Washington Women's History Consortium

WHC Local Grant Recipient

Local Grant Awards


Bellingham YWCA
100 Years of Challenge and Change

The YWCA of Bellingham was founded in 1907 and celebrated its Centennial throughout 2007/08. One hundred years of community service are rare in this region. Since 1915, the YWCA has been located on North Forest as a combined residential and community facility. It was built for the YWCA by the prominent Larrabee family.


Grant Project Overview

With funding from WHC and other partners, the YWCA of Bellingham completed a publication “The Bellingham YWCA: 100 Years of Challenge and Change” by Lynne Masland highlighting the role of the YWCA in the Bellingham community. The digital copy of the book and associated materials collected for the publication are accessible through WHC partner Center of Pacific Northwest Studies at Western Washington University.

Portrait of Mrs. Frances Payne Larrabee who urged her husband to donate land and finances to construct the Bellingham YWCA building.

Charles Xavier Larrabee donated the land for and paid for the construction of the Bellingham YWCA building.

Front entrance of the YWCA building on North Forest and Maple streets in Bellingham.

YWCA float for the Bellingham Tulip Festival.


Contact Information:

YWCA of Bellingham
1026 N. Forest
Bellingham, WA 98225

Lynne Masland
Centennial History Chair
(360) 734-4820