Guide Meridian The Guide Meridian neighborhood is one of the fastest growing in Bellingham. The Guide Meridian street (for which it is aptly named) runs northeast through this developing part of Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden, and finally into Canada. The most significant landmark in the Guide Meridian neighborhood is Whatcom Community College. Over 7,000 full-time and part-time students attend this two-year college. Some students attend directly out of high school, while others are returning to school after facing (or during) "the real world." WCC attracts many residents to live in the Guide Meridian neighborhood, and the multi-family housing units are booming because of this. While the Bellis Fair Mall is not in the bounds of the Guide Meridian neighborhood, a few other major shopping ... 06/21/2007

Edgemoor Neighborhood in Bellingham Edgemoor boasts some of the finest living in Washington. Located in the southernmost area of Bellingham, most homes have a view of sparkling Bellingham Bay and the San Juan Islands. Fairhaven Middle School, built as a high school in 1903, welcomes you to the neighborhood with its noble, grand charm. It is one of the best middle schools in the district, and its well-landscaped lawn give you a taste of the rest of the Edgemoor neighborhood. Much of the neighborhood lies on Chuckanut Drive, arguably the most beautiful road in the state. (Try to be the car passenger, since the road is windy and the cliffs on the edge make it important to be focused.) Built before I-5, it is still a lovely alternative to driving from Bellingham to Skagit County. On the wa... 06/21/2007

Downtown Bellingham WA Downtown Bellingham has something for everyone. Whether you are looking for gourmet food, live music, or just a relaxing afternoon on the waterfront, downtown Bellingham has what you need. Unlike the downtown areas in other cities, you can find safe and comfortable housing throughout the neighborhood. Condominiums are particularly popular. Purchasing a condominium in downtown Bellingham is not only a wise investment; it also guarantees you a wonderful quality of life. A few high-rises will be built downtown soon, helping Bellingham avoid sprawl and keep the wilderness wild. This means more opportunities for you to live in close proximity to all that downtown Bellingham has to offer. Downtown Bellingham is paradise for the food-lover. It boasts some of the finest,... 06/21/2007

Bellingham's Cornwall Park Neighborhood Information Cornwall Park is named for the neighborhood surrounding (surprise, surprise) Cornwall Park. At 70 acres, the park accounts for over a tenth of the area, leaving the rest for a variety of homes and commercial uses. Unlike other parks with manicured lawns and shrubbery trimmed into the shapes of animals, Cornwall Park truly has a northwest feel. There, you can perfect your frisbee golf skills on its 9-hole course, escape the summer heat under its many trees, or picnic with some neighbors of Cornwall Park's tight-nit community. Cornwall has a few of the many tennis courts in Bellingham, a playground for children, and plenty of trails for that runner in you. Whether planning a gathering or looking for a place to unwind on your lunch break... 06/21/2007

Yes it is true, Bellingham actually has an interational airport(BLI). The airport is growing and has 200,000 travellers a year passing through it's gates according to the Port of Bellingham. They call it a full service airport serveing the commercial, general aviation, and corporate air transportation needs of the region. It is about a 40 minute trip to  SeaTac airport.It is a small airport so it has it' lots easier to navigate and deal with than the larger airports of the world. The Bellingham airport presently houses an aviation museum. The Heritage Flight Museum is a private, non-profit aircraft museum. check for operating hours. The Heritage Flight Museum was founded by the Anders family. They wanted the public to understand and appreciate how military aircraft contributed to the hi... 06/21/2007

The Birchwood neighborhood is well known for it's older, well-kept homes built on large lots. Many of the deep lots in the neighborhood are 1/3 acre or moe. These large lots, & mature landscaping, give a rural feel to the neighborhood. Apartment complexes have been constructed in the multifamily zoned areas primarily along Northwest Avenue and W. Maplewood in recent years . There is also a commercial area located near the intersection of Northwest, W. Maplewood and Birchwood Avenue providing services to the Birchwood, Cornwall Park and Columbia neighborhoods. The Bellingham Golf and Country Club, the Squalicum Creek greenbelt, Bellingham Technical College, and Shuksan Middle School are all in this neighborhoodBirchwood Park amenities including a playground, basketball court, picnic shel... 06/21/2007

Columbia The Columbia Neighborhood is one of the oldest, most sought-after residential neighborhoods in Bellingham.  Located in Northwest Bellingham near Bellingham Bay, it is quiet, classy, and convenient. Development for this area began in the late 1880's, giving many of the homes a distinct, classic style.  Only ten percent of the housing in the Columbia Neighborhood was built in the last 20 years.  The now 4,000 residents dwell in unique, well-maintained homes with widely ranging lot sizes.  The western portion of the Columbia Neighborhood borders Squalicum Creek.  The water runs right through many houses' backyards, encouraging plants and wildlife. Certain homes in the Columbia Neighborhood are fortunate to have an impressive view of Bellingham Bay.  Those who don't are in close pr... 06/20/2007

Alabama Hill - Bellingham Washington The Alabama Hill neighborhood in Bellingham has every type of home you could hope for.  From large, extravagant houses with million-dollar views to cozy, efficient studios within walking distance of shopping, Alabama Hill can be anyone's ideal place to live. Residents of the Alabama Hill neighborhood are never at a shortage of activities.  The ever-popular Bloedel-Donovan Park, located on the west side of Lake Whatcom, can keep visitors entertained from dawn to dusk (though you may have to swat a mosquito or two during those later hours).  On hot days, the park is filled with sunbathers, swimmers, and water-sport enthusiasts.  Throughout the year, Bloedel-Donovan is a perfect place to walk your dog or simply relax. Just across the street, miles of tr... 06/20/2007

Homebuyers wanting a home in Bellingham WA often want "the facts, ma'am!" when considering a given neighborhood. The internet is a great place to obtain all manner of interesting data. Here's where to go for particular concerns:The National Center for Education has demographic information on schools and school districts - go to http://nces.ed.gov/index.aspTo find out a school's student-teacher ratio, and race and ethnicity entrollment, check out these two sites:  http://www.greatschools.net/ and http://www.schoolmatters.com/.Crime statistics, in particular sex offender information, can be had at the National Sex Offenders Registry site: http://www.familywatchdog.us/. This site enables you to enter a given street address and will generate a map showing where sex offenders live.  For very... 06/20/2007

 There is a pretty little neighborhood garden,right along Cornwall Avenue, which is one of the main streets in Bellingham. Actually, it is at the intersection of Cornwall, Alabama and F streets. This is Gossage Park and it is a colorful monument to the fact that  you are entering into the letter street neighborhood -- at least if you turn down F street. This park is neatly tended and the photos depict the charm. Take a close look at the gardener, she works 24 hours per day, seven days a week, and never takes any breaks.  Thanks for looking. Steven L. SmithBellingham Home Inspectorwww.kingofthehouse.com  06/20/2007

Took a break this afternoon and sat out by the pond for a few minutes.  I happened to look over at the water lilies and this is what I saw. This has to be the classic prince pose.I've heard that one has to kiss a lot of frogs before finding the prince.  This guy looked regal enough to be a prince, but I'm not going to kiss him.  Just another crummy day in the paradise of Bellingham, Washington.Thanks for looking.David Helmwww.helmhomeinspections.com 06/19/2007

Went this morning to the Bellingham Cruise Terminal.  This is the place that the Alaska Ferry (Bellingham is the southern terminus for the Alaska Marine Highway) loads and unloads twice a week during the summer (once a week during the winter).  Today, docked at the terminal were two very different eras of overwater conveyance.  One one side was the massive Alaska ferry Malaspina.  On the other side was the 130 foot long wooden schooner Zodiac.  Zodiac was built around the turn of the century (19th to 20th) and, I believe, is the largest wooden schooner on the west coast.  She was the boat (with hull painted black) in the movie of Jack London's Sea Wolf.Alaska Ferry Malaspina docked at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal The schooner Zodiac docked at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal.Both boats ... 06/19/2007

Neighborhoods 1. Birchwood 2. Cornwall Park 3. Mount Baker 4. Columbia 5. Lettered Streets 6. Sunnyland 7. Roosevelt 8. Alabama Hill 9. Silver Beach 10. Downtown 11. York 12. Puget 13. Whatcom Falls 14. Sehome 15. WWU 16. South Hill 17. Happy Valley 18. Samish 19. Fairhaven 20. Edgemoor 21. South Bellingham 22. Meridian 23. Guide Meridian 24. Sudden Valley Bellingham Neighborhood Guide There are 23 distinct, officially recognized neighborhoods in Bellingham, as well as a few outlying areas that have yet to join the official list. Bellingham has at least one neighborhood that will appeal to even the most discerning of residents. Feel free to click on any of the neighborhoods and take a tour of what Bellingham Washington has to offer. 06/18/2007

If you have been considering buying a home in Beautiful whatcom county, now is the time!  The buyers market has arrived, you can make a deal on almost any type of home...from new construction to turn of the century victorian style homes....You can find a deal in all parts of the county and state! I think it's just a temporary buyers market...I believe home prices are going to take another large jump in the very near future!   With the Olympics coming to Vancouver BC in a few years and people looking to retire here as the baby boomers approach retirement age, get ready we are about to see our next big value increase!   When the worlds fair came to vancouver in 1986 we saw a dramatic increase in home values here in Northwest,WA    I think the same thing will happen when the winter olympic... 06/18/2007

Just off of Marine Drive in the north of Bellingham is Marine Drive Trail. There is a small park above the trail with outstanding island views, a small parking lot where I often see people sitting and relaxing or reading a book.  The trail is right below the park, I'm disabled so I can't exactly tell you where the trail goes, I just enjoy the park. 06/18/2007

Welcome to Bellingham's Waterfront!We here in Bellingham are blessed with a beautiful waterfront indeed. Not only do we have several waterfront parks but a working harbor and marina.Squalicum Harbor is home to as many as 1800 boats, many pleasure boats of all kinds and sizes as well as a working fishing fleet and charter fleets. With the San Juan & Gulf Islands in our backyard it is no wonder there are so many boaters anxious to take the short trip to the islands. If you don't have your own boat, lots of charters available as well as whale watching trips in the Sound.The Port of Bellingham and the City have partnered up to redevelop 137 waterfront acres that the port acquired from Georgia-Pacific West Inc. This has the potential to change not just the waterfront but really all of Bellin... 06/18/2007

There are many new buildings in downtown Bellingham, Washington that are interesting.  The buildings I am posting here are all old.   Some of them are on the National Registry of Historic Buildings.  I hope you enjoy this pictorial.This section of the Whatcom County Courthouse is fairly new.  I believe they did a pretty good job of keeping faith to the original architectural style.Also known as 6 flags over Bellingham, this is the City Hall.A classic of its type, the Mount Baker Theatre is on the National Registry.There are no square corners on this building.This is currently the tallest building in Bellingham.  There are great views of the town, Western Washington University, Bellingham Bay and East to the mountains from the restaurant at the top.This building, now called Crown Plaza, ... 06/18/2007

Bellingham's Community Food Co-op, natural food at it's finest. The Co-op was fonded in 1970 in Fairhaven as a 900-square-foot store with fewer than 10 items has grown to an 11,000-member-strong natural grocery store and soon expanding again to a second store in the Cordata Neighborhood. I remember that old store and the early days as I worked in the co-op wrapping cheese and sorting things in exchange for my membership.  Membership is encouraged but everyone is welcome to shop there. If you are looking for organic produce, meat and seafood, wine, an exciting deli, a juice & espresso bar,  bulk items, natural and organic grocery items, baked goods, dairy, and supplements and wellness products, the co-op is where to find them.The Swan Cafe & Deli is one of my favorite lunch spots in town... 06/17/2007

  In the Silver Beach neighborhood by Lake Whatcom, 101 years ago, White City Amusement Park was built. It closed in 1919. Having been in this region since I was a child, I knew people over the years who remembered and told me about the excitement of this great amusement park. We have never had anything like it since. This was not some dinky site, but spectacular. There was the Silver Beach Hotel nearby and it was serviced by the street car. There was a large wooden roller coaster ( I mean big not like at the carnival) and a ferris wheel and White City was known for ice cream cones, picnics, dancing, roller skating and boating. Sometimes when I drive by that neighborhood, I am amazed that something so large was, at one time, at that location. 100 years changes things a lot! One man I kn... 06/17/2007

FEMA flood zone designations on flood insurance maps:  100-year floodplain - Is  another term for a Special Flood Hazard Area, referring to any area that has at least a one percent annual chance of flooding. The term 100-year flood is misleading. It is not the flood that will occur once every 100 years. Rather, it is the flood that has a one percent chance of being equaled or exceeded each year. Thus, the 100-year flood could occur more than once in a relatively short period of time. Because this term is misleading, FEMA has properly defined it as the one percent annual chance flood. This one percent annual chance flood is now the standard used by most Federal and State agencies and by the National Flood Insurance Program. This term signifies that a structure located with the one percen... 06/16/2007