Lynden is the second largest city in Whatcom County, Washington, United States. It is located 15 miles (24 km) north of Bellingham and approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) south of the Canada–US border. Take a look below for 20 awesome and amazing facts about Lynden, Washington, United States.
1. The city was established in 1874 near the site of the Nooksack Indian village Squahalish (Nooksack: Sqwehálich).
2. The city is located along the Nooksack River and State Route 539.
3. The population of Lynden is about 14,259 according to the United States Census Bureau.
4. Lynden is also home to the annual Northwest Washington Fair.
5. Lynden was begun in 1871 and established in 1874 by Holden and Phoebe Judson near the site of the Nooksack Indian village Squahalish (Nooksack: Sqwehálich).
6. It was named by Phoebe Judson after the riverside town in Hohenlinden, a poem by Thomas Campbell.
7. According to her book, A Pioneer’s Search for an Ideal Home, she changed the spelling of “Linden” to be more visually appealing.
8. Lynden was officially incorporated as a city on March 16, 1891.
9. The city lies in a broad valley formed by the Nooksack River, which empties into nearby Bellingham Bay. The surrounding area is filled with dairy, raspberry, strawberry, and blueberry farms.
10. The region saw significant Dutch immigration in the early and mid 1900s, spurring the growth of dairies.
11. The city pays homage to its Dutch heritage through the design of buildings on Front Street and local businesses with “Dutch” names and products.
12. In the early 21st century, the population has nearly doubled in size, with Dutch being more predominate than other ethnic ancestry.
13. In 2005, the drug smuggling tunnel was discovered in Lynden, built by a band of Canadian smugglers in the basement of a residence 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Lynden along the Canada–US border.
14. This is the only known drug tunnel along the US-Canada border.
15. In May 2016, the then-presumptive Republican Party nominee and eventual victor in the 2016 United States presidential election, Donald Trump, held a campaign rally in Lynden at the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds.
16. This marked the first time that the presumptive presidential nominee of a major political party in the United States visited the city during general election campaign season.
17. The Nooksack River runs along a short portion of the city’s southern border.
18. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.18 square miles (13.42 km2), of which, 5.17 square miles (13.39 km2) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) is water.
19. The Raspberry Festival is held annually during the third weekend in July. The festival includes a basketball tournament, a car show, a fun run, a rock climbing wall, tours of raspberry fields and wineries, and a day-long ice cream social. Other notable events in Lynden include the Farmer’s Day Parade, the Sinterklaas/Lighted Christmas Parade, the Antique Tractor Show, and many other events that can be seen in more detail at Lynden’s website calendar.
20. In August, the annual Northwest Washington Fair lures over 200,000 people and allows Whatcom County residents to display the agricultural products, art, crafts, and wares. This regional fair is highly regarded as one of the best family friendly fairs in the state.
