Whatcom County Remembered: TAB FOR NEW, IMPROVED LIBRARIES: $56.3M
This journey began in earnest about 8 years ago, after having been mentioned at various times prior to the time of actually beginning. A special committee has been working diligently investigating all of the ramifications involved: location, parking, public input, cost, etc., etc. Now they have come to the place where they appear to be ready to say to the community, “Here it is, are you willing to accept the proposal?”
My mind began thinking of the libraries that have met my needs since I was a little girl of about 5 when the library stood high on a rock across from the Mt. Baker Theater. I called the archives at the Museum and learned some interesting facts:
The first library in the area was the Carnegie Library in Fairhaven, now the Fairhaven Library. It was built in 1904, the property a gift from the Larabee family which at that time owned a significant amount of property in Whatcom County. Property was a requirement before the great philanthropist would give the gift. It cost $12,500. The main library was on the upper floor, and the lower floor was a workman’s reading room for men to have some place to go other than saloons. There was a special entrance to this basement room since the men would come from work in their dirty clothes and were not considered appropriately groomed to come in the main entrance. That door is still there.
In 1908 another library was built on the high point at what is now where Champion and Commercial streets cross. Again the Carnegie Institute came through with the needed $20,000 after Pierre Cornwall, another large property owner, gave the gift of property.
It is this library that played such a distinctive role in my growing up years. It was interesting to learn it had originally been built on a high place, flat ground, but that as the city grew the hill kept getting shaved down until it became Champion and Commercial (1910 and 1926). When I began going to the library (1928), 57 steps were taken to the adult library, the children’s was reached after ascending 25 steps to the bottom floor. Mrs. Gilfilen was the children’s librarian, her daughter became my friend during high school.
Many things have run through my mind as I have absorbed all of this information. Obviously when the downtown library was built not much thought was given to the future of the City. I had always assumed there wasn’t much concern for handicap availability, but it would seem no thought was given to the City’s growth, it began on flat ground and ended with 57 steps. It also reminded me that those many years ago, ordinary citizen input didn’t exist. Our early history reveals that Bellingham and surrounding areas were controlled by the “Upper 400,” families of wealth and property, some of whom contributed lavishly to their community, but they ran the show. I remember the names: Larrabee, Bloedel, Donovan, Deming, Cornwall, Welch, Brooks, Loggie. These people were mostly involved in lumber and fishing. During many of these years the local newspaper was controlled by the Sefrit family, you never questioned which side they were on, there was always just one side; when KVOS Radio became a reality the voice of Rogan Jones gave the other side, but only that side. How interesting it used to be.
Fast forward to 2008: Our present library has been in use 57 years, having been paid for by the citizens of the community, built on the edge of the old City dump, a facility that has been used for many activities besides books. The population was probably about 37,000, now we have over 70,000. If this passes 10 years will have elapsed since the planning began, with input from anyone that chose to let their ideas be known. Not all could be chosen. It will cost $56.3M, paid for by all of us. Bellingham is high on the charts nationally for livability, etc. Our No.1 desire in any poll is to have good paying jobs. Companies with good paying jobs always measure the aesthetic qualities of a community prior to moving. I doubt that Bill Gates will pick us as a community which cannot take care of itself.
The “Good Old Days,” how often we hear how much better it was back then. I wonder about that. Now all of us are a part of the mix, good and bad; times have changed, we live in a time when numbers of homes are valued at over $1,000,000. How does $56.3 million for one new library and the refurbishing of a second compare to that? THE CHOICE WILL BE OURS!
Written By: Geneil Chevalier
Art Anderson and John Forgetten with the United States Marine Corp stopped by the office to award The Johnson Team with a plaque in appreciation of our assistance with the annual Toys for Tots Program. The Johnson Team Moving truck helped transport thousands of donated toys this holiday season. Art and John were pleased to inform us that thanks to everyone involved, this year they were able to give Christmas gifts to 7,500 well deserving children!
