Do you love old maps and geography? We do! We love this page and project, if you are interested in how the geography of our shorelines have changed over time, check this great website out!

We love this resource and highly recommend it…

Bellingham Working Waterfront

An ongoing research project examining the transformation of Bellingham's shoreline.

This project utilizes ArcGIS (Geographic Information System) tools to visualize 160 years of the waterfront’s evolution into the highly engineered landscape we see today. Maps showing the Bellingham tidal flats as they existed for most of human history are overlaid with historical plat maps, railroad maps, and geological surveys conveying how the shoreline was reshaped and filled.  

While not a comprehensive overview of the history of Bellingham, the project aims to give an overall sense of the city’s unique heritage as well as its future. As contemporary industries and interests continue to alter the waterfront, students will explore and expand on the subjects and events displayed here.

The time span from 1853 to the present has been divided into several smaller time periods, determined by a combination of significant historical events and the availability of maps.

To navigate through this story map, either scroll or use the tabs that appear at the top of the screen.

Click here to check it out:

https://wwu.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Cascade/index.html?appid=e3030dd233f64a029626e35a584cc9ad