year. We hit the highlights from Sideboard Saloon to Busy Corner, Terminal Store and beloved Tony's Coffee Shop, and discuss the difficulties of preserving and making old buildings safe. #Bellinghistory #bellinghamwa #bhamwa #bellinghistorypodcast #fairhavenwa
Fairhaven - Bellingham's Wild West Ghost Town? 👻
We've got a special weeknight Fairhaven Gore and Lore Tour with Sarah TONIGHT - Tuesday 8/13 for those who can't get ghosty on the weekend! Did you know Fairhaven is Bellingham's haunted hotspot? Find out the spooky legends and lore from Fairhaven's creepy wild west past! #goreandlore #fairhavenwa #bellinghamwa #hauntedhistory #wildwest 🎵Ghost Town - Eddie Miller 👻🎵
#Onthisday in #Bellinghistory August 11, 1962 Influential PNW rockers The Ventures played a "Dance and Show" at the Eagles Hall on Forest Street in Bellingham, with the Checkmates - $2! The old Eagles Hall has seen better days for sure.... #theventures #EaglesHall #fraternalorderofeagles
Come down by the seaside with us for our last Shore Leave Tour of the Season! Sunday August 4th in beautiful Bellingham, WA. bellinghistory.com #shoreleave #maritimehistory #historytour #bellinghamwa #walkingtour
Who's been listening to our podcast? New episode dropped exploring the story of poor, unfortunate soul Ursula Unfug, a sex worker who stood trial in 1893 for the murder of her secret husband, editor of an Olympia Newspaper. Featuring special co-host, GTG founder Marissa McGrath! Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or see our website (link in bio) #bellinghistory #pnwhistory #oldtimecrime #goodtimegirlsbham #bellinghistorypodcast
Scouting for a kayak tour - #bellinghistory version with @dragonflykayaktours Details coming soon!
Happy Birthday WREN! #happybirthday #birthday 🎂🎈🥳 (Song = Altered Images)
We've got another Columbia-Eldridge Neighborhood History Tour coming up Sunday July 14th at 3 pm. Link in bio! #bellinghamwa #bellinghistory #bhamwa #columbianeighborhoodbham (Tune = Tulip by Brother Mud)
Flashback Fourth with the Fastbacks. (Swallow My Pride - Sub Pop 200 aka the best version) #fourthoff**kinjuly #rocketsredglare #grungerock #wtfourthofjuly
Fairhaven Gore and Lore Tours - Fridays! #haunted #fairhavenwa #creepyhistory #truecrime #doyoubelieveinghosts👻👻👻
History Pitstop on Whidbey Island... Visiting the "Tomb" of Isaac Ebey to the tune of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll 🎧💀 #pnwhistory #whidbeyislandwa #pnwadventures #cemeterywandering
New podcast episode: Bellinghistory INKED, tattoo tales! #tattooart #tattoohistory #tattooed #tattooedsailor #fasttimes
We've scheduled some Tuesday night tours this summer for all you weekend workers, we feel you!😘💖
Good morning, Bellingham! The amazing Betty Desire performing her iconic song at the Whatcom Museum on Friday. You can catch Betty performing at Rumor's "Daylight Drag" show every Thursday 6-8 pm! #Bellinghamissweet #goodmorningbellingham #bhamwa #bellinghamwa #bellebrity
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