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Historic Bellingham boulder to be removed
The fate of an historic landmark in Whatcom County hangs in the balance as a highway project threatens to roll right over it.
Bellingham, wash. - The fate of an historic landmark in Whatcom County hangs in the balance as a highway project threatens to roll right over it.
The Bellingham Rock is sitting right in the path of a fish passage improvement project, and it could end up being destroyed if a new home for the massive boulder isn't found.
The backstory:
If you are driving north on I-5 in Whatcom County, the Bellingham Rock is hard to miss.
"You are always kind of looking for the rock," said Keith Cook, Bellingham Rock preservationist and Facebook page moderator.
The brightly painted boulder sifts nestled in the trees, just south of the city.
"This is super-thick paint," said Cook, pointing to paint dripping down the rock.
Cook says the rock has been greeting visitors and locals since the late 60's and early 70's after construction finished on the highway. And it has long been a community canvas for anyone with the gumption to grab a can of spray paint.
"It has that welcome home feel," said Cook. "This thing’s been painted 1,000 times, people obviously enjoy it."
The two inches of paint offer layers of local history, including hundreds of murals of celebration and memorials to loved ones lost.
"There has been that many memories that have been put on this rock, year after year, month after month," said Cook. "It’d be interesting to do archeology, just peel it back and see what it was one at a time."
The rock is so popular it has its own Facebook page and spot on the map.
"It is a landmark, it’s the historic society registry," said Cook.
But, the clock is ticking for the Bellingham Rock of ages.
"It’s in danger," said Cook.
It must be moved ahead of construction of a fish passage along Friday, Lake and Chuckanut Creeks.
While he supports the habitat restoration, Cook wants to make sure the rock is spared.
"It's either going to be exploded or relocated. So, just trying to save some history," said Cook.
WSDOT sent an email in response to some of FOX 13's questions about the project, confirming that the rock must be cleared out ahead of the project.
Some of the statement reads;
"WSDOT has a fish passage project at Friday, Lake and Chuckanut Creeks along I-5. The Bellingham Rock is located within the foot print of this project and it does need to be moved from its current location."
"Once it is moved it cannot be returned. WSDOT and the Federal Highway Administration does not permit it to be returned to I-5 limited access, especially where it could encourage unsafe parking or pedestrian access along a busy interstate."
"Because of where we are in this process, I am unable to answer your questions about whether or not the Rock will be destroyed or where it may be moved too. Determining the Rock’s future is part of the process we are currently undertaking. There are some constraints that we must operate within."
WSDOT says it's working with partners on a solution for the rock. More details are located at WSDOT'S open house page.
"It really just takes someone speaking up and saying, yeah, I’ll take the rock," said Cook.
He is asking anyone with ideas to chip in. He's inviting people to reach out on the Bellingham Rock Facebook page with those thoughts. He's also asking people to post or send in their historical photos of paintings of the rock.
"I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I know it’s going to hurt a lot of people’s feelings if it’s not here anymore," said Cook. "This is what, 60 years-ish of history that’s going to be thrown away because people aren’t willing to put in a little extra effort into figuring where it can go? I’m really disappointed in that."
The Source: Information in this story is from the Washington State Department of Transportation, the Bellingham Rock Facebook page, and FOX 13 Seattle reporting and interviews.
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