Lynden, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lynden
Nooksack: Squahalish
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Downtown Lynden
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| Nickname(s):
Gem City
Queen of the Nooksack Valley |
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Location of Lynden, Washington
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| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Whatcom |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–council |
| Area | |
| • City | 5.45 sq mi (14.10 km2) |
| • Land | 5.43 sq mi (14.08 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2) |
| Elevation | 108 ft (33 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • City | 15,749 |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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16,551 |
| • Density | 2,889.7/sq mi (1,117.0/km2) |
| • Metro | 231,919 (US: 204th) |
| • Metro density | 109.4/sq mi (42.25/km2) |
| Demonym(s) | Lyndenite |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
98264
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| Area code | 360 |
| FIPS code | 53-40805 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1506392 |
Lynden is a city in Whatcom County, Washington, in the United States. It's about 15 miles (24 km) north of Bellingham, which is the main city in the area. Lynden is the second largest city in Whatcom County. It is also close to the Canadian border, about 5 miles (8 km) south.
The city is located along the Nooksack River. It is also on State Route 539. In 2020, Lynden had a population of 15,749 people. The city is famous for its yearly Northwest Washington Fair.
Contents
History of Lynden
Lynden was started in the 1870s by Phoebe Judson and her husband, Holden. They settled near a village of the Nooksack Indian tribe called Squahalish. Phoebe Judson named the town after "Linden," a riverside town from a poem called Hohenlinden by Thomas Campbell. She changed the spelling to "Lynden" because she thought it looked nicer.
Lynden officially became a city on March 16, 1891. Today, you can see a statue of Phoebe Judson in downtown Lynden.
Dutch Heritage and Growth
Lynden is in a wide valley next to the Nooksack River. This river flows into Bellingham Bay. The area around Lynden has many farms that grow dairy products, raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries.
In the early and mid-1900s, many people from the Netherlands moved to Lynden. This led to a lot of dairy farms being started. The city still celebrates its Dutch heritage. You can see this in the design of buildings on Front Street and in local businesses with Dutch names and products. In the early 2000s, the city's population almost doubled. Many people in Lynden still have Dutch family roots.
Geography and Climate
The Nooksack River flows along the southern edge of Lynden. The city covers about 5.18 square miles (13.42 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a very small amount of water.
Lynden's Weather Patterns
Lynden has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. This means it has warm, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. The nearby Pacific Ocean helps keep temperatures steady all year.
- In January, the average high temperature is around 44.6°F (7.0°C).
- In August, the average high temperature is around 73.6°F (23.1°C).
- Winters are usually very wet, and summers are dry.
| Climate data for Lynden, WA | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 59.0 (15.0) |
64.0 (17.8) |
63.0 (17.2) |
75.0 (23.9) |
86.0 (30.0) |
106.0 (41.1) |
88.0 (31.1) |
88.0 (31.1) |
84.0 (28.9) |
74.0 (23.3) |
63.0 (17.2) |
57.0 (13.9) |
106.0 (41.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 44.6 (7.0) |
48.1 (8.9) |
52.6 (11.4) |
58.0 (14.4) |
63.9 (17.7) |
68.7 (20.4) |
73.2 (22.9) |
73.6 (23.1) |
68.3 (20.2) |
58.2 (14.6) |
49.1 (9.5) |
43.3 (6.3) |
58.5 (14.7) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 39.2 (4.0) |
41.2 (5.1) |
45.0 (7.2) |
49.5 (9.7) |
55.1 (12.8) |
59.9 (15.5) |
63.4 (17.4) |
63.4 (17.4) |
58.3 (14.6) |
50.5 (10.3) |
43.3 (6.3) |
38.1 (3.4) |
50.6 (10.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 33.7 (0.9) |
34.3 (1.3) |
37.3 (2.9) |
40.9 (4.9) |
46.2 (7.9) |
51.0 (10.6) |
53.6 (12.0) |
53.1 (11.7) |
48.2 (9.0) |
42.7 (5.9) |
37.5 (3.1) |
32.9 (0.5) |
42.6 (5.9) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 10.0 (−12.2) |
12.0 (−11.1) |
19.0 (−7.2) |
28.0 (−2.2) |
37.0 (2.8) |
39.0 (3.9) |
41.0 (5.0) |
44.0 (6.7) |
39.0 (3.9) |
21.0 (−6.1) |
7.0 (−13.9) |
7.0 (−13.9) |
7.0 (−13.9) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 5.5 (140) |
3.4 (86) |
3.8 (97) |
3.1 (79) |
2.9 (74) |
2.2 (56) |
1.4 (36) |
1.4 (36) |
2.2 (56) |
4.2 (110) |
6.4 (160) |
5.0 (130) |
41.5 (1,060) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 2.7 (6.9) |
1.8 (4.6) |
0.6 (1.5) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.9 (2.3) |
2.8 (7.1) |
8.9 (22.65) |
| Average precipitation days | 18 | 14 | 17 | 15 | 23 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 20 | 18 | 172 |
| Average snowy days | 1.6 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 5 |
People of Lynden
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 560 | — | |
| 1900 | 365 | −34.8% | |
| 1910 | 1,148 | 214.5% | |
| 1920 | 1,244 | 8.4% | |
| 1930 | 1,564 | 25.7% | |
| 1940 | 1,696 | 8.4% | |
| 1950 | 2,161 | 27.4% | |
| 1960 | 2,542 | 17.6% | |
| 1970 | 2,808 | 10.5% | |
| 1980 | 4,022 | 43.2% | |
| 1990 | 5,709 | 41.9% | |
| 2000 | 9,020 | 58.0% | |
| 2010 | 11,951 | 32.5% | |
| 2020 | 15,749 | 31.8% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 16,551 | 38.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, Lynden had 11,951 people living in 4,594 households. About 32.7% of these households had children under 18. Most households (60.1%) were married couples.
The average age in Lynden was 38.6 years. About 26.4% of the people were under 18. About 19.6% were 65 years or older. The population was 46.8% male and 53.2% female.
Diversity in Lynden
In 2010, the people living in Lynden were mostly White (89.7%). Other groups included:
- African American: 0.7%
- Native American: 0.9%
- Asian: 2.5%
- Pacific Islander: 0.2%
- People from other races: 4.0%
- People from two or more races: 2.1%
About 8.7% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
Arts and Culture in Lynden
The Lynden Heritage Museum opened in 1976. It has over 20,000 items. The museum shows different exhibits about the city's history. It used to be called the Lynden Pioneer Museum. In 2023, its name changed to show it covers more than just the early "pioneer" times.
Fun Events in Lynden
Lynden hosts several exciting events each year:
- Northwest Raspberry Festival: This festival happens every July. It has a street fair, a basketball tournament, a car show, and a fun run. You can also find a rock climbing wall, tours of raspberry fields, and an ice cream social.
- Farmer's Day Parade: This parade is also held in July.
- Sinterklaas/Lighted Christmas Parade: This festive parade takes place in December.
In August, the yearly Northwest Washington Fair brings in over 200,000 visitors. It is the main regional fair for Whatcom County. The fair features farm displays, arts and crafts, live shows, and many vendors. The fair started way back in 1909.
Performing Arts and Music
The Claire Theatre in downtown Lynden started in 1987. It puts on many community theater plays each year. The Lynden Music Festival also organizes musical performances throughout the year. These shows often happen in local businesses and churches.
Churches in Lynden
Lynden is known for having many churches. Some people even say it once had the most churches per square mile or per person in the world! While this isn't proven, it shows how important churches are to the town. For a long time, most businesses in Lynden closed on Sundays because many people attended church. Recently, more businesses have started to open on Sundays, but the town still has a strong church presence.
Education in Lynden
Lynden has both public and private schools for students.
Elementary Schools
- Public: Isom Elementary, Bernice Vossbeck, and Fisher Elementary.
- Private: Lynden Christian Elementary.
Middle Schools
- Public: Lynden Middle School (moved to a new building in 2018).
- Private: Lynden Christian Middle School.
High Schools
- Public: Lynden High School.
- Private: Lynden Christian High School.
There are also a few smaller private schools in the area, like Cornerstone Christian School, Covenant Christian School, and Ebenezer Christian School.
Transportation in Lynden
Lynden is connected by two state highways:
- State Route 539: Goes north to the Canadian border and south to Bellingham.
- State Route 546: Travels east towards Sumas.
The Whatcom Transportation Authority offers bus service. You can take a bus from Lynden to Cordata Station in Bellingham. The city also has a short BNSF Railway train line.
Lynden Municipal Airport
Lynden has its own airport called Lynden Municipal Airport (Jansen Field). It is located between Benson and Depot roads. Some private homes are even connected to the airport's taxiways!
Famous People from Lynden
Many interesting people have come from Lynden, including:
- Catherine Burns: An actress and screenwriter.
- Daulton Hommes: A basketball player.
- Phoebe Judson: The person who founded Lynden.
- Ricardo S. Martinez: A U.S. District Court Judge.
- Ray Pixley: A racing driver.
- Yelkanum Seclamatan: A chief of the Nooksack tribe.
- Ty Taubenheim: A baseball player.
- Gordon Wright: A historian.
Sister Cities
Lynden has a "sister city" relationship with two communities in British Columbia, Canada: the City of Langley and the Township of Langley. These communities are just across the Canada–U.S. border from Lynden. They signed agreements with Lynden in 1986.
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See also
In Spanish: Lynden (Washington) para niños
