Lake Whatcom - Brief History

Brief History

The earliest known settlement was a Northwest Coast Salish village at the south end of the lake, occupied by the Saquantch tribe. Around 1800 the Saquantch were pushed out by the Lummi tribe. In the 1850s is the first known settlement of Westerners to Lake Whatcom. The first claim of private land was reported for $8. Most of the area surrounding the lake was extensively logged by the end of the 19th century. Large mining operations also existed near the lake from the late 19th century through 1919, when the Whatcom Mining Company closed down. In 1946 J.H. Donovan donates 12.5 acres to the city for what would eventually become Bloedel Donovan Park. In 1962 water is diverted from the Middle Fork of the Nooksack to augment water levels.