Railroad History Walks

Railroad history Walks are back! The Bellingham Railway Museum, in conjunction with the Bellingham Parks Department is once again proud to announce the Railroad History Walks Program. The program will consist of three walks on Sunday afternoons in the fall along various railroad lines in Bellingham Which have been converted to trails. Due to their beginnings as railroad grades, these trails are relatively easy walks with gentle grades and well surfaced trails. Each walk will last approximatly two hours and will be led by knowledgeable museum staff who will describe the history of the line and the railroad that operated it. Participants will recieve handouts with additional information about the routes and historic photos of the area.

The first walk will take us along the former Northern Pacific line from Boulevard Park to Railroad Avenue and return. Along the way you'll learn about the history of the Northern Pacific and it's predecessor, the Bellingham Bay and Eastern. We'll also visit the site of the old Milwaukee Road roundhouse and Station on Railroad Ave. and discuss the significant roll that road played in the settlement and growth of Bellingham and Whatcom County.

Our second walk takes us along the old Pacific Northwest Traction line from Fairhaven park the the former site of the High Bridge to Chuckanut. This line, better known as the Interurban Trail was once the only land connection for persons travelling from Bellingham to Mount Vernon and beyond. We'll discuss the role of the Interurbans in America, and the curious history of this little known railroad in particular.

Our third and final walk follows the Milwaukee Road and Great Northern lines from Bellingham Technical College to Squalicum Parkway. Along the way we'll talk about the history of the GN and milwaukee, the Bellingham Coal Mines, and the industries that sprouted up along the line. We'll also visit the site of the Cedartone mill, once a major shake mill in Bellingham and now a city park.