Bellingham WA - Sehome Neighborhood Guide
The Sehome Neighborhood in Bellingham is located in the same area where the historic town of Sehome once thrived. Most of the homes here are located on the lower half of Sehome Hill.
The Sehome Neighborhood today is located just north and northeast of Western Washington University and Sehome Hill Arboretum and east of the Arboretum as well. The area is home to many college students, some WWU staff and area residents.
Some of the homes located higher up on Sehome Hill do offer spectacular city views of Bellingham, Bellingham Bay and Mount Baker. The majority of the homes though, have territorial views, being that they are located on the lower parts of Sehome Hill. A majority of the residential streets are narrow and parking is limited, partially due to the proximity of the busy WWU Campus. The streets in the north and west have sidewalks, some on the east and west are lacking them.
Closer to campus along N. Garden St and N. Forest St., you’ll find apartments, duplexes and larger older homes that mainly house Western students. Many of these American Four square’s, Victorians, Georgian Manors, Italianates, and Craftsman style Bungalows homes, built around the turn-of-the century, have been converted into duplexes, triplexes and rooming houses for WWU students.
The center of the neighborhood is called the Sehome Hill Historic District and is recognized by the National Register. This area includes portions of Jersey, Key, Liberty, Mason, Newell, E. Myrtle, E. Laurel, and E. Maple Streets. Each street corner sign has a quality Historic District sign above it. This part of the Sehome Neighborhood is a little quieter and more family oriented than the rest of the neighborhood. Most of the exterior of the homes and their unique character and style are still intact.
The Sehome Neighborhood boundary follows along the Sehome Hill Arboretum, then along Bill McDonald Parkway past Samish Way to I-5 and along I-5 to The York Neighborhood. Then follow along Samish Way and Ellis St to Holly St., Down Holly to State St. and from here south to Boulevard St and then east on Cedar behind Forest & Cedar Park. Finally the boundary follows N Garden St. to E Oak St. and then east to Sehome Hill Arboretum.
The Sehome Neighborhood Parks include two small parks in Pine & Cedar Park and Laurel Park. Sehome Hill Arboretum offers an alternative outdoor experience with the beauty and tranquility of the Arboretum and its extensive trail system, variety of tree species and even some partial views. Look closely and you’ll see deer, many squirrels and a variety of birds. The Arboretum is just another great example of the beautiful parks that Bellingham has to offer.
Sehome Village provides convenient shopping with a Haggen supermarket, restaurants, offices and shops. Samish Way is a strip of restaurants, motels, convenience stores and gas stations. A short drive away you can find Fred Meyer Shopping Center. Across Lincoln Street, Lakeway Center features a Cost Cutter grocery, along with other stores and restaurants.
The History of Sehome is that it started out as a coal mine town – The company town that made the bay economy go. Historians say that by 1858 three small communities had been established on Bellingham Bay: Sehome, Whatcom, and Pattle’s Point, which later became Unionville and, subsequently, Bellingham. Pierre B. Cornwall, who owned the Sehome land pushed to consolidate the towns of Sehome and Whatcom. Cornwall even changed the name of his town from Sehome to New Whatcom. In 1890 Whatcom and New Whatcom became just Whatcom. The towns of Fairhaven and Bellingham incorporated into the town of Fairhaven. On December 28, 1903 the original four towns of Sehome, Whatcom, Bellingham, and Fairhaven had consolidated and officially incorporated as one town under the name of Bellingham.
Children attend Lowell Elementary School, Middle school kids attend Fairhaven Middle School and high school students go to nearby Sehome High School. My family & I are supporters of the Sehome basketball program where my nephew, Scott Campbell, is the head coach for the Sehome Boys Basketball Team.
My nephew, Scott Campbell has been hired to take the head basketball coaching job at Puyallup High School, near Tacoma, Washington. It’s a move up from the Sehome job that is a 2A school vs Puyallup at the 4A level. Sounds like he has a great nucleus of players to coach. He and his family are very excited about the new challenge. Good luck Scott.
Comment by Jerry — October 1, 2007 @ 2:55 pm
The Sehome Neighborhood Association envisions the area along Samish Way changing from the “Auto Commercial” zoning to instead an urban village with shops, offices and residences. Neighborhood groups throughout Bellingham are updating their neighborhood plans. The Samish Way area is one area the Sehome Association would like to upgrade and make more in line with The City of Bellingham’s goal of infilling. An Urban Village along Samish Way would do just the trick with the urban village concept fully developed.
Right now, the city is focusing on urban village development in four areas: Bellingham’s Downtown, Fairhaven, Barkley Village and Old Town. But planners like what’s happening in Sehome, and could nudge Samish Way into a priority spot if the effort continues with broad support from residents, businesses and property owners.
Supporters say an urban village would benefit residents by providing a livelier mix of shops and services, redesigning Samish Way to make it safer for pedestrians, and reducing crime by having more people live, work and shop in the area.
Comment by Jerry — October 27, 2007 @ 4:11 pm