Fascinating Facts about Whatcom County
Top Fascinating Facts about Whatcom County
Whatcom County is located in the US state of Washington. Bellingham is the county government and largest city.
People lived in Whatcom County for at least twelve millennia. At least three aboriginal tribes have been identified in this area: Lummi, Nooksack and Semiahmoo. This area was a part of the Oregon Country in the early nineteenth century, inhabited by Canadian fur seekers and Americans seeking land for agricultural work and mining.
In 1857, the federal government began the fieldwork required to establish a national border between the United States and Canada, which was agreed as forty-ninth parallel in this area and marked the northern line of Whatcom County. As the work moved to the east, some workers preferred to remain in the area as settlers.
Bellingham is located in the northwest part of the United States, near the Canadian border. Vancouver is closer from here than Seattle. This is actively used by Canadian citizens because, as you know, prices in Canada are approximately one and a half times higher than in the United States. On weekends, supermarket parking in Bellingham is packed with Canadian license plates.
Bellingham is located on Sir William Bellingham Bay's shores, discovered in June 1792 by the legendary Captain George Vancouver. Bellingham is not too big and, by American standards, quite a prosperous city.
Tourists visiting the city for the first time are impressed by the number of yachts in the local harbor. For every second family in Bellingham, there is one large yacht. Real estate in the city is expensive. The average cost of a house with a picturesque ocean view is 500-800 thousand dollars. Homes not by the ocean are a little cheaper.
Mount Baker is the highest point in Whatcom County. The mountain is 10778 feet high. The peak was not conquered until 1868. The most favorable months for the expedition to the mountain peak are May, June, July, August. Climbing a peak such as Mount Baker still requires serious preparation and attention to detail. Still, such an ascent is no longer comparable in complexity to expeditions to the highest peaks in the world.
Birch Bay State Park is a compact 77-hectare park and is a wonderful place to visit. It is a combination of artificial landscapes, mixed forests and small ponds. In the west, the park is located along the Pacific coast. In the east, it is surrounded by majestic cascade mountains. Birch Bay is a unique natural treasure. Here you can meet about a hundred species of wild animals and birds in vivo.
The park provides multilateral and exciting opportunities for outdoor activities. In the area open for tourists, about 120 kilometers of the pedestrian trail with equipped viewing platforms are laid. On the ocean coast, boating, sailing and windsurfing occupations are very popular. In the park, you can go fishing and cycling, as well as lie on the fantastic sandy beaches.
Larrabee State Park, located on the Pacific coast near Bellingham, is one of the Chuckanut drive road's landmarks. Here you can make a short stop to admire the views. You can have a picnic on the beach. You can look for puddles with starfish and other coastal animals among the rocks. If you're lucky, you can see a train passing by (the railway here goes right along the coast).