Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Ferndale

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
B−History
History · Ferndale

Ferndale dates to 1872, and 1 of its places is on the National Register

More historic than 45% of U.S. towns · #73 of 285 in Washington. What drives it

Most of Ferndale was built recently: 5% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1998. 1 place in town is on the National Register, among them a historic district with 6 buildings. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1892 on, and the census since 1910.

1872founded
1on the National Register
5%homes built before 1940
1old photo or paper
6famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Ferndale’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Ferndale began

When was Ferndale founded?

1872

Ferndale dates its founding to 1872 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1910.

First census: 691 in 19102020 census: 15,048154 years

How historic is Ferndale?

B−

More historic than 45% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1878.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Ferndale’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Ferndale is more historic than 45% of U.S. towns, #73 of 285 in Washington. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.

B−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Ferndale’s overall grade.
Founding era1872, from Wikidata: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC+Homes built before 19405.2% of homes (±2.6) · typical WA town 4.3% · U.S. 8.4%CNational Register1 listing, 6 historic buildings, 3.8 per 10,000 residents · typical WA town 0.1 · U.S. 2.4B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 45%
NewerOlder
Washington towns of 2,500+ (285)Ahead of 75%

Few Washington towns list much on the Register (a typical Washington town has 0.1 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Ferndale’s 3.8 sits above most of its state (72% of Washington towns have fewer) while its 6 historic buildings outnumber those of 72% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C to B. The pre-1940 share (±2.6 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1872.

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Ferndale’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 1 old photo is in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.Lost villages9 hamlets and corners are still on the map.On the map since 19073 editions of the USGS map, 1907 to 1972. Watch Ferndale change.Mapped building by building3 fire insurance maps, 1892 to 1912, drew every building in Ferndale.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Ferndale’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Ferndale’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewView of Ferndale, Washington: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Places that used to be

Old corners and places now gone

Ferndale’s post office has been open since 1878.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Barrett Lake Mobile Home ParkBrennanDuncans Mobile Home ParkFerndale Mobile VillageLamplighter Mobile ParkMountain View Estates Mobile Home ParkMountain Vista Mobile Home ParkPortal Creek Mobile Home ParkPortal Way Mobile Village
Gone or out of use
Blomquist Dairylocale

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

On the map

Ferndale on the map, 1907 to 1972

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Ferndale. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Ferndale on the 1907 USGS mapFerndale on the 1952 USGS mapFerndale on the 1972 USGS map1907Blaine sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Ferndale.

The story

How Ferndale came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Ferndale.

Read it all →

A Lummi settlement was historically located on a prairie on the east bank of the Ferndale area. Early European settlers call the area near the Nooksack River the "lower crossing" to distinguish it from the principal river crossing at Everson. Billy Clark, a Texan who came to the Northwest during the Gold Rush, was the first European full-time resident of what eventually became the city of Ferndale. He lived here with his wife and family for over a decade. First settled in 1872, Ferndale was given its name because of the ferns that once grew around the original school house. Ferndale was originally called Jam because the town was located next to a log jam on the Nooksack River, but the original schoolteacher decided it needed a more picturesque name. Ferndale was officially incorporated on March 19, 1907.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Ferndale, 1872 to 1988

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1872
    FoundingFerndale is established
  3. 1878Post officeThe Ferndale post office opens
  4. 20th century
  5. 1907On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  6. 1911In the archiveView of Ferndale, Washington
  7. 1964Born hereDaran Norris is born here
  8. 1976Born hereJesse Brand is born here
  9. 1984Born hereSky Hopinka is born here
  10. 1988Born hereMegan Manthey is born here
By decade

Ferndale, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1910s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1910s1 item
View of Ferndale, Washington1911View of Ferndale, Washington
1920s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today23 recent
Seed processing plant, Ferndale, WA2013Seed processing plant, Ferndale, WAPainted on the side of a building in2013Painted on the side of a building inMount Baker from Tennant Lake2013Mount Baker from Tennant LakeMay be the first time I've seen this door closed2013May be the first time I've seen this door closedGate at Tennant Lake2013Gate at Tennant LakeAnd the barn at Hovander2013And the barn at HovanderAnd some mountains a bit north of Baker2013And some mountains a bit north of BakerNooksac River in2012Nooksac River inMount Baker from Hovander Homestead County Park2012Mount Baker from Hovander Homestead County ParkRaspberries2011RaspberriesFerndale Farmer's Market2011Ferndale Farmer's MarketNear2008NearFerndale, WA - rail bridge over the Nooksack 022008Ferndale, WA - rail bridge over the Nooksack 02Ferndale, WA - rail bridge over the Nooksack 012008Ferndale, WA - rail bridge over the Nooksack 01Ferndale, WA - house 012008Ferndale, WA - house 01Ferndale, WA - Leader Block 01A2008Ferndale, WA - Leader Block 01AFerndale, WA - Leader Block 012008Ferndale, WA - Leader Block 01Ferndale, WA - Central Elementary2008Ferndale, WA - Central ElementaryFerndale, WA - 2046 Main2008Ferndale, WA - 2046 MainFerndale, WA - 2038 Main2008Ferndale, WA - 2038 MainDike South of2008Dike South ofAlcoa Intalco Works in2008Alcoa Intalco Works inLake Terrell in March2007Lake Terrell in March
Every building

Ferndale, building by building, 1892–1912

Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.

Ferndale fire insurance map, 1892, sheet 11892Sheet 1 of 1
Edition
Sheets
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

View of Ferndale, Washington
Retake this viewView of Ferndale, Washington, 1911

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Ferndale’s page.

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

1 listing protects 6 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
6
each building in a district counts
first listed
1974
Hovander Homestead
Hovander Homestead
Districts

Architectural styles listings

Stick Style1
All 1 listings
Hovander HomesteadDistrict · listed 1974

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

People over time

Ferndale, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,00010,00012,00014,00016,00019201940196019802000202015,048

Grew from 691 people in 1910 to 15,048 in 2020, more than tenfold.

12 censuses, 1910–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Ferndale’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

6 famous people were born in Ferndale

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Daran NorrisAmerican actor (born c. 1964) · b. 1964
Megan MantheyAssociation footballer · b. 1988
Sky HopinkaHo-chunk and Pechanga Band Luiseño Indians arti… · b. 1984
Jesse BrandAmerican singer-songwriter · b. 1976
Michael KoenenPlayer of American football · b. 1982
Simon SefzigAmerican politician from Washington · b. 1999
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Marietta-AlderwoodIts storyCCusterIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Ferndale’s history

What year was Ferndale founded?

In 1872, according to Wikidata. Ferndale’s post office opened in 1878, and the census of 1910 counted 691 people here.

How does Ferndale rank for history?

Ferndale is more historic than 45% of U.S. towns, #73 of 285 in Washington. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Ferndale?

One place: the Hovander Homestead (listed 1974).

How old are the homes in Ferndale?

5% of Ferndale’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.6 points), against a typical 4.3% for a Washington town; the median home was built in 1998.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (23), the Library of Congress (1), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.