City of Blaine
Seal
Nickname: "The Peace Arch city"
Location in the state of Washington
Coordinates: 48°59′17″N, 122°44′37″W
Country	United States
State	Washington
County	Whatcom County
Incorporated	May 20, 1890
Area
- City	8.5 sq mi (22.0 km²)
- Land	5.5 sq mi (14.3 km²)
Population (2000)
- City	3,770
Time zone	PST (UTC-8)
Website: http://www.ci.blaine.wa.us/

Blaine is a city in Whatcom County, Washington, United States. The city's northern boundary is the Canadian border. Blaine is the shared home of the Peace Arch international monument. Image File history File links BlaneCitySeal. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... The Peace Arch border. ... Image File history File links Adapted from Wikipedias WA county maps by Bumm13. ... “Washington State” redirects here. ... This is an alphabetical list of the sovereign states of the world, including both de jure and de facto independent states. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      The political units and divisions of the United States include: The 50 states, which are... “Washington State” redirects here. ... This is a list of counties in the U.S. state of Washington. ... Whatcom County (IPA: ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. ... A Municipal Corporation is a legal defintion for a local governing body, including (but not necessarily limited to) cities, counties, and towns. ... May 20 is the 140th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (141st in leap years). ... 1890 (MDCCCXC) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar). ... Area is a physical quantity expressing the size of a part of a surface. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A time zone is a region of the Earth that has adopted the same standard time, usually referred to as the local time. ... PST is UTC-8 The Pacific Standard Time Zone (PST) is a geographic region that keeps time by subtracting eight hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) resulting in UTC-8. ... −12 | −11 | −10 | −9:30 | −9 | −8 | −7 | −6 | −5 | −4 | −3:30 | −3 | −2:30 | −2 | −1 | −0:25 | UTC (0) | +0:20 | +0:30 | +1 | +2 | +3 | +3:30 | +4 | +4:30 | +4:51 | +5 | +5:30 | +5:40 | +5:45 | +6 | +6:30 | +7 | +7:20 | +7... Whatcom County (IPA: ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. ... “Washington State” redirects here. ... The Peace Arch border. ...

History

Plover ferry

Blaine was officially incorporated on May 20, 1890, and was named after James G. Blaine (1830–1893), who was a U.S. senator from the state of Maine, Secretary of State, and, in 1884, the unsuccessful Republican presidential candidate. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2816x2112, 968 KB)Plover ferry that runs from Blaine to Semiahmoo resort. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2816x2112, 968 KB)Plover ferry that runs from Blaine to Semiahmoo resort. ... May 20 is the 140th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (141st in leap years). ... 1890 (MDCCCXC) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar). ... James G. Blaine James Gillespie Blaine (January 31, 1830 – January 27, 1893) was a U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator from Maine and a two-time United States Secretary of State. ... Seal of the U.S. Senate Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      Senate composition following 2006 elections The United States Senate is... Official language(s) None (English de facto; French is also an administrative language) Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Area  Ranked 39th  - Total 33,414 sq mi (86,542 km²)  - Width 210 miles (338 km)  - Length 320 miles (515 km)  - % water 13. ... In several countries, Secretary of State is a senior government position. ... 1884 (MDCCCLXXXIV) is a leap year starting on Tuesday (click on link to calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Thursday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States; the other being the Democratic Party. ...

Blaine, Washington was first settled in the mid 1800s by pioneers who established the town as a seaport for the west coast logging and fishing industries, and as a jumping off point for prospectors heading to British Columbia's gold fields. In its heyday Blaine was home to over 10,000 people, twice today’s population. The World's largest salmon cannery was operated by the Alaska Packer's Association for decades in Blaine: the cannery site has been converted to a waterfront destination resort on Semiahmoo Spit. Several saw mills once operated on Blaine's waterfront, and much of the lumber was transported from its wharves and docks to help rebuild San Francisco following the 1906 fire there. The forests were soon logged, but Blaine's fishing industry remained strong and robust into the second half of the twentieth century. Into the 1970s Blaine was home to hundreds of commercial purse seiners and gillnetters plying the waters between Washington State and southeast Alaska. Blaine's two large marinas are still home to hundreds of recreational sailboats and yachts, and a small fleet of determined local fishers provide visitors with dockside sale of fresh salmon, crab and oysters. Nature lovers have always appreciated Blaine's coastal location, its accessible bike and walking trails, and view of mountains and water. Birdwatchers across the continent have discovered the area's high content of migratory birds and waterfowl: Blaine's Drayton Harbor, Semiahmoo Spit and Boundary Bay are ranked as Important Birding Areas by the Audubon Society. Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Official languages English Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Parliamentary representation  - House seats  - Senate seats 36 6 Area Total  - Land  - Water  (% of total)  Ranked 5th 944,735 km² 925,186 km² 19,549 km... Illustration of a male Coho Salmon The Chinook or King Salmon is the largest salmon in North America and can grow to 1. ... Canning is a method of preserving food by first heating it to a temperature that destroys contaminating microorganisms, and then sealing it in air-tight jars, cans or pouches. ... This article or section should be merged with Sawmill A saw mill is a machine used in forestry to cut trees into logs. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Arnold Genthes famous photograph of San Francisco following the earthquake, looking toward the fire on Sacramento Street The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco and the coast of northern California at 5:12 A.M. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. ... A seine is a large fishing net that hangs vertically in the water by attaching weights along the bottom edge and floats along the top. ... A gillnet is a type of fishing net, a type of which is the driftnet (which is a drifting gillnet - i. ... Official language(s) English Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Area  Ranked 1st  - Total 663,267 sq mi (1,717,855 km²)  - Width 808 miles (1,300 km)  - Length 1,479 miles (2,380 km)  - % water 13. ... Flock of Barnacle Geese during autumn migration Many species of birds undertake seasonal journeys of various lengths, a phenomenon known as Bird migration. ... Birding or birdwatching is a hobby concerned with the observation and study of birds (the study proper is termed American origin; birdwatching is (or more correctly, was) the commonly-used word in Great Britain and Ireland and by non-birders in the United States. ... The National Audubon Society is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to nature conservancy. ...

International border intrigue has always been a part of Blaine's ambiance. Smuggling became an underground industry there in 1919 with the passage of the Volstead Act banning liquor sale and use in the United States. Rum-running and border jumping thrived along Blaine's shared coastline with British Columbia, and continued until Prohibition was repealed in 1933 (coincidentally the US Congressional law which re-legalized alcohol is named the Blaine Act). In the 1990’s smuggling again reached a zenith as criminals in neighboring British Columbia became major exporters of high grade marihuana. More punitive U.S. drug laws provided a haven to cannabis 'grow operations'. As the production of 'BC Bud' coalesced into competing groups of criminal organizations across BC, a sometimes dangerous game of cat and mouse played out along Blaine's border with Canada. Smugglers used every technique from backpacks to helicopter aerial drops to push tons of the marihuana crop into the US, while a growing phalanx of local, state, provincial and federal law enforcement from both sides of the border sought ways to stem the tide. Smuggling of drugs, weapons, and money, and human trafficking continues in the area. However, following the terrorist attacks of 2001, the addition of hundreds of federal agents and millions of dollars in enforcement technology have pushed more of the smuggling activity away from Blaine and into the rugged interior of Washington. The National Prohibition Act of 1919 (more popularly known as the Volstead Act, ch. ... Rum-running is the business of smuggling or transporting of alcoholic beverages illegally, usually to circumvent taxation or prohibition. ... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Official languages English Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Parliamentary representation  - House seats  - Senate seats 36 6 Area Total  - Land  - Water  (% of total)  Ranked 5th 944,735 km² 925,186 km² 19,549 km... The Blaine Act, approved February 17, 1933 by the United States Senate, ended the prohibition of alcohol in the United States that began in 1919 by modifying the Volstead Act to allow so-called 3. ... Cannabis is a plant which is consumed by humans as a psychoactive drug. ... A poster from the Canadian Department of Justice Trafficking in human beings is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons for the purpose of exploitation. ...

With its location at the intersection of an international border, a major interstate freeway, and the Pacific Ocean, Blaine is frequently in the news. In 1970 Blaine became the site of the first invasion of the contiguous United States since the War of 1812. In May 9, 1970, at the height of the Vietnam War, a group of people from Canada came to Peace Arch Park in Blaine to protest the U.S. invasion of Cambodia and the National Guard's murder of students at Kent State. A group of the protesters (size estimates vary between 50 and 600) swarmed from Canada past US Customs and Immigration officers across the border into downtown Blaine, vandalizing storefronts, cars and a local memorial dedicated to Blaine men who had fought and died in earlier wars. They retreated back to the border after burning a U.S. flag and fighting with Blaine residents. Once back at the Peace Arch, the protesters vandalized the monument. This low point in international and local relations between the friendly neighboring countries and communities has never been repeated. The Peace Arch is occasionally still used as a focal point for peaceful demonstrations and debate, but the very vast majority of the millions of people who visit or pass by the Park each year remember it for its beauty and peaceful shoreline setting. Currently, a group of Blaine community members are soliciting support to formalize a sister-city relationship with Pugwash, Nova Scotia. Combatants United States Eastern Woodland Indians United Kingdom, Canada Eastern Woodland Indians Commanders James Madison Henry Dearborn Jacob Brown Winfield Scott Andrew Jackson George Prevost Isaac Brock† Tecumseh† Strength •U.S. Regular Army: 35,800 •Rangers: 3,049 •Militia: 458,463* •US Navy & US Marines: (at start of war): •Frigates... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... The United States National Guard is a component of the United States Army (the Army National Guard) and the United States Air Force (the Air National Guard). ... The Peace Arch border. ... Pugwash is a fishing, mining, and small-scale manufacturing community on the north shore of Nova Scotia, Canada. ...

Geography

Blaine is located at 48°59′17″N, 122°44′37″W (48.988005, -122.743741)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 22.0 km² (8.5 mi²). 14.3 km² (5.5 mi²) of it is land and 7.6 km² (3.0 mi²) of it (34.57%) is water. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title ) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ... A square metre (US spelling: square meter) is by definition the area enclosed by a square with sides each 1 metre long. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ...

Peace Arch Park is located in Blaine at the US Canadian border, and the Canadian city of Surrey, British Columbia is adjacent to Blaine on the north side of the international boundary. The Park straddles the U.S./Canada border, allowing visitors the experience of strolling to and fro between countries amid flowers and ponds . The Peace Arch monument, located in the Park, symbolizes lasting peace between the U.S. and Canada. The Peace Arch monument. ... Surrey is a Canadian city in the province of British Columbia that is within the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD), and geographically it is at the centre of the larger region known as the Lower Mainland of BC. It is the provinces second-largest city by population, surpassed only... The Peace Arch border. ...

Blaine is often referred to as "The Gateway to the Pacific Northwest". It lies at the northernmost point of the North-South U.S. Interstate 5 and next to Boundary Bay. Interstate 5 (abbreviated I-5) is the westernmost interstate highway in the continental United States. ... Boundary Bay is situated on the Pacific coast of North America on the border between the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington. ...

Blaine has a small airport, popular with light aircraft owners for its low fuel prices. The runway measures 2539 x 40 ft. / 774 x 12 m. The Blaine city government operates the automated fuel pumps. In the spring of 2006 the city government removed several tall trees south of the runway as a safety precaution. Link — http://www.airnav.com/airport/4W6 Look up aircraft in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 3,770 people, 1,496 households, and 1,036 families residing in the city. The population density was 262.7/km² (680.4/mi²). There were 1,737 housing units at an average density of 121.1/km² (313.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.72% White, 1.19% African American, 1.14% Native American, 4.19% Asian, 0.66% Pacific Islander, 1.33% from other races, and 3.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.35% of the population. 1870 US Census for New York City A census is the process of obtaining information about every member of a population (not necessarily a human population). ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... Race, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB), is a self-identification data item in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ... The United States Census Bureau uses the federal governments definitions of race when performing a census. ...

There were 1,496 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.7% were non-families. 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.96. “Matrimony” redirects here. ...

In the city the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $36,900, and the median income for a family was $45,056. Males had a median income of $36,381 versus $23,561 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,333. About 10.2% of families and 15.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.6% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over. The per capita income for a group of people may be defined as their total personal income, divided by the total population. ... Map of countries showing percentage of population who have an income below the national poverty line The poverty line is the level of income below which one cannot afford to purchase all the resources one requires to live. ...

In the 2004 US presidential election, Blaine cast 49.33% of its vote for Democrat John Kerry[1]and 50.67% for the winner, Republican George W. Bush. Presidential election results map. ... The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States; the other being the Republican Party. ... Al Gore (born December 11, 1943) is a Vietnam Veteran and the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts. ...

Economy

Much of Blaine's economy is based on trade across the Canadian border. The eastern side of the city accommodates a number of import/export warehouses, freight and courier services and gas stations serving long haul cargo trucks. The Department of Homeland Security operates two border inspection stations in Blaine. The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is a Cabinet department of the federal government of the United States that is concerned with protecting the American homeland and the safety of American citizens. ...

Blaine also includes a number of manufacturing companies, including Nature's Path cereal and Totally Chocolate.

The Port of Bellingham (http://www.portofbellingham.com/) operates a large marina 1 km south of the border, serving a variety of pleasure craft and fishing vessels. The Port of Bellingham is a government agency in Bellingham, Whatcom County, Washington, United States which operates two large marinas, port facilities and the Bellingham International Airport. ... A small marina at Brixham, Devon, England. ...

School district

Blaine School District #503 serves a population which extends to the south end of nearby Birch Bay, well beyond the City limits of Blaine. The largest share of school services is consolidated on a large (quarter mile square) campus in central Blaine. Approximately 2,500 students of all grades (K-12) attend school in facilities which separately house K-2, 3-6, 7-8, and 9-12th grades respectively. Students from the small nearby US exclave of Point Roberts, Washington above 3rd grade are also bussed to Blaine to attend school. The school district enjoys very strong community support, and in return provides an array of award winning educational and child development services, including it's large, multiple-award winning Middle School and High School Bands. The main campus is home to a state of a state-of-the-art tiered seating Performing Arts Center and sports facilities for all team sports. Blaine School District No. ... Birch Bay is a census-designated place located in Whatcom County, Washington. ... D is Bs exclave, but is not an enclave. ... Aerial shot of the southwest corner of Point Roberts, WA; showing in the background is the towns marina. ...

Blaine High School is the alma mater of Luke Ridnour, a flashy, nationally-known point guard for the NBA's Seattle Supersonics. Scott Gomez of the New Jersey Devils (NHL) attended Blaine High School for one year while playing hockey just across the Canadian border for the South Surrey Eagles of the Tier II Junior "A" British Columbia Hockey League. Blaine High School is a high school located in Blaine, Washington. ... Alma mater is Latin for nourishing mother. It was used in ancient Rome as a title for the mother goddess, and in Medieval Christianity for the Virgin Mary. ... FLucas Robin (FLuke) Ridnour (born February 13, 1981 in Coeur dAlene, Idaho) is an American professional basketball player for the Seattle SuperSonics of the NBA. He was born in Idaho, although grew up in Blaine, Washington. ... Point Guard (PG), also known as the ball-handler, is one of the five traditional positions of a basketball team. ... The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the worlds premier mens basketball league. ... The Seattle SuperSonics (or simply Sonics) are an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington. ... Scotty Gomez Scott Gomez (born December 23, 1979, in Anchorage, Alaska) is a professional ice hockey player. ... The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey. ... NHL can also be an abbreviation for National Historic Landmark or Non-Hodgkins lymphoma. ... Blaine High School is a high school located in Blaine, Washington. ... The (South) Surrey Eagles are a Tier II Junior A ice hockey team from Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. ... BCHL Emblem The British Columbia Hockey League is a tier II Junior A ice hockey league under Hockey Canada, a subsection of the Canadian Junior A Hockey League. ...

External links

• http://www.cityofblaine.com
• http://www.blaine.net
• Bellingham-Whatcom Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Blaine Community Newspaper
• http://www.blainechamber.com/ Blaine Community Chamber of Commerce

• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 48.988005° -122.743741°
  • Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
  • Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
  • Topographic map from TopoZone
  • Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA