Muddy Cherry Street in Sumas, WA - Circa 1906

Picture 1

Photo credited to the Whatcom Museum, Photo archives, Bellingham, WA

Looking north up Cherry Street towards Canadian border.

 

This photograph is shown on page 257 of the book, Boundary Town written by Roy Franklin Jones.  This is considered to be the definitive book regarding Sumas history.  The book is currently out of print but is available in the Whatcom County Library system.

 

The description of the photograph given by the archives at the Whatcom Museum is as follows:

 

"Cherry Street scene in Sumas in 1906; horse team and wagon, wooden sidewalks on each side of muddy road.  Lambert & VanValkenburg Law Office on first building at right, followed by Sumas News in next building at right along with Real Estate Office. Sign on building at left for Barlow's Bakery, Confectionery and Ice Cream Parlor, including Coca Cola advertisement. In the distance is hardware facing the cross street."

 

What is not mentioned is that the aforementioned hardware store is facing Garfield Avenue on the northwest corner of Garfield and Cherry Street. The building with the three gabled windows on the left was the Mount Baker Hotel across the street from the hardware store.  The trees at the end of the street mark  the Canadian border.

 

The old photographs of Sumas give us a true to picture of the changes that has occurred over the years. 

 

Watch for some more exciting snapshots of our town's past!