Neighbors

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POSTED: Saturday, Sep. 15, 2007

Happy Valley

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OVERVIEW

College students, elderly residents and families occupy the diverse and densely populated Happy Valley neighborhood.

Small houses on small lots abut large apartment complexes built to serve the students of nearby Western Washington University.

| SERGE GIACHETTI THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

• CONTACTS
  
  
• City Council, Fifth Ward and Sixth Ward: 676-6970
  
• Association of Bellingham Neighborhoods: aobn.org

Farther south, older large houses are neighbors to apartments, former farmhouses and a cohousing development.

The Connelly Creek trail and nature area runs north-south through the middle of the neighborhood, providing a green respite. Just north of the neighborhood, Sehome Hill Arboretum provides a forested backdrop for the grocery store and remodeled shops at Sehome Village.

HISTORY

The ornate, multi-gabled Larrabee Grammar School was built in 1890 on the block bounded by 20th and 21st streets and Larrabee and Donovan avenues. The school was torn down about 1919. A year later, the current school was built on 18th Street.

SCHOOLS

Happy Valley Elementary, Larrabee Elementary, Fairhaven Middle School, Sehome High School.

District: Bellingham School District, www.bham.wednet.edu.

PARKS

Happy Valley Park, Connelly Creek Nature Area and Trail.

QUOTE

“We have a big nature area with Padden Creek watershed that’s nice. We also have a love-hate relationship with the college student population, but it seems to be getting better.”
John Hymas, Happy Valley Neighborhood Association