#Onthisday in #Bellinghistory, November 13, 1913, the Herald reported on a scandalous affair involving the arrest of a pair of traveling clairvoyants on charges of “lewd living.” 

This story ties in with one of our favorite topics – Spiritualism!  If you’ve been on one of our “Gore and Lore” tours you may have heard us talk about the Spiritualist Congregations of Bellingham.

Although the idea of communicating with the dead has likely been around since the dawn of time, “Spiritualism” is said to be a “purely American invention.”  Like Jazz!

Ella Rhoads Higginson’s recollection of her arrival on the shores of Bellingham Bay on a dark night in October of 1888 and the “horrors” she encountered, is the perfect seasonal read for BellingHistory nerds. The story was written some 20 years after the fact and originally published in the American Reveille June 14, 1908. It was later reprinted in Edith Beebe Carhart’s 1926 compilation “A History of Bellingham, Washington” and in Lela Jackson Edson’s 1951 “The Fourth Corner.”

This post was inspired by a 1908 news blurb about a new building on Railroad Avenue to be occupied by Curt Pless’ Feed and Seed business, and Pless’ mysterious disappearance soon after. #Onthisday in #Bellinghistory October 3, 1908 the Herald reported on the “New Headquarters for the Pless Hay & Grain Company,” on the corner of Railroad and Magnolia, better known in recent years as the home of Avalon Records and Clark’s Feed and Seed, recently gutted by fire.  “One of the most up-to-date buildings of the year erected for housing a feed and grain business is the above warehouse, built at the corner of Railroad Avenue and Magnolia Street and leased for a long period by Curt Pless & Co.”  

It’s that time of year again, time for Bellingham’s Annual SeaFeast Festival, celebrating Bellingham’s maritime bounty and heritage. A few years ago we joined forced with our beloved Sea Shanty Singalong to start a new SeaFeast tradition!This year we will be singing salty songs in the Mountain Room at Boundary Bay, following the Fisher Poets on Bellingham Bay on Saturday, September 21st.

One of our favorite “historic markers” along Harris Avenue in Fairhaven is the one that reads “Cleopatra’s Barge, Lions and Camels Paraded Here 1891”   near the west end of the Padden Creek Lagoon…

While doing some research for the Horseshoe Café, I recently found myself sidetracked into the world of the Barnum and Bailey circus on their visit to Bellingham in 1908.  As a fan-girl of old-timey performers of the vaudeville and circus scenes, it was fairly easy to do….  Since today is the anniversary of the arrival of the Barnum and Bailey Circus in Bellingham #onthisday in 1908, I thought I’d share…

We have been working on amassing as much local LGBTQ related Belling-history as possible over the years. This is an ongoing project to which we are dedicated! We are excited to share what we know thus far with y’all in a free PILOT tour this weekend during Bellingham PRIDE.

We’re having a party to celebrate the kickoff of our 2019 Summer Tour Season, and the premier of BELLINGHAM CRIBS EPISODE 2! THURSDAY JUNE 20th from 7-9 PM in the MOUNTAIN ROOM AT BOUNDARY BAY

We’re excited to announce this opportunity to get outside and get some FREE Belling-history this summer with three guided historical tours in partnership with the Bellingham Parks and Recreation Department.

Good Time Girl guides will lead three different historical walking tours based around Maritime Heritage Park and Whatcom Creek!

We wanted to share a fun little piece of boozy Belling-history from our collection – a little booklet from 1953: “Hints for the Home Bar” from the Pastime restaurant and lounge…