Bellingham Then & Now: Alfred L. Black House

Houses are so much more than a collection of old wood and stone, and layers of renovations over their history. The more I look into some of the vintage houses of Bellingham’s youth, the more they open up a story of the people that lived here, the eras they were built in, and whispers of the principles that made Bellingham what it is today. 

Like many of the homes we’ve researched for this series, the Alfred Black House is so much more than another early 1900s Queen Anne style house on South Hill. From the blending of two distinct architectural styles, to the site where it was built, to the rooms designed into its eight thousand square feet, this home was a symbolic representation of the man who lived there, and the specific choices he made to influence on his community. 

Alfred L. Black was the last mayor of Fairhaven. 1903 was a crucial year for him, as he made his bid to become the first mayor of a newly formed municipality: Bellingham. He also set the goal of finishing his home on the hill south of New Whatcom Normal School’s campus (now Western Washington University).

“In those days by far the best known advocate of consolidation was the mayor of Fairhaven, Alfred L. Black. Before the end of that year Black began work on two major projects. One was to build a mansion equal to his soon-to-be office....On December 12, 1903, in a special election, Alfred Black became Bellingham’s first mayor. His symbolic home was finished that year as well.” (source)

It’s no surprise that Black chose a prominent local architect, Alfred Lee, to design his castle. By this time, Lee had already supervised construction of the original Old Main building on Western’s campus and the New Whatcom City Hall (now the Whatcom Museum), and lavish homes for other local notables, like Robert Morse’s ornate residence on Garden St.

The home itself is a masterpiece of political positioning. At over eight thousand square feet of living space, its ten bedrooms, library, and billiard room could board and entertain visiting dignitaries, and the reception hall plus the ballroom hosted gatherings of the social and political elite. 

At first glance, the heavy crowned arch over the front door speaks of power and prestige. Incidentally, this style is a reflection of Richardsonian Romanesque, and was often used in “grand, public buildings” like courthouses, and due to the high cost of construction when used residentially, was limited to the social elite (source). But the house isn’t so different from its neighbors of the era, since the upper floors and distinct octagonal turreted tower reflect the Queen Anne style commonly used at the time.  

Situated overlooking Bellingham Bay, residents and visitors would have had incredible views from the turret and wraparound porch, but the Black House’s location was carefully chosen for more than just aesthetics. In a symbolic stroke, the last mayor of Fairhaven and first mayor of Bellingham had his home constructed on “the old boundary line between the towns” (source).
Previously on Bellingham Then & Now: Sycamore Square (Mason Block) tells the story of the revitalization of Fairhaven.

Next up on Bellingham Then & Now: Elmheim is a mansion of yesteryear, lost forever to history.

Sources

“Alfred L. Black House”. City of Bellingham. Link. 

“Romanesque Revival”. Architectural Styles of America and Europe. Link. 

“Washington SP Black, Alfred L., House.” National Register of Historic Places. Link.

Images

Then: National Register of Historic Places nomination documents. Circa 1980. Link.

Now: Cooper Hansley

Turreted Arch: Cooper Hansley

Blog copy by Tiffany Holden