|
|
Vanished Landmarks -- Gone but for Photographs Fairhaven's boom years of 1889-92 saw significant expansion in both population and building construction. The most famous was the Fairhaven Hotel constructed in 1889 and 1890, which exemplifies the hopes and dreams of the early founders of the town of Fairhaven.
Other historic landmarks exist now only in photos and memories of long-time Southsiders. These include: the Blonden Block, The Citizens Bank/Sandwick Building, the Cowgill House (moved to make way for the dreams of an opera house), and a massive land mass called Poe's Point or Deadman's Point which was once an early cemetery. Unfortunately, a new landmark has been placed on the list. The beloved Terminal Building, in continuous use for 135 years, was destroyed by fire on December 16, 2023. Read More
Fairhaven Hotel Poster 1890
Whatcom Museum Photo Archives # 1971.03.02
| Fairhaven Hotel (1889 - 1956) Occupied the NE corner of 12th Street and Harris Avenue
The elegant Fairhaven Hotel was constructed in 1889-1890, The collapse of its trade and final demolition is also a testament to the shattered dreams of a town once poised to be the terminus of the Great Northern Railroad.
Financed by entrepreneurs Nelson Bennett and C.X. Larrabee and designed by local architects, Longstaff and Black, the hotel boasted 100 rooms. It was serviced by a hydraulic elevator, lit by gas and electric lights, decorated with elegant oak furniture and brass hardware and heated by large steam boilers. | | | | |
| The Terminal Building (1888 - 2023) Occupied the NE corner of 11th Street and Harris Avenue
The Terminal Building was the oldest continuously occupied commercial building in the Fairhaven Historic District, Built in 1888-1889 in the High Victorian Italianate style, this structure was first called the Evans-Fick Block after two of its owners Evan Evans and Henry Fick. Early tenant, Will Berthiaume, opened his Terminal Store on the first floor corner with a soda fountain and sundries that catered to those waiting for a trolley at the terminus of the electric streetcar line connecting downtown Bellingham with the "Southside”. This is most likely the beginning of the current reference to "Terminal Building”. Tragically, on December 16, 2023, Fairhaven lost a cherished historic building in a fire that also took the life Nate Breaux, owner of the Cafe and Coffee House.
|
More Vanished Landmarks
|
This 1950 photograph at 11th Street, looking west down Harris Avenue, captures the image of four of Fairhaven's historic buildings. Today, only the Nelson Block, in the foreground left (with arched windows) still exists. Built in 1900, the Nelson Block, once a bank, is occupied by Three French Hens. The Blonden Block, the onion-domed building on the left, was demolished not long after this photo was taken. The remains of the Citizen's Bank/Sandwick Building can be seen on the right (beyond the Coca-Cola sign). That building caught fire in 1949. The Terminal Building, right, was Fairhaven's oldest building (1888) and was home to Tony's Coffee since the 1970s, (more recently the Independent Coffee Shop) and Harris Street Cafe. The building was destroyed by fire in 2023. | Looking West at 11th & Harris Avenue
| Then and Now (Click Historic Photo for more Information.)
| |
|
| | Fairhaven Hotel
1890 - 1956 NW Corner of 12th St & Harris Ave. |  |  |
| | | Demolition of Fairhaven Hotel completed in 1956. Today, Fairhaven Tower occupies that space.
. |
|
Blonden Block
1890 - 1950 SW Corner 11th St & Harris Ave. | |   |
| | | The Blonden Block with onion-domed corner tower was demolished in 1950. The corner was used as a community garden until November 30, 1972. Today it is the location of Fairhaven Tacos.
|
| |
Citizen's Bank/ Sandwick Building
1890 - 1949 NW Corner 11th St. & Harris Ave.
| 
|  |
| | | The Citizens' Bank became Sandwicks Building. It caught fire in 1949. The corner is now occupied by Acme Ice Cream. J.J. Donovan sculpture can be seen left. Left Photo Credit: Fairhaven Illustrated 1890 Whatcom Museum
|
| | | |
| |
The Terminal Building
1888 - 2023 SE Corner 11th St & Harris Ave.
| |  | | | | | |
1890 - 1891
NE Corner 13th & Harris Ave.
| |  |
| | | The Cowgill House was one of the first residences in Fairhaven, located just behind the Fairhaven Hotel. E.L. Cowgill dreamed of a Fairhaven Opera House and in 1891 moved his house up Knox Avenue to 17th Street to make room. In 2024, after years of being used as a parking lot, the site will be occupied by the Opera House Apartments
|
| | ? - 1919 Foot of Harris Avenue
starting around 4th Street
|  |  | | | |
1909 Historic Photo, left, looks west down Harris Avenue.
A large land mass called Deadman's Point was located at the foot of Harris Avenue. It was an early cemetery. Also known as Poe's Point and Commercial Point in later years. "Most" of the bodies were moved in 1889 to Bay View cemetery, but a few more were were discovered as demolition continued.
Bellingham Herald headline on July 25, 1919 "DEADMAN"S POINT IS NOW NOTHING BUT A MEMORY"
|
| 240713
|
|
|
|
|
.jpg)
