YWCA Building (Bellingham, Washington)

{{Infobox NRHP

| name = Young Women's Christian Association

| nrhp_type = nrhp

| image = YWCA_Bellingham_2.JPG

| caption = The roof contains four eyebrow dormers.

| alt = An imposing brick building on a hill with "YWCA" above the entrance.

| location = 1026 North Forest Street, Bellingham, Washington 98225

| map_alt = Located in Washington (state) in the northwest corner.

| coordinates = {{coord|48|44|43|N|122|28|44|W|display=inline,title}}

| locmapin = Washington

| area =

| built = 1915

| added = April 21, 1977

| architecture = Colonial Revival, Eclectic

| architect = Carl Frelinghuysen Gould

| builder =

| visitation_num =

| visitation_year =

| refnum = 77001367{{NRISref|2013a|dateform=|accessdate=|refnum=77001367|name=}}

| mpsub =

| website =

}}

The YWCA Building is a historic Young Women's Christian Association building Bellingham, Washington that was completed in 1915. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977 and continues to be used by the Bellingham YWCA.{{cite web |url= https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75613630 |title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory -- Nomination Form: Young Women's Christian Association |last1= Mariz |first1= George |last2= Richards |first2= Alice |editor= Elisabeth Walton Potter |author-link= |publisher=National Park Service |date= July 10, 1992 |access-date=February 14, 2024}}

History

In 1899, the first YWCA presence in Bellingham formed as a club at the New Whatcom Normal School, what is now Western Washington University. A formal chapter was formed in 1907 which focused on helping women from overseas and rural areas find employment at a time when many new arrivals were tricked or coerced into prostitution. Charles X. and Frances Larrabee donated the land and underwrote construction of the building which was finished in 1915.{{cite web |url= https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/article22322067.html |title= Bellingham YWCA comes full circle 100 years after first helping women start new life |last= Kahn |first= Dean |author-link= |date= May 26, 2015 |website= The Bellingham Herald |publisher= |access-date= February 16, 2024 |url-access=limited}}

File:YWCA Bellingham.JPG

Today, the organization provides low cost apartments with a shared kitchen, bathroom and laundry in conjunction with support programs to help women. There is a retail Y's Buys thrift shop at 1224 North State St, Bellingham, WA. The organization also runs a "low barrier" emergency shelter next door at the First Presbyterian Church where clients are not required to participate in their programs.{{cite web |url= https://www.cascadiadaily.com/2022/nov/24/ywca-to-open-wintertime-shelter-for-women/ |title= YWCA to open wintertime shelter for women |last= Schwartz |first= Ralph |author-link= |date= November 24, 2022 |website= Cascadia Daily |publisher= |access-date= February 16, 2024 |quote=}}

Architecture

Seattle architect Carl Frelinghuysen Gould was hired to design the three-and-a-half-story palazzo overlooking Bellingham Bay. The structure is usually described as Colonial Revival, but is eclectic with elements of Georgian Revival, Queen Anne, and Italian Renaissance Revival architecture. The entrance has a portico with Doric columns and the roof has eyebrow dormers. The brick is in a Flemish bond pattern except for the friezes above the entrance which use herringbone bond.