Charles Xavier Larrabee (November 19, 1843 – September 16, 1914) was an American businessman and a co-founder of the town of Fairhaven, Washington. Later in life, Larrabee and his wife Frances donated much land for civic purposes, including schools and parks, and were considered stewards of the city of Bellingham.[1][2]
Together they founded the town of Fairhaven and formed the Fairhaven Land Company, which was financed by Larrabee,[8][9] who was also president of the company in 1896.[10] Larrabee later purchased the land company holdings of his partner and retained control of the corporation until his death, doing work in land development, including building the Fairhaven Hotel, described by one reporter of the Fairhaven Herald as "million-dollar edifice."[11][12]
Larrabee founded the Citizens Bank of Bellingham, and was that institution's first president. He was also a member of the firm of Larrabee Brothers, a group of private bankers in Deer Lodge, Montana. Larrabee organized the Roslyn-Cascade Coal Company of Roslyn, Washington and developed what was known as one of the finest coal mines in the state of Washington. Larrabee was one of the first area businessmen in the Pacific Northwest region to realize the possibilities of the salmon-fishing industry. He also owned a stock ranch known as Brook-Nook, near Dillon, Montana,[13] where he raised trotting horses.
Later life
On August 3, 1892, Larrabee married Frances Frazier Payne (January 15, 1867 – June 11, 1941), a daughter of Benjamin and Adelia Payne, residents of St. Louis, Missouri. The Larrabees had four children: Charles Francis; Edward Payne, who served as a lieutenant in World War I;[14] Mary Adele; and Benjamin Howard.
In 1914, Larrabee hired Seattle architect Carl Gould to design a house in Bellingham and christened Larrabee Manor, now Lairmont Manor, upon its completion.[15][12] Charles Larrabee died in September of that year before construction even began.[8] The house was finished under the supervision of his wife, Frances, and is now on the United States National Register of Historic Places and maintained by a non-profit trusteeship.[16][1]
Soon after Larrabee's death, his family donated 20 acres (8.1 ha) of land to the state of Washington for the creation of a state park in Larrabee's name.[18]
Charles and Frances Larrabee are interred at the Acacia Mausoleum near Seattle.
^"Larrabee State Park". Washington State Parks. Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. Retrieved April 9, 2016. On Oct. 23, 1915, Frances Larrabee deeded 20 acres to the state for $1 for the property that is now Larrabee State Park. On Nov. 22, 1915, the property officially became the first state park in Washington. Frances and her son Charles later donated another 1,500 acres to increase the size of the park.
