Good Time Girls - Bellinghistory Tours

07/11/2024

in , November 7, 1943 The musical “Stormy Weather” opened at the Avalon Theater on Magnolia Street. The film's all-black cast of incredible talent included Lena Horne, Bill Robinson, Cab Calloway and his orchestra, Fats Waller, The Nicholas Brothers and Katherine Dunham and her dancers. Along with MGM’s “Cabin in the Sky,” the movie was a response to demands from the NAACP for better roles for black performers. Still the film featured many stereotypes, and 20th Century Fox studios cafeteria remained segregated during filming. Among the Dunham dancers was Syvilla Fort, the daughter of proprietors of Bellingham’s Mobile Cafe. Her grandfather William Oldwin passed away in Bellingham in 1908 and is buried in Bayview Cemetery.

05/11/2024

Don't Forget to VOTE! in , November 4, 1933 Ford’s Creamery Cafe in the Herald building ran this ad “Votes win elections… Election bets are payable in White House or Moonlight Pie…” note “This lady is simply to make the ad more catchy - she’s a customer of ours… come and see!”

04/11/2024

What Spark Said! We had the best time and loved seeing everyone's amazing costumes! Huge thanks for turning out Bellingham! Y'all killed it 👻💖🧙‍♀️🦇🎃

04/11/2024

Don't forget to VOTE! in , November 3, 1910 Henry J. Frolich’s Sample Suit shop ran this ad referencing both the weather and the impending local option election proposing to ban public consumption of alcohol: “Wet or Dry, whatever the weather may be, you’ll find it to your advantage in more ways than one to be the possessor of one of our Drummers’ Sample Suits or Overcoats. They are made to withstand weather and wear and then, besides, REMEMBER, you save $10 by taking the elevator. Business is good, we feel good and we will make you feel good if you buy of us. Come up and see us. We want to meet you. Frolich’s Sample Suit Shop, Four Rooms, Fourth Floor, Exchange Block, Corner Elk and Holly.” The Exchange building is home to the YMCA today, and “Elk” is now State Street. They voted dry, y'all. ✔️

03/11/2024

in , November 2, 1929 The “Magnificent Metropolitan Hostelry” known as the Leopold Hotel held the formal opening of the newly built “tower” addition. The Bellingham Herald featured an 8-page special section dedicated to the event. The opening program, held in the Crystal Ballroom, featured speeches by manager Henry Schupp and Mayor John Kellogg. Entertainment included music by Robinson’s Quartette, with Fanchon and Marco dancers including acrobatic ballerina, Lucille Iverson (pictured). Stay tuned for part 2 of Leopold Hotel History on the Bellinghistory Podcast - releasing on Nov 21st! Leo

02/11/2024

Don't forget to if you haven't already!

01/11/2024

in , October 1905 This unidentified “Bellingham Halloween Girl” posed for photographer Hegg.
Halloween
There is a world in which we dwell,
And yet a world invisible;
And do not think that naught can be,
Save only what with eyes ye see.
I tell ye, that this very hour
Had but your sight a spirit’s power,
You would be looking eye to eye
At a terrific company.
👻🕷️🌙🧙‍♀️🎃🦇

31/10/2024

Happy Hallowe'en! 🐈‍⬛🎃👻🐈‍⬛💀🦇🐈‍⬛
🎃 🐱

31/10/2024

in , October 30, 1910 this cartoon appeared in the Bellingham Herald, depicting two women peering into a mirror with a candle, captioned “Out of the Shadows of Candlelight Your Fate Will Smile in Mirror Tonight… S-shh- Quiet please - for the candle burns and fate is hovering around the mirror.” In ye olden times Halloween night was a time of fortune-telling games, many with the goal of divining the identity of one's future spouse. One tradition with many variations involved the use of a mirror, often with candles at the midnight hour. The alleged result would be to see the face of the future marriage partner in the mirror over your shoulder. Not creepy at all! So if the apps aren’t working for you, maybe give it a try on Halloween night! 🕯👻

30/10/2024

Some seasonal cats for your 🐱 Last chance of the season to hear the lore of the Fairhaven Cats on our Gore & Lore Tour this week!

29/10/2024

Last Call for Gore and Lore! We have room left on two recently added tours for you last minute B-ham planners! Then we witches will take a wee break! 🎵Janie Jones - Witches Brew🎵 👻🦇💀🎃

28/10/2024

Sorry if you missed your chance, see you ghouls and goblins soon! 👻🎃👻🎃

26/10/2024

in October 26, 1979 this ad appeared for "La Creperie, a bit of Paris in Old Fairhaven." The restaurant was the precursor to Le Chat Noir, known today as the beloved "Black Cat" in Sycamore Square. The Black Cat

26/10/2024

with 2021 spooky times at Woodstock Farm! We love spooky season! And this year we'll be seancing it up at the Spark Museum on Halloween! Link in bio!

25/10/2024

Good Times with adult Timmy Booth and Jeffrey Elvis at The Blue Room
👉💖 Repeating Gossip with Jackson Graham!

25/10/2024

in , October 24, 1906 an ad appeared for the Briggs Piano Company, featuring photographs showing three (train) carloads of pianos unloaded on Elk (State) Street, extending the length of three city blocks. “By a remarkable stroke of fortune we were offered, for cash, five carloads of high grade pianos at greatly reduced price… without hesitation we paid the money and took the whole five carloads of pianos for less than it cost the manufacturers to build them. But now we are in a pretty fix. We haven’t any place in our store to put the pianos, and three carloads of them are already here… Think of it! Get a piano for less than cost! Not often the chance comes along…” The Briggs Piano Company retail store was located in the building where Chameleon Ink Tattooing is today, across from the Herald Building. We wonder where all those pianos lining State Street ended up - where are they now?

23/10/2024

Psst... Wren and Kolby will be spilling spooky tea at Repeating Gossip... pass it on!
Thursday 10/24 at the Blue Room🦇👻💀
Plus we've added a few more tours for you last-minute B-ham planners! Get some!

23/10/2024

We're excited to get spooky at the SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention!

Spirits at SPARK is next week and tickets are selling fast!!

Join us on Halloween Night for a spooky, yet educational look at Spiritualism! Featuring close-up magic by John Walton, specialty cocktails, beer, and wine for sale sponsored by Gruff Brewing and Chuckanut Bay Distillery!

This event has a limited capacity, so don't wait!

Link in bio for tickets!