Here we provide documents for neighborhoods where racial restrictive covenants were imposed in the decades when they were legal. Most restrictions in Bellingham and Whatcom County date from 1928 to 1955 and covered a large percentage of subdivisions developed in that period. We have documented more than 1,300 restricted properties in 35 subdivisions. Do not assume that areas without circles were unrestricted. Neighborhoods without covenants often practiced racial exclusion by other means. In 1940, Whatcom's population included only 34 Black people and 772 Asian and Indigenous Americans. Thirty years later not much had changed. The 1970 census counted only 201 Black residents. Asians numbered only 543, while the county remained home to 1,949 Indigenous Americans (mostly Lummi). Exclusionary practices had ensured that the county remained 96.7% white.
Scroll below map to find documents. Everything here is preliminary and may change. For a searchable map of individual properties go to our Whatcom parcels map
Click the link to see a pdf copy of a restrictive document for each subdivision. There are three types of documents. Some subdivisions were restricted in the original plat; some in covenants (CCR) that applied to the full subdivision. In other cases the developer/seller included the restrictions in deeds of sale.
| City | Subdivision/plat | Restriction | Properties Covered | Document Type |
| Bellingham | Amended Plat of Canfields Addition | No persons of any race other than the White or Caucasian race shall use or occupy any building or any lot, except that this conveyance shall not prevent occupancy by domestic servants of a different race, domiciled with an owner or tenant. | 105 | CCR |
| Bellingham | Edgemoor Park Division 1 | Grantee for himself, his heirs and assigns agrees that said property shall not be owned or occupied by any person other than one of the White Race; | 31 | Deed |
| Bellingham | Edgemoor Park Division 1A | Grantee for himself, his heirs and assigns agrees that said property shall not be owned or occupied by any person other than one of the White Race; | 14 | Deed |
| Bellingham | Edgemoor Park Division 2 | Grantee for himself, his heirs and assigns agrees that said property shall not be owned or occupied by any person other than one of the White Race; | 62 | Deed |
| Bellingham | Edgemoor Park Division 3 | Grantee for himself, his heirs and assigns agrees that said property shall not be owned or occupied by any person other than one of the White Race; | 53 | Deed |
| Bellingham | Krynmoor | Above described property not to be transferred to anyone except a member of the Caucasian race. | 4 | Deed |
| Bellingham | Lindshier Gardens | This property herein described is sold on the express covenant that during said period of 15 years it shall never be sold to, or occupied by, a negro of person of African descent, nor used for any immoral purpose, or any purpose contrary to any statute. | 4 | Deed |
| Bellingham | Northwest Baker View Tracts | No race or nationality other than the white race shall use or occupy any dwelling on said premises, except that this covenant shall not prevent occupancy by domestic servants of a different race or nationality employed by an owner or tenant. | 16 | Deed |
| Bellingham | Park Ridge | No persons of any race other than the White or Caucasian race shall use or occupy any building or any lot, except that this covenant shall not prevent occupancy by domestic servants of a different race domiciled with an owner or tenant. | 20 | CCR |
| Bellingham | Park Ridge Division No. 2 | No persons of any race other than the White or Caucasian race shall use or occupy any building or any lot, except that this covenant shall not prevent occupancy by domestic servants of a different race domiciled with an owner or tenant. | 33 | CCR |
| Bellingham | Scudder's Westview Addition | The within described property is sold on the express covenant that it shall never be sold to, or occupied by, a negro or any person of African, Chinese or Japanese descent. | 6 | Deed |
| Bellingham | Viewcrest | Grantee for himself, his heirs and assigns agrees that said premises shall be owned and occupied only by persons of the White Race except that this covenant shall not prevent occupancy by domestic servants of a different race of nationality employed by an owner or tenant. | 17 | Deed |
| Ferndale | Memorial Heights | The above described property is sold on the express covenant that it shall never be sold to or occupied by a Negro, or any person of African, Chinese or Japanese descent… | 4 | Deed |
| Ferndale | Seamount Addition | No persons of any race other than the White or Caucasian race shall use of occupy any building or any lot. | 155 | CCR |
| Unincorporated | Baker View | Said property shall not be sold, conveyed, rented or leased, in whole or in part directly or indirectly, to any person or persons not of the white or Caucasian race. No person other than one of the white or Caucasian race shall be permitted to occupy any portion of the property except as a domestic, servant or employee actually employed by a white occupant of such property. | 559 | Deed |
| Unincorporated | Chuckanut Addition Division 1 | Grantee for himself, his heirs and assigns agrees that said property shall not be owned or occupied by any person other than one of the white race; | 46 | Deed |
| Unincorporated | Chuckanut Addition Division 2 | No race or nationality other than the white race shall use or occupy any dwelling on said premises, except that this covenant shall not prevent occupancy by domestic servants of a different race or nationality employed by an owner or tenant. | 50 | CCR |
| Unincorporated | Chuckanut Addition Division 3 | No race or nationality other than the white race shall use or occupy any dwelling on said premises, except that this covenant shall not prevent occupancy by domestic servants of a different race or nationality employed by an owner or tenant. | 38 | Deed |
| Unincorporated | Chuckanut Addition Division 4 | No race or nationality other than the white race shall use or occupy any dwelling on said premises, except that this covenant shall not prevent occupancy by domestic servants of a different race or nationality employed by an owner or tenant. | 9 | Deed |
| Unincorporated | Dellesta Park | The within described property is sold on the express covenant that it shall never be sold to, or occupied by, a negro or any person of African, Chinese or Japanese descent and the following restrictions: | 109 | Deed |
| Unincorporated | Plat of Cains Lake | No persons of any race other than the White or Caucasian race shall use or occupy any building or any lot, except that this conveyance shall not prevent occupancy by domestic servants of a different race, domiciled with an owner or tenant. | 96 | CCR |
| Echo Point | That said premises shall be owned and occupied only by persons of the White Race except that this covenant shall not prevent occupancy by domestic servants of a different race or nationality employed by an owner or tenant. | 3 | Deed | |
| Squalicum Park Plat | No persons of any race other than the White or Caucasian race shall use or occupy any building or any lot, except that this covenant shall not prevent occupancy by domestic servants of a different race domiciled with an owner or tenant. | 148 | Agreement | |
| Sunnyside Park | Use or occupancy of all lots confined to members of the white or Caucasian race. | 11 | Deed/CCR | |
| Yacht Club Tracts | Grantee for himself, his heirs and assigns agrees that said property shall not be owned or occupied by any person than of the white race; | 3 | Deed |
