For current season programs, visit the NEWSLETTER tab

2020-2024 Program Season Schedule

 If you miss the live broadcast, you may catch it later on the link below or on the Whatcom Museum website or by searching YouTube videos for Whatcom County Historical Society

Arpil 11, 2024

TBD

March 14th, 2024

1880’s Bellingham Bay and British Columbia Railroad, including the Milwaukee Road which took over the BB and BC in the early 1900s. The BB and BC Railroad was the first railroad to reach the border with Canada, becoming the first international railroad in the Western U.S.
Presenters: Karl Kleeman and Bill Rink
 

February 8th, 2024

History of the Whatcom County Poor Farm that is located on the corner of Northwest and Snith roads. The building has been a hospital, a “poor farm”, and the county planning office.
Presenter: Tom Helge
 

January 11th, 2024

Bill Helm will do a talk on "Old Time Baseball from 1860". Bill is the editor of the Lynden Tribune and has set up teams of baseball players that are playing baseball using equipment and the rules for baseball games that were played in the 1800s.
 

December 14, 2024

The program will be the traditional consisting of a short business meeting, voting for board members, and having open mic sessions with stories and short presentations by members of the audience. Local history publications will also be available for sale. Many of the books will be a portion of the large number of used publications that have been accumulated by the Society over the years.
 

April 13th,  2023

“Man of Treacherous Charms"
Presenter:  Candace Wellman
 

March  9th,  2023

“Under the Red Roof, One Hundred Years at Northern State Hospital,”
Presenter:  Mary McGoffin
 

February 9th,  2023

"A bit of the history of architecture of Whatcom County" 
Presenter:  Wendy McCleod
 

January 12,  2023

“Birds Eye View of Whatcom County”  by Troy Luginbill
 

December 8 , 2022

A short Business meeting, then  anyone wanting to do a short presentation of local history.  Contact Gretchen before hand - whatcomhistory@gmail.com
 

November 10 , 2022

"A history of the Heller home at Coupeville" by Lynn Hyde.
 

October 13, 2022

"The History of Rock and Roll in Whatcom County in the years 1955 through 1980" by Kent Holsather and Wes Gannaway.
 

April 8, 2021

"The Donovan Diaries"  by Brian Griffin

March 11, 2021

“Situating Ourselves in the Salish Sea”  Virtual Presentation by Anna Booker.    Online starting March 11, 2021 Register online for live broadcast at the Whatcom Museum website linked above or watch later at other links above.
 

February 11, 2021

"Washington State Northwest Regional Archives" by Janette Gomes. Register online for live broadcast at the Whatcom Museum website linked above or watch later at other links above.
 

January 14, 2021

"Dirty Dan Returns to Show Us Historical Fairhaven Buildings" by Lanny Little. Register online for live broadcast at the Whatcom Museum website linked above or watch later at other links above.
 

November 12, 2020

"The Richards Building: Restoration Phase 2," by Wes Gannaway. Register online for live broadcast at the Whatcom Museum website linked above or watch later at other links above.

The Annual December History Holiday for 2020 is cancelled. Current Society members will automatically recieve their Journals by mail.
 

October 8, 2020

"A History of CCC Camp Glacier from 1933 to 1941," by Michael Impero. Virtual only. Linked below.
 

Videos of Past Programs - available on YouTube

"Situatling Ourselves in the Salish Sea"
Presenter:  Anna Booker

"Washington State Northwest Regional Archives"
Presenter:  Janette Gomes

"Dirty Dan Returns to tell the story of three Historic Fairhaven Buldings"
Presenter:  Lanny Little
Lanny painted murals, including the Old Town Mural and the Village Green Mural in the early 2000s before taking up videography.

"A History of CCC Camp Glacier from 1933 to 1941"
Presenter: Michael Impero

"Bellingham's Federal Building: Things You Never Knew"
Presenter: Kolby LeBree
Kolby LaBree is a local historian who also co-owns Good Time Girls local history tours.

A Virtual History Sunset Cruise.
Presenter: Brian Griffin
Brian Griffin leads Bellingham Bay Sunset History Cruises for the Whatcom Museum.

Interwoven Lives: Indigenous Mothers of Salish Coast Communities.
Presenter: Candace Wellman
This is the second of Wellman's books on cross-cultural marriages in the Pacific Northwest.

More Murder and Mayhem in the Fourth Corner
Presenter: Todd Warger
Todd Warger, Whatcom County historian and writer, shares more true crime stories from his series of books delving into the dark side of Whatcom County's history beginning with the late 1800s.

The Salish Sea
Presenter: Bert Webber
Bert Webber, WWU Professor Emeritus of Huxley College of the Environment, shares the history of the naming of the Salish Sea and its importance.

The Military Road in Washington
Fort Steilacoom to Fort Bellingham Military Road - Presenter: Karen Meador
Presented at the Whatcom Museum by author and historian, Karen Meador on October 9th, 2014.

Coal Mines of Whatcom County
Presenter: George Mustoe
Have you ever wondered what was under the ground we walk on? Would you have guessed there's a maze of coal tunnels beneath Bellingham? Geologist George Mustoe presents a telling of the story of coal mining in Whatcom County, the region's first industry, spanning 1853 to 1955.

Images of America: Mount Baker
Presenters: Todd Warger and John D'onofrio
An hour of unique images and marvelous stories by John D'Onofrio and Todd Warger from their new book, Images of America: Mount Baker. This fascinating, illustrated talk was presented at the Whatcom Museum and was recorded by BTV10.

Drive-Ins, Drive-Ups and Drive-Thrus of the Northwest
Presenters:Wes Gannaway & Kent Hoelsather
Showing the history and evolution of fast food and the car.

Old City Hall Tour
Presenter: Whatcom Museum Photo Archivist Jeff Jewell
Take a tour of Bellingham's most iconic architectural landmark with Whatcom Museum Photo Archivist Jeff Jewell.

J.J. Donovan and the Growth of Bellingham
Presenter: Brian Griffin
Bellingham Author and Historian Brian Griffin talks about the early history of Bellingham and the people who were integral in its growth including J.J. Donovan, a train and lumber magnate. The presentation was held at Whatcom County Museum in Bellingham.

Japanese Incarceration During World War II
Presenters: Fumio Otsu and Carole Teshima
Members of the current Bellingham Japanese American community talk about the timeline of the incarceration and how it impacted longtime established local residents of Japanese American descent. The presentation was held at Whatcom County Museum in Bellingham.

A Home on the South Fork
Presenter: Margaret Hellyer
"Margaret Hellyer talks about her meticulously researched history of Acme, Washington, and its development from an isolated location in the wilderness of the South Fork valley into a thriving community built on timber.

The Sumas Rodeo
Presenter: Deb Morgan
Local historian Deb Morgan, of Sumas, presented the amazing and little known history of the Sumas Rodeo, once the largest in the country.

Creating An Historically Accurate Painting of HMS Discovery
Presenter: Steve Mayo
Well-known maritime artist Steve Mayo talked about how the historical research behind his representations of Pacific Northwest maritime

Sikh History of Whatcom County
Presenters: Satpal Sidhu and Paul Englesberg
A history of how the Sikh community of Whatcom County returned more than 100 years after being driven out and how they are leading an effort to reconcile past injustices through the Arch of Peace and Reconciliation.