Published January 9, 2020
Bellingham Then & Now: George E. Pickett House
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It’s the oldest surviving building in Bellingham. It’s also named after the same Confederate general as the controversial Pickett Bridge at Dupont and Prospect. And it’s been on the National Historic Register since 1971. George Pickett was among the first white settlers in Whatcom County, and built his house on the bluff above the Roeder lumber mill that was situated along Whatcom Creek. He served as the military commander of Fort Bellingham, a stockade meant to guard the settlement. Before leaving for the Civil War, Pickett married Morning Mist, a First Nations woman from an elite family in the Haida tribe, who later died in childbirth complications.
On the National Historic Register nomination documents, proponents of a property select one or more areas in which they believe the house is significant - categories like Aboriginal, Architecture, Art, Engineering, Literature, Military, Political, Religion, and so on.
The Picket House forms have two boxes checked - Military and History (written in). It was accepted into the register in December of 1971, but there’s also a page that shows various experts’ opinions of the house.
While we don’t have record of any discussions that happened around this house, there seems to be a trend that the Pickett House is less significant due to the short stay of its original owner, and more significant that it’s the oldest surviving building in Bellingham (and based on other sources, the “oldest wooden building on its own foundation in Washington State” (source)).
And I enjoyed the commentary that is recorded on one page of the forms, especially the note from someone who is definitely of the administrative mindset:
Historian: “Marginal on national significance, but certainly of State significance.”
Archaeologist: "Can’t see national significance as Pickett lived there only 3 years, but as far as local significance OK.”
Editorial Processing: “This form was filled out in March, 1969, but not signed for more than 2 years! Meantime Wash. was asked to stop using Xerox. My feelings on the historical significance are mixed. Is it one of the oldest houses in Bellingham? Pickett’s brief stay does not seem to merit inclusion. Confer.”
Next up on Bellingham Then & Now: Lairmont Manor once hosted contralto Marian Anderson.
Previously on Bellingham Then & Now: a map showing where all the houses in the 2019 series are located.
Sources
George E. Pickett House (910 Bancroft Street). City of Bellingham. Link.
Washington SP Pickett House. National Archives Catalog. Link.
Images
George E. Pickett House (910 Bancroft Street). City of Bellingham. Link.
Now: Cooper Hansley
Blog copy by Tiffany Holden
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