1954 Map of Bellingham South

About this map

The campus of Western Washington College and the surrounding neighborhoods of South Bellingham dominate the northern portion of this 1954 survey, showing the city's southward expansion toward the coast. The topography transitions quickly from the urban grid of Bellingham and Happy Valley into the steep, densely forested slopes of Lookout Mountain and Chuckanut Mountain. Along the shoreline, the winding route of Chuckanut Drive and the Northern Pacific railroad track the narrow corridor between the mountains and the water, passing through Chuckanut Village and the early boundaries of Larrabee State Park. The map also captures the varied freshwater resources of the region, from the residential edges of Whatcom Lake at Geneva to more secluded upland waters like Cedar Lake, Fragrance Lake, and Lost Lake tucked deep within the rugged terrain south of Lake Padden.