Blaine is a city located in Whatcom County, Washington, United States. The city is near the Canadian border and the Peace Arch. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 3,770.
Blaine is located at 48°59'17" North, 122°44'37" West (48.988005, -122.743741).
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 is water. The total area is 34.57% water.
Immediately north of Blaine is Peace Arch Park, and the city of Surrey, British Columbia. The Park straddles the U.S./Canada border. The Peace Arch monument, located in the Park, symbolizes lasting peace between the U.S. and Canada.
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.
As of the census of 2000, there are 3,770 people, 1,496 households, and 1,036 families residing in the city. The population density is 262.7/km2 (680.4/mi2). There are 1,737 housing units at an average density of 121.1/km2 (313.5/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 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. 4.35% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 1,496 households out of which 32.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% are married couples living together, 12.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 30.7% are non-families. 25.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.48 and the average family size is 2.96.
In the city the population is 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 are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females there are 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 90.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $36,900, and the median income for a family is $45,056. Males have a median income of $36,381 versus $23,561 for females. The per capita income for the city is $20,333. 15.5% of the population and 10.2% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 16.6% of those under the age of 18 and 8.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
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 an unsuccessful presidential candidate.
In 1971, Blaine achieved notoriety when it was the site of the first hostile invasion of the United States since Canadian/British forces burned the White House to the ground in 1814 during the War of 1812. In May, 1971, at the height of the Viet Nam War, several hundred Canadians, protesting the U.S. invasion of Cambodia and the National Guard's murder of students at Kent State and Jackson State Universities, charged across the border, claiming that they intended only to penetrate 22 miles into the U.S., just as far as then U.S. President Richard Nixon claimed the U.S. was penetrating Cambodia. They made it to Blaine, where they burned a U.S. flag, then retreated back to the border, skirmishing with the Washington State police and bands of right-wing militia. Once back at the border, the invaders ripped the gates off the Peace Arch and chained them shut.
Source:
BlaineWashington.com
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