1907 Map of Blaine

About this map

The United States - Canada Boundary Line serves as the northern anchor of this coastal landscape, where the port of Blaine sits perched at the entrance to Drayton Harbor. Early development in the region is closely tied to the Great Northern RR, which cuts a diagonal path through the timber and marshlands, connecting the border to southern hubs through the settlement at Custer. To the south, the Nooksak River winds toward Bellingham Bay, creating a fertile valley where Ferndale and Marietta take root. The southwestern portion of the sheet is dominated by the Lummi Indian Reservation, encompassing the delta of the Lummi River. Distinctive coastal features like Birch Point and Point Whitehorn frame Birch Bay, highlighting a maritime-focused economy and geography before the heavy industrialization of later decades. Interior landmarks like Lake Terrell and Elk Marsh suggest the original wetlands that once characterized this corner of Whatcom County.