Bellingham’s empty malls and border quirks define local identity
From the last U.S. rest stop before Canada to a mall with vacant stalls, these physical gaps shape how residents view their town.
By Thabo Hoffmann ·
The Custer Safety Rest Area on Interstate-5 serves as the final U.S. stop before the Canadian border. This specific location anchors a growing local focus on liminal spaces, or environments that exist in a transitional state between being fully used and fully abandoned.
Whatcom County residents are increasingly identifying these in-between places as core elements of their community character. The area includes Bellingham, a college and border town where populations shift constantly. It also encompasses seasonal resort areas like Birch Bay and Blaine. Bellingham’s street map reflects its history of merging four original towns atop coal mining veins, creating a layout where many roads end and restart.
These physical gaps influence how locals perceive their daily lives. The town is often described as having subdued excitement, where cultural activities remain hidden until residents actively seek them out. Local legends fill these voids with stories that reinforce the feeling of being stuck in a transition. One popular internet term defines life in Bellingham as moving on a wheel without going anywhere. Another legend claims residents are fated to return to the city after leaving.
Ghost stories and true crime tales further mark the landscape as a threshold space. Historic buildings like the Mount Baker Theater host regular ghost hunts. The Waterfront Seafood and Bar has gained a reputation as a site visited by notorious criminals, including Ted Bundy. These narratives transform familiar spots into places of unease, linking local history to universal themes of the unknown.
The county’s relationship with national boundaries adds another layer to this identity. A surveying error places part of Sumas, including the Old Customs Building, technically in Canada. This area is locally known as the Canada strip. In contrast, Point Roberts is a U.S. exclave that requires four separate border crossings to reach from the rest of Whatcom County. Peace Arch Park offers a unique international space where visitors can cross the border without documents, but only within the park limits.
Commercial spaces also reflect this theme of transition. Bellis Fair Mall retains several empty stalls and changing tenants, presenting a quiet contrast to the bustling areas nearby. Abandoned locations like the gold mining ghost towns in the Cascades and the maritime buildings at Semiahmoo Resort draw urban explorers seeking the thrill of decaying structures.
Pop culture references reinforce these local sentiments. Dan Erickson, a Western Washington University graduate, cited the Backrooms lore as inspiration for the Apple TV series Severance. The band Death Cab for Cutie wrote about the town’s transient feel in the song A Movie Script Ending. Their lyrics describe waking up on a highway while passing through unconscious states, a sentiment that mirrors the county’s physical layout.
The 1954 windshield pitting epidemic began in Bellingham, adding to the town’s reputation for strange occurrences. Movies like The Ring and The Deer Hunter have used the local scenery for dark narratives. These cultural artifacts and physical spaces work together to frame the county as a place defined by its edges and its empty centers.
Source: WhatcomTalk
