T. G. Richards and Company Store
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| T.G. Richards and Company Store | |
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| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
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| Location: | 1308 E Street Bellingham, Whatcom County, Washington, USA |
| Coordinates: | Coordinates: |
| Built/Founded: | 1858 |
| Architectural style(s): | Classical Revival |
| Added to NRHP: | August 28, 2003[1] |
| NRHP Reference#: | 03000861 |
The T.G. Richards and Company Store, also known as Whatcom County Courthouse and James B. Steadman Post No. 24 Akers, is the first and oldest brick building in the state of Washington[2], USA, and is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places[3].
[edit] History
Built in 1858 by T.G. Richards, for a cost of US$8,000, was initially used as an outfitter for those stopping in what was then the town of Whatcom, Washington Territory, on their way to the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush. The building was two stories high, constructed of brick manufactured in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which was shipped from there south around the tip of South America to San Francisco. In 1863, the building was sold to Whatcom County for the price of US$2,000, to be used as the Territorial Courthouse for Whatcom, Skagit, San Juan, and Island Counties. In addition, the building served as the jail, and in 1873, became the home of the Bellingham Bay Mail newspaper. By 1877, a pharmacy was being run on the first floor.
Originally being bounded by the tide flats of the bay, in 1874 a breakwater was added in to protect the building's foundation from the sea. In 1883, a vault, and five additional jail cells were added. By 1891, the courthouse and jail were moved to a new location a few blocks away. By 1906, Whatcom County had deeded the building into the private sector, when it was given to members of the Grand Army of the Republic. The building has since seen the tide flats filled in, resulting in the rise of E Street, so that the first floor has become the basement, and the second floor becoming the ground floor.[4] The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003, and is currently undergoing renovation.
[edit] See also
List of Registered Historic Places in Washington
[edit] References
- ^ National Register Information System. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service (2007-01-23).
- ^ Richards Building - City of Belligham, WA
- ^ National Register of Historical Places - WASHINGTON (WA), Whatcom County
- ^ Edson, Lelah Jackson. The Fourth Corner: Highlights From the Early Northwest. Whatcom Museum of History and Art, Bellingham, Washington. pp. 272-275.
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