Iconic Bellingham boulder will be removed from site along Interstate 5
A massive rock along northbound Interstate 5 south of Bellingham, used as a community billboard for more than 50 years, will be removed soon as part of an upcoming freeway construction project.
Its future remains uncertain as officials with the Washington State Department of Transportation consider what to do with landmark roadside attraction.
“The Washington State Department of Transportation and Federal Highways Administration do not permit returning the Bellingham rock to its original location, given the safety concerns. We recognize the importance this rock has for the community and acknowledge that it has served as a community billboard for decades,” WSDOT’s Madison Sehlke told The Herald.
Standing about 8 feet high, the massive boulder was blasted out of the surrounding Chuckanut sandstone when I-5 was built in 1966.
In 1969 a summer resident of Lake Samish painted its first tag — “Sealth ’70,” a tribute to his Seattle high school graduating class.
In the decades since it has seen messages of love, whimsy, mourning and even hate. Images have included smiley faces, high school slogans and birthday wishes, according to previous Herald records, and the Bellingham Rock page on Facebook. Its paint layer is several inches deep.
Every March 11 the rock is painted with a tribute by the relatives of two brothers who vanished in 2001 after leaving Larrabee State Park in their kayaks.
“This was our 24th year of painting in memory of our sons, Jim and Braden, who disappeared in Bellingham Bay. Fingers crossed the rock will still be here for our 25th year,” they wrote on the Bellingham Rock page.
Sehlke told The Herald in an email that several factors led WSDOT to its decision. She didn’t say when the rock will be removed, or where it will go.
Paramount was safety, she said. Those who paint the rock must slide their car into a small pullout or hike several hundred yards past a freeway off-ramp.
“At this point, what we know for sure is that the rock will be removed during construction and that it cannot be returned to its current location or anywhere on WSDOT property. WSDOT will document the rock in accordance with state and federal requirements for impacts to historic properties,” Selke said. “We know the Bellingham rock is something that means a great deal to the community and we are optimistic that the final outcome will honor the legacy of the rock in one way, shape or form.”
This story was originally published April 26, 2025 at 10:19 AM with the headline "Iconic Bellingham boulder will be removed from site along Interstate 5."
