Yakima, Washington
Encyclopedia
Yakima is an American city southeast of Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier National Park is a United States National Park located in southeast Pierce County and northeast Lewis County in Washington state. It was one of the US's earliest National Parks, having been established on March 2, 1899 as the fifth national park in the United States. The park contains...

 and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....

 of Yakima County, Washington
Yakima County, Washington
Yakima County is the second largest county by area in the U.S. state of Washington. It is named after the Yakama tribe of Native Americans. In the 2010 census, its population was 243,231...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, and the eighth largest city by population in the state itself. As of the 2010 census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

, the city had a total population of 91,196 and a metropolitan population of 243,231. In addition, the unincorporated suburban areas of West Valley and Terrace Heights are considered a part of greater Yakima. With these cities included in the immediate area, population within 20 miles of the city is over 123,000. According to the Washington State Office of Financial Management's July 1, 2008 estimate, the city has a population of 84,074. Yakima is situated in the Yakima Valley, which is noted for being one of the best apple-producing areas in the world, a major wine region and produces approximately 75% of all hops
Hops
Hops are the female flower clusters , of a hop species, Humulus lupulus. They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavor, though hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine...

 grown in the USA. The name originates from the Yakama Nation
Yakama
The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, or simply Yakama Nation , is a Native American group with nearly 10,000 enrolled members, living in Washington. Their reservation, along the Yakima River, covers an area of approximately 1.2 million acres...

. The Yakama Indian Reservation
Yakama Indian Reservation
The Yakama Indian Reservation is a United States Indian reservation located on the east side of the Cascade Mountains in southern Washington. It is the homeland of the Yakama tribe of Native Americans....

 is located to the south and southeast of the city of Yakima.

History

The Yakama
Yakama
The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, or simply Yakama Nation , is a Native American group with nearly 10,000 enrolled members, living in Washington. Their reservation, along the Yakima River, covers an area of approximately 1.2 million acres...

 people were the first known inhabitants of the Yakima area, inhabiting the Yakima Valley. In 1805, the Lewis and Clark Expedition
Lewis and Clark Expedition
The Lewis and Clark Expedition, or ″Corps of Discovery Expedition" was the first transcontinental expedition to the Pacific Coast by the United States. Commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson and led by two Virginia-born veterans of Indian wars in the Ohio Valley, Meriwether Lewis and William...

 came to the area and discovered abundant wildlife and rich soil, prompting the settlement of homesteaders. A Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

 Mission was established in Ahtanum
Ahtanum, Washington
Ahtanum is a census-designated place in Yakima County, Washington, United States. The population was 3,601 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Ahtanum is located at ....

, southwest of present-day Yakima, in 1847. The arrival of settlers and their conflicts with the natives resulted in the Yakama Indian War of 1855. The U.S. Army established Fort Simcoe
Fort Simcoe
Fort Simcoe was a United States Army fort erected in south-central Washington Territory to house troops sent to keep watch over local Indian tribes...

 in 1856 near present-day White Swan as a response to the uprising. The Yakamas were defeated and relocated to the Yakama Indian Reservation
Yakama Indian Reservation
The Yakama Indian Reservation is a United States Indian reservation located on the east side of the Cascade Mountains in southern Washington. It is the homeland of the Yakama tribe of Native Americans....

.
Yakima County was created in 1865. When bypassed by the Northern Pacific Railroad
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...

 in December 1884, over 100 buildings were moved with rollers and horse teams to the nearby site of the depot. The new city was dubbed North Yakima and was officially incorporated and named the county seat on January 27, 1886. The name was changed to Yakima in 1918. Union Gap
Union Gap, Washington
Union Gap is a city in Yakima County, Washington, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,047.-History:The city of Union Gap was originally named Yakima and was officially incorporated on November 23, 1883...

 was the new name given to the original site of Yakima.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...

, the city has a total area of 20.6 square miles (53.4 km²), of which, 20.1 square miles (52.1 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (2.33%) is water. Yakima is 344.392 meters above mean sea level.

Yakima region

The city of Yakima is located in the Upper Valley of Yakima County. The county is geographically divided by Ahtanum Ridge and Rattlesnake Ridge
Rattlesnake Ridge
Rattlesnake Ridge is a mountain ridge located south of North Bend, Washington, United States. The western end is near the intersection of State Route 18 and I-90 in Snoqualmie, Washington and runs southeast about or by trail...

 into two regions: the Upper (northern) and Lower (southern) valleys. Yakima is located in the more urbanized Upper Valley, and is the central city of the Yakima Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The cities of Selah and Union Gap lie immediately to the north and south of Yakima. In addition, the unincorporated suburban areas of West Valley and Terrace Heights are considered a part of greater Yakima. With these cities included in the immediate area, population within 20 miles of the city is over 123,000. Other nearby cities include Moxee, Tieton, Cowiche, Wiley City, Tampico, Gleed, and Naches in the Upper Valley, as well as Wapato, Toppenish, Zillah, Harrah, White Swan, Parker, Buena, Outlook, Granger, Mabton, Sunnyside, and Grandview in the Lower Valley. As of 2006, the estimated population of the metropolitan area is 233,105.

Bodies of water

The primary irrigation source for the Yakima Valley, the Yakima River
Yakima River
The Yakima River is a tributary of the Columbia River in south central and eastern Washington State, named for the indigenous Yakama people. The length of the river from headwaters to mouth is , with an average drop of .-Course:...

, runs through Yakima from its source at Lake Keechelus in the Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...

 to the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...

 at Richland
Richland, Washington
Richland is a city in Benton County in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Washington, at the confluence of the Yakima and the Columbia Rivers. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 48,058. April 1, 2011 estimates from the Washington State Office of Financial Management put the...

. In Yakima, the river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...

 is used for both fishing and recreation. A 10 miles (16.1 km) walking and cycling trail, a park, and a wildlife sanctuary are located at the river's edge.

The Naches River
Naches River
The Naches River is a tributary of the Yakima River in central Washington in the United States. Beginning as the Little Naches River, it is about 75 miles long. After the confluence of the Little Naches and Bumping River the name becomes simply the Naches River...

 forms the northern border of the city. Several small lakes flank the northern edge of the city, including Myron Lake, Lake Aspen, Bergland Lake (private) and Rotary Lake (also known as Freeway Lake). These lakes are popular with fishermen and swimmers during the summer.

Climate

Yakima has a steppe climate (Köppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...

 BSk) with a Mediterranean
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...

 precipitation pattern. Winters are cold, with December the coolest month, with a mean temperature of 28.8 °F (-1.8 °C). Snowfall occurs mostly in December and January, and averages 24.6 inches (62 cm). There are 24 days per year in which the high does not surpass freezing, and 3.6 nights where the low reaches 0 °F (-17.8 °C) or lower. Springtime warming is very gradual, with nighttime freezes ceasing by mid-May. Summer days are hot, reaching the mid to upper 80s °F (29-32 °C), but the diurnal range is very large, with lows falling into the upper 40s to low 50s °F (9-12 °C). Autumn cooling is very rapid, with freezes beginning in late September to early October. Due to the city's location in a rain shadow
Rain shadow
A rain shadow is a dry area on the lee side of a mountainous area. The mountains block the passage of rain-producing weather systems, casting a "shadow" of dryness behind them. As shown by the diagram to the right, the warm moist air is "pulled" by the prevailing winds over a mountain...

, precipitation, at an average of 8.26 inches (209.8 mm) annually, is low year-round, but especially during summer. Extreme temperatures have ranged from -25 F in February 1950, to 110 °F (43 °C) in August 1971.

Demographics

As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there were 71,845 people with 26,498 households, and 16,826 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 3,569.9 people per square mile (1,378.0/km²). There were 28,643 housing units at an average density of 1,423.2 per square mile (549.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 68.77% White, 33.70% Hispanic or Latino, 1.99% African American, 2.00% Native American, 1.20% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 21.97% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 3.92% from two or more races.

There were 26,498 households out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.2% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.29.

In the city the population was spread out with 29.4% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,475, and the median income for a family was $34,798. Males had a median income of $29,647 versus $23,629 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 for the city was $15,920. About 17.1% of families and 22.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.3% of those under age 18 and 12.0% of those age 65 or over.

Culture

Cultural activities and events take place throughout the year. The Yakima Valley Museum
Yakima Valley Museum
The Yakima Valley Museum is a facility offers historical exhibits on the Yakima Valley—its natural history, American Indian culture, pioneer life, early city life, and the roots and development of the Valley’s fruit industry. The museum has a superb collection of horse-drawn vehicles, from...

 houses exhibits related to the region’s geology and history, a restored soda fountain, and periodic special exhibitions. Downtown Yakima’s historic Capitol Theatre and Seasons Performance Hall, as well as the West-side’s Allied Arts Center, present numerous musical and stage productions. The city is home to the Yakima Symphony Orchestra. The Yakima Area Arboretum
Yakima Area Arboretum
The Yakima Area Arboretum is an arboretum in Yakima, Washington on a site adjoining the riparian habitat of the Yakima River.In the 19th century, today's site was a wetland. It was later developed for chicken and vegetable farms, and eventually acquired by the Yakima Metro District. In 1967, the...

 is a botanical garden featuring species of both native and adapted non-native plants. Popular music tours, trade shows, and other large events are hosted at the Yakima SunDome
Yakima SunDome
The Yakima SunDome is a 6,195 seat multi-purpose arena in Yakima, Washington. It was built in 1990, on the Central Washington State Fairgrounds and often serves as an exhibit hall during the fair. Bea Noel of Yakima developed the first vision of building a multi purpose facility on the Yakima Fair...

 in State Fair Park.

All America City Award

In 1994, the City of Yakima received the All-America City Award
All-America City Award
The All-America City Award is given by the National Civic League annually to ten cities in the United States.The oldest community recognition program in the nation, the award recognizes communities whose citizens work together to identify and tackle community-wide challenges and achieve uncommon...

, given by the National Civic League
National Civic League
The National Civic League is an American non-profit organization that advocates for transparency, effectiveness, and openness in local government...

. Ten U.S. cities receive this award per year.

Festivals

  • Central Washington State Fair - at State Fair Park, held each fall in late September.
  • Yakima Folklife Festival, held the second week of July in Franklin Park.
  • Yakima Farmer’s Market, on Sundays from May to October in Downtown Yakima.
  • Fresh Hop Ale Festival, each October in Downtown Yakima.
  • Four-Play Hockey Tournament at the Yakima Ice Arena, held in February or March each year.
  • Annual Rockin' New Year's Eve at the Millennium Plaza in front of the Capitol Theatre, held on New Year's Eve each year.

Sports

  • The Yakima Bears
    Yakima Bears
    The Yakima Bears are a minor league baseball team in Yakima, Washington. They are a Short-Season A classification team in the Northwest League and have been a farm team of the Arizona Diamondbacks since 2001, formerly with the Los Angeles Dodgers from the team's creation in 1990 when the Salem...

     are a Northwest League
    Northwest League
    The Northwest League of Professional Baseball is a Class A-Short Season minor baseball league. The league is the descendant of the Western International League which ran as a class B league from 1937-1951 and class A from 1952-1954...

     (Class A minor league baseball
    Minor league baseball
    Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...

    ) team that plays at Yakima County Stadium
    Yakima County Stadium
    Yakima County Stadium is a stadium in Yakima, Washington located in the Central Washington State Fairgrounds. It is primarily used for baseball, and is the home field of the Yakima Bears minor league baseball team. Bob Dylan played the venue during the 2010 Never Ending Tour on September 3, 2010....

    . The team was reestablished in 1990 after being inactive since 1966. It is currently an affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks
    Arizona Diamondbacks
    The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...

    .
  • The Yakima Mavericks are a Minor League football
    American football
    American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

     team in the Pacific Football League and plays at Zaepfel Stadium.
  • The Yakima Reds
    Yakima Reds
    Yakima Reds was an American soccer team based in Yakima, Washington, United States. Founded in 1995, the team played in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference...

     are a soccer
    Football (soccer)
    Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

     team in the USL Premier Development League
    USL Premier Development League
    The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...

     that plays at Marquette Stadium.
  • The Yakima Valley Warriors
    Yakima Valley Warriors
    The Yakima Valley Warriors are a professional indoor football team that will begin play in the American Indoor Football Association in the 2010 season...

    , established in the 2009-2010 season, are an indoor football team in the American Indoor Football Association who play at the Yakima SunDome
    Yakima SunDome
    The Yakima SunDome is a 6,195 seat multi-purpose arena in Yakima, Washington. It was built in 1990, on the Central Washington State Fairgrounds and often serves as an exhibit hall during the fair. Bea Noel of Yakima developed the first vision of building a multi purpose facility on the Yakima Fair...

    .
  • The Yakima Beetles American Legion baseball
    American Legion Baseball
    American Legion Baseball is a variety of amateur baseball played by teenage boys in 50 states in the USA. More than five thousand teams participate each year. The American Legion Department of South Dakota established the program in 1925 at Milbank, South Dakota...

     team, 3-time World Champions.

Roads and highways

Interstate 82 is the primary way of reaching Yakima, but U.S. Route 12
U.S. Route 12 in Washington
U.S. Route 12 is a major east-west U.S. Highway, running from Aberdeen, Washington, to Detroit, Michigan. It spans across the state of Washington, and is the only numbered highway to span the entire state from west to east, starting near the Pacific Ocean, and crossing the Idaho state line near...

 crosses through the city from White Pass. U.S. Route 97
U.S. Route 97 in Washington
In the U.S. state of Washington, U.S. Route 97 is a route which traverses from the Oregon state line at the northern end of the Sam Hill Memorial Bridge in Maryhill, north to the Canadian border in Okanogan County near Oroville...

 joins I-82 from Yakima for approximately 40 miles (64.4 km) north to Ellensburg. State Route 24 terminates at Yakima and is the primary means of reaching Moxee City and many of the area's agricultural areas to the east. State Route 821
Washington State Route 821
State Route 821, also known as Canyon Road, is a state highway in Washington. It runs from an intersection with Interstate 82 north of Selah to another junction with I-82 south of Ellensburg. The total length of SR 821 is .-Route description:...

 terminates near Yakima and is also called Canyon Road because it passes through the Yakima River
Yakima River
The Yakima River is a tributary of the Columbia River in south central and eastern Washington State, named for the indigenous Yakama people. The length of the river from headwaters to mouth is , with an average drop of .-Course:...

 canyon. It is an alternate route to Ellensburg
Ellensburg, Washington
Ellensburg is a city in, and the county seat of, Kittitas County, Washington, United States. The population was 18,174 at the 2010 census. The population was 18,250 at 2011 Estimate from Office of Financial Management. Ellensburg is located just east of the Cascade Range on I-90 and is known as the...

 which bypasses the I-82 summit at Manastash Ridge
Manastash Ridge
Manastash Ridge is a long anticline mountain ridge located in central Washington state in the United States. Manastash Ridge runs mostly west-to-east in Kittitas and Yakima counties, for approximately 50 miles...

.

Airport

Yakima's airport, McAllister Field, operates commercial air flights via Horizon Air
Horizon Air
Horizon Air Industries, Inc. is a regional low-cost airline based in SeaTac, Washington, United States. It is the eighth largest regional airline in the USA, serving 52 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico....

 to Seattle. Numerous private aircraft call the Yakima Airport home and several freight companies operate out of the airport. It is also a popular test site for military jets and Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Boeing Commercial Airplanes designs, assembles, markets and sells large commercial jet aircraft and provides product-related maintenance and training to customers worldwide...

 test flights. Located on the field is Cub Crafters
Cub Crafters
Cub Crafters, Inc. is an aircraft manufacturer based in Yakima, Washington. Founded in 1980 to build parts and STC modifications for the Piper PA-18 Super Cub, their CC18-180 Top Cub was FAA-certified December 16, 2004 and is currently in production...

, rebuilder of Piper Super Cubs for over 30 years, and a current FAR23 and Light Sport Aircraft manufacturer.

Economy

Yakima's growth in the 20th century was fueled primarily by agriculture. The Yakima Valley produces many fruit crops, including apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...

s, peach
Peach
The peach tree is a deciduous tree growing to tall and 6 in. in diameter, belonging to the subfamily Prunoideae of the family Rosaceae. It bears an edible juicy fruit called a peach...

es, pear
Pear
The pear is any of several tree species of genus Pyrus and also the name of the pomaceous fruit of these trees. Several species of pear are valued by humans for their edible fruit, but the fruit of other species is small, hard, and astringent....

s, cherries
Cherry
The cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus Prunus, and is a fleshy stone fruit. The cherry fruits of commerce are usually obtained from a limited number of species, including especially cultivars of the wild cherry, Prunus avium....

, and melon
Melon
thumb|200px|Various types of melonsThis list of melons includes members of the plant family Cucurbitaceae with edible, fleshy fruit e.g. gourds or cucurbits. The word "melon" can refer to either the plant or specifically to the fruit...

s. Many vegetables are also produced, including pepper
Capsicum
Capsicum is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. Its species are native to the Americas where they have been cultivated for thousands of years, but they are now also cultivated worldwide, used as spices, vegetables, and medicines - and have become are a key element in...

s, corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...

 and bean
Bean
Bean is a common name for large plant seeds of several genera of the family Fabaceae used for human food or animal feed....

s. Many of the city's residents have come to the Valley out of economic necessity and to participate in the picking, processing, marketing and support services for the agricultural economy.
Largest employers in the Yakima area
Employer Type Persons employed
1. Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital  Hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....

1,500
2. Yakima School District
Yakima School District
Yakima School District No. 7 is a public school district in Yakima County, Washington, USA and serves the city of Yakima.As of October 2004, the district has an enrollment of 14,290 students.-High schools:*A.C. Davis High School*Alternative School*D.D...

 
School district
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...


(Education)
1,453
3. Washington State Department of Social and Health Services  State government
State government
A state government is the government of a subnational entity in a federal form of government, which shares political power with the federal or national government. A state government may have some level of political autonomy, or be subject to the direct control of the federal government...


(Social services)
1,400
4. Yakima County
Yakima County, Washington
Yakima County is the second largest county by area in the U.S. state of Washington. It is named after the Yakama tribe of Native Americans. In the 2010 census, its population was 243,231...

 
County government
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...

 
1,200
5. Tree Top, Inc.
Tree Top, Inc.
Tree Top, Inc. was the first grower-owned fruit processing cooperative in the United States. 1,300 apple and pear growers in Washington, Idaho, and Oregon own the cooperative, with the majority of the growers from Washington.-History:...

Fruit processing 1,150
6. Yakima Regional Medical Center  Hospital 841
7. City of Yakima Municipal government  711
8. Washington Beef, LLC Beef processing 620
9. Yakama Legends Casino  Casino
Native American gambling enterprises
Native American gaming enterprises are gaming businesses operated on Indian reservations or tribal land in the United States. Indian tribes have limited sovereignty over these businesses and therefore are granted the ability to establish gambling enterprises outside of direct state...

 
619
10. Shields Bag & Printing Co. Printing/Packaging 575
11. Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...

 
Department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...

 
545
12. Borton & Sons Fruit & Cold Storage Fruit growing & shipping 524
13. Snokist Growers Cannery 521
14. Yakima Training Center
Yakima Training Center
The Yakima Training Center is a United States Army training center located in south central Washington state. It is bounded on the west by Interstate 82, on the south by the city of Yakima, on the north by the city of Ellensburg and Interstate 90, and on the east by the Columbia River...

 
United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...


(Military)
512
15. EPIC  Social services 500
15. Washington State Department of Transportation
Washington State Department of Transportation
The Washington State Department of Transportation , was established in 1905. The agency, led by a Secretary and overseen by the Governor, is a Washington governmental agency that constructs, maintains, and regulates the use of the state's transportation infrastructure...

 
State government  500


Downtown Yakima, along the retail hub of the region, has undergone many changes since the late 1990s. Three major department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...

s and an entire shopping mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...

 that is now closed for business, have been replaced with Whirlpool Corporation and Adaptis call-centers and several hotels.

The retail core of the region has since shifted to the city of Union Gap
Union Gap, Washington
Union Gap is a city in Yakima County, Washington, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,047.-History:The city of Union Gap was originally named Yakima and was officially incorporated on November 23, 1883...

, where a renovated shopping mall and other new retail businesses are flourishing. While some see big-box retail leaving the downtown area as a loss, others see it as an opportunity to recast the downtown area as a center for events, services, entertainment, and smaller, more personal shopping experiences. One part of this effort has been the Downtown Futures Initiative. The DFI has provided for a street to storefront remodel along Yakima Avenue throughout the entire downtown core, and includes new pedestrian-friendly lighting, water fountains, planters, banner poles, new trees and hanging baskets, all of which complement the new paver-inlaid sidewalks.

The early 2000s have seen the return of the Sports Center Tavern, a local landmark, to Downtown Yakima, as well as the opening of The Hilton Garden Inn (built in the same location as one of the former anchor stores of the closed Yakima Mall), The Speakeasy Bar, Grill & Nightclub, Kana Winery, Donitelia Winery, Yakima Cellars Winery, Seasons Performance Hall, Essencia Bakery, De Siga Gallery, and The Barrel House. Developers have completed the Lofts condominiums in the former Bon Marche building, also once an anchor of the Yakima Mall.

Events held downtown include Yakima Downtown New Year's Eve, a Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo is a holiday held on May 5. It is celebrated nationwide in the United States and regionally in Mexico, primarily in the state of Puebla, where the holiday is called El Dia de la Batalla de Puebla...

 celebration, Yakima Live music festival, Yakima Summer Kickoff Party, Fresh Hop Ale Fest, a weekly Farmers' Market, and the Hot Shots 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament.

A bright spot in the economy of the Yakima Valley is the burgeoning wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...

 industry, due in part to the Yakima Valley soil, which is very similar to the soil conditions of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

. Over fifty wineries dot the Yakima Valley, covering more than 11000 acres (44.5 km²).

The Japan Ground Self Defense Force conducts training annually in Yakima. Japanese soldiers train in Yakima because it allows for large-scale live fire maneuvers not available in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

.

Tourism

In the early 2000's, the city of Yakima in conjunction with multiple city organizations has begun revitalization and preservation efforts in Downtown Yakima, formerly North Yakima. According to the City of Yakima, the Downtown Yakima Futures Initiative is in progress. This organization has tasked themselves with “making strategic public investments in sidewalks, lighting, landscaping. Those public investments will serve as economic development catalysts resulting in the further enhancement of the area by downtown business and property owners.” Out of four phases, one is completed. http://www.ci.yakima.wa.us/downtown/improvements.asp Local businesses featuring regional produce, wines, and beers among other products are returning to the downtown area. These can be found at numerous restaurants and shops mainly on Front Street, Yakima Avenue, 1st Street and they include Track 29 across from the old Train Depot, the Barrel House Restaurant http://www.thebarrelhouse.net/, Gilbert Cellars http://www.gilbertcellars.com/ located in the historic Lund Building as well as the historic Capitol Theater and Larson Buildings. http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/WA/Yakima/state.html
One tourist attraction is a pair of historic trolleys that operates each summer along five miles (8 km) of tracks of the former Yakima Valley Transportation Company
Yakima Valley Transportation Company
The Yakima Valley Transportation Company was an interurban electric railroad headquartered in Yakima, Washington. It was operator of the city's streetcar system from 1907–1947 and also provided the local bus service from the 1920s until 1957....

 through the Yakima Gap connecting Yakima and Selah. The Yakima Valley Trolleys organization was incorporated in 2001 to operate the railroad for the City of Yakima. Present and future generations are able to experience an early-American street railway almost exactly as it was 100 years ago and come to understand the important role transit held in developing the City of Yakima as well as the rest of the industrialized world. 2010

Education

The city of Yakima is served in the field of education by three K-12 public school districts, several private schools, and three post-secondary schools.

Public schools

There are five high schools in the Yakima School District
Yakima School District
Yakima School District No. 7 is a public school district in Yakima County, Washington, USA and serves the city of Yakima.As of October 2004, the district has an enrollment of 14,290 students.-High schools:*A.C. Davis High School*Alternative School*D.D...

.
  • Davis High School
    A.C. Davis High School (Washington)
    Davis High School is a high school in Yakima, Washington, USA, serving students in grades 9-12. It is part of the Yakima School District and has approximately 2,000 students.-History:...

    , a 4A high school with about 2,100 students
  • Eisenhower High School
    Eisenhower High School (Yakima, Washington)
    Dwight David Eisenhower High School in Yakima, Washington is a school named after U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower. It is one of four high schools in the Yakima School District with the others being Davis High School, Stanton Academy and O.I.C. Alternative...

    , a 4A high school with about 1,900 students
  • Stanton Academy
  • Yakima Online High School
  • Yakima has a branch of the Christa McAuliffe Academy, which is a Washington ALE Public School ACHIEVE Online. It offers World-Wide K-12 on-line education from their offices in Yakima. Christa McAuliffe Academy was founded to honor the "first teacher in space"
    Christa McAuliffe
    Christa McAuliffe was an American teacher from Concord, New Hampshire, and was one of the seven crew members killed in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster....

    , and the tragic loss of the Space Shuttle Challenger
    Space Shuttle Challenger
    Space Shuttle Challenger was NASA's second Space Shuttle orbiter to be put into service, Columbia having been the first. The shuttle was built by Rockwell International's Space Transportation Systems Division in Downey, California...

     in 1986. Students and staff at Christa McAuliffe Academy are actively engaged in carrying on what Christa started: education that ventures beyond the normal boundaries and empowers the drive for discovery of things unknown. They salute Christa McAuliffe and Barbara Morgan
    Barbara Morgan
    Barbara Radding Morgan is an American teacher and a former NASA astronaut. She participated in the Teacher in Space program as the backup to Christa McAuliffe for the ill-fated STS-51L mission of Space Shuttle Challenger. She then trained as a Mission Specialist, and flew on STS-118 in August 2007...

    , the teacher-turned-astronaut on the August 8, 2007, flight of the Space Shuttle Endeavour
    Space Shuttle Endeavour
    Space Shuttle Endeavour is one of the retired orbiters of the Space Shuttle program of NASA, the space agency of the United States. Endeavour was the fifth and final spaceworthy NASA space shuttle to be built, constructed as a replacement for Challenger...

    , as great role models.


Outside the city:
  • West Valley High School
    West Valley High School (Yakima)
    West Valley High School is a school in the West Valley School District of Yakima, Washington. It consists of two campuses divided by one road. The main campus consists of Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors. The other campus, next to Gotfred E. Clasen Field, is West Valley High School: Freshmen campus...

    , which is in the West Valley School District. It is a division 3A school with a total student population of just over 1,500.
  • On the eastern side of the city, just east of Terrace Heights, is East Valley High School, which is in the East Valley School District. It is a 2A school with about 1,000 students in the student body.

Homeschooling

Yakima is home to over 250 homeschooling families, and CAPE, the Christian Association of Parent Education, established in 1981, is a 501c(3) nonprofit organization and the central resource group for several co-operative learning groups, as well as hosting an annual Family Learning Conference and field trips.

Yakima Organized Unschoolers, The Yakima chapter of Unschooling United is a support group for Unschooling families and welcomes unschoolers regardless of their religious affiliation.

Private schools

  • La Salle High School
    La Salle High School (Union Gap, Washington)
    LaSalle High School, also known as LHS, is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Union Gap, Washington. It is the only Catholic high school in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Yakima...

    , located in Union Gap, is a Catholic high school in the 1A division and enrolls about 200 students
  • Riverside Christian School
    Riverside Christian School
    Riverside Christian School is a private Christian Fundamentalist school in Yakima, Washington. It currently provides education for Pre-school through 12th Grade students....

    , located near East Valley High School, is a private K-12 Christian school. Riverside Christian is also a 2B school with around 200 students in grades 9-12.
  • Yakima Adventist Christian School serves Kindergarten through 10th grade.
  • St. Paul Cathedral School, is a private K-8 school with roughly 250 students.
  • St. Joseph Marquette, is a private Pre-K-8th grade school. Has about the same number of students as St. Paul's.
  • St. John of Kronstadt Orthodox School, is a private school.
  • Oakridge Montessori school, serves 18 months through 8th grade.
  • Westpark Christian Academy, serves Preschool-12th grade, with around 80 students.

Selah Covenant Christian School and Agapeland Preschool serve preschool-4th grade with around 100 students.

Post-secondary schools

Located in the middle of Yakima is the Yakima Valley Community College, otherwise known as YVCC. Yakima Valley Community College is one of the oldest community colleges in the state of Washington. Founded in 1928, the college has a long tradition of quality in teaching and in its commitment to students. Yakima Valley Community College is a public, two-year institution of higher education which is a part of one of the best comprehensive community college systems in the nation. As such, the college offers programs in adult basic education, English-as-a-second-language, lower division arts and sciences, professional and technical education, and community services. Yakima Valley Community College employs a talented and dedicated faculty whose primary interest is in delivering the best possible instruction to students.

Perry Technical Institute is a private, non-profit school of higher learning located in the city since 1939. Students there can learn trades such as Automotive Technology, Instrumentation, Information Technology, HVAC, Electrical, Graphic Design, Machining, Office Administration, Medical Coding, and Legal Assistant/Paralegal.

The Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences was completed in 2008. The university is home for nine to eleven health science related colleges. The first college on the 42.5 acres (171,991.6 m²) campus is home to the first medical school approved in the Pacific Northwest in over sixty years and trains physicians with an osteopathic emphasis. The mission of the medical school is to train primary care physicians who are committed to serving the rural and underserved communities throughout the Pacific Northwest. The college is housed in a state-of-the-art 45000 square feet (4,180.6 m²) facility. It opened in the fall of 2008.

Radio

  • 88.5 FM - KYVT
    KYVT
    KYVT is a high school radio station broadcasting an Alternative music format. Licensed to Yakima, Washington, USA, the station serves the Yakima area. The station is currently owned by Yakima District No. 7.-History:...

    , College radio
  • 89.5 FM - KSOH, Christian radio
    Christian radio
    Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...

  • 89.9 FM - KQBE
    KQBE
    KYKV is a radio station broadcasting a Contemporary Christian format. Licensed to Ellensburg, Washington, USA, the station serves the Kittitas County area. The station is currently owned by Educational Media Foundation. Prior to the K-LOVE format, it aired Top 40 music....

    , Christian radio
    Christian radio
    Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...

  • 90.3 FM - KNWY
    KNWY
    KNWY is a radio station licensed to Yakima, Washington. The station is owned by Washington State University, and airs Northwest Public Radio's news and talk and classical musicprogramming.-External links:*...

    , National Public Radio
  • 91.1 FM - KYPL, Christian radio
    Christian radio
    Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...

  • 91.9 FM - KDNA
    KDNA
    KDNA is a radio station broadcasting a Spanish Variety format including music , children's programming, local and international news and a unique show each weekday morning highlighting employment opportunities in the Yakima area, all in Spanish. Licensed to Yakima, Washington, USA, the station...

    , Noncommercial Spanish Language Public Radio
  • 92.9 FM - KDBL
    KDBL
    KDBL is a radio station broadcasting a Country music format. Licensed to Toppenish, Washington, United States, the station serves the Yakima area. The station is currently owned by Townsquare Media.-History:...

    , Country
    Country music
    Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...

  • 94.5 FM - KATS
    Kats
    Kats is a town in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is a part of the municipality of Noord-Beveland, and lies about 20 km east of Middelburg.In 2001, the town of Kats had 286 inhabitants...

    , Active Rock
    Active rock
    Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:...

  • 96.9 FM - KZTA
    KZTA
    KZTA is a radio station broadcasting a Regional Mexican format. Licensed to Naches, Washington, USA, the station serves the Yakima area. The station is currently owned by Adelante Media Group of Eastern Washington License, LLC.-History:...

    , Regional Mexican
    Regional Mexican
    Regional Mexican is a radio format for music radio, typically defined to include Banda, Ranchera, Mariachi and Norteña. It is the most popular radio format targeting Hispanic Americans in the United States....

  • 98.7 FM - KLES
    KLES
    KLES is a radio station broadcasting a Spanish music format. Licensed to Prosser, Washington, USA, the station is currently owned by Mbprosser Licensee LLC.-History:The station was assigned the call letters KZXR on May 20, 1992...

    , Spanish Contemporary
  • 99.3 FM - KQMY
    KQMY
    KQMY is a radio station broadcasting a news/talk format, simulcasting KIT 1280 AM Yakima. Licensed to Naches, Washington, USA, the station is currently owned by Townsquare Media.-History:...

    , Adult Contemporary
  • 99.7 FM - KHHK
    KHHK
    KHHK, also known as "HOT 99.7", is a Rhythmic Contemporary Hit Radio station licensed to Yakima, Washington. The New Northwest Broadcasters, LLC outlet broadcast at 99.7 MHz on the FM dial with an ERP of 4.1 kW....

    , Rhythmic Contemporary Hit Radio
  • 100.9 FM - KARY, Oldies
    Oldies
    Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....

  • 103.1 FM - KYKV, Christian Radio/klove
  • 104.1 FM - KXDD
    KXDD
    KXDD is a radio station broadcasting a Country music format. Licensed to Yakima, Washington, USA, the station serves the Yakima area. The station is currently owned by New Northwest Broadcasters, LLC....

    , Country
    Country
    A country is a region legally identified as a distinct entity in political geography. A country may be an independent sovereign state or one that is occupied by another state, as a non-sovereign or formerly sovereign political division, or a geographic region associated with a previously...

  • 105.7 FM - KRSE
    KRSE
    KRSE is a radio station broadcasting a Adult Hits format. Licensed to Yakima, Washington, USA, the station serves the Yakima area. The station is currently owned by New Northwest Broadcasters, LLC....

    , 80's 90's and Now
  • 107.3 FM - KFFM, Rhythmic Contemporary
    Rhythmic Contemporary
    Rhythmic contemporary, also known as rhythmic top 40, rhythmic contemporary hit radio or rhythmic crossover, is a music radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip-hop and R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary rarely uses rock music or country music in its airplay, but it may...


  • 930 AM - KYAK, Christian radio
    Christian radio
    Christian radio is a category of radio formats that focus on transmitting programming with a Christian message. In the United States, where it is more established, many such broadcasters play popular music of Christian influence, though many programs have talk or news programming covering...

  • 980 AM - KBBO (AM)
    KBBO (AM)
    KBBO is a radio station licensed to Selah, Washington, USA, the station serves the Yakima area. It carries a conservative talk format. The station is currently owned by New Northwest Broadcasters, LLC....

    , Talk radio
    Talk radio
    Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...

  • 1020 AM - KYXE, Regional Mexican
    Regional Mexican
    Regional Mexican is a radio format for music radio, typically defined to include Banda, Ranchera, Mariachi and Norteña. It is the most popular radio format targeting Hispanic Americans in the United States....

  • 1280 AM - KIT
    KIT (AM)
    KIT is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format to the Yakima, Washington, USA area. The station is licensed to GAP Broadcasting Yakima License, LLC and owned by Townsquare Media...

    , Talk radio
    Talk radio
    Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...

  • 1390 AM - KJOX, Sports radio
    Sports radio
    Sports radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A popular format with an almost exclusively male demographic in most areas, sports radio is characterized by an often-boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and...

  • 1460 AM - KUTI
    KUTI
    KUTI is a radio station broadcasting a Classic Country format to the Yakima, Washington, USA area. The station is owned by Townsquare Media. The station reaches all parts of the Yakima Valley area. It usually plays '70s, '80s and early '90s country music, but sometimes plays mid '90s and late...

    , Classic country
    Classic country
    Classic country is a music radio format that specializes in playing mainstream country hits from past decades.This genre generally follows one of two formats: those specializing in hits from the 1920s through the early 1970s, and focus primarily on innovators and artists from country music's Golden...

  • 1610 AM - WQBV569, Traveler's Information Station


Television

  • Channel 2 - KUNW-CA Univision
    Univision
    Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva...

  • Channel 12 - YES-TV,(YV-Tech TV Station)
  • Channel 23 - KNDO
    KNDO
    KNDO is the NBC affiliate television station serving the Yakima, Washington, USA, area. It is owned by the Cowles Publishing Company of Spokane as part of The KHQ Television Group. It is sister station to KNDU in the Tri-Cities, which is considered a semi-satellite of KNDO even though the two...

    , NBC
    NBC
    The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...

  • Channel 29.1 - KIMA-TV
    KIMA-TV
    KIMA-TV is the CBS affiliated television station serving the Yakima, Washington region. The station is owned by Fisher Communications.The station operates two semi-satellites--KEPR-TV in the Tri-Cities and KLEW-TV in Lewiston, Idaho...

    , CBS
    CBS
    CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...

  • Channel 29.2 - KIMA-DT2
    KIMA-TV
    KIMA-TV is the CBS affiliated television station serving the Yakima, Washington region. The station is owned by Fisher Communications.The station operates two semi-satellites--KEPR-TV in the Tri-Cities and KLEW-TV in Lewiston, Idaho...

     , The CW
    The CW Television Network
    The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...

  • Channel 35.1 - KAPP
    KAPP
    KAPP is the ABC affiliate for Yakima, Washington, serving the Central Washington area with a mix of news, sports, syndicated fare, and local programming since it first signed on the air on September 21, 1970. It is a sister station to KVEW in Kennewick; the latter is reckoned as a semi-satellite to...

    , ABC
    American Broadcasting Company
    The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...

  • Channel 35.2 - KAPP-DT2
    KAPP
    KAPP is the ABC affiliate for Yakima, Washington, serving the Central Washington area with a mix of news, sports, syndicated fare, and local programming since it first signed on the air on September 21, 1970. It is a sister station to KVEW in Kennewick; the latter is reckoned as a semi-satellite to...

    , MyNetworkTV
    MyNetworkTV
    MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...

  • Channel 39.1 - KWYT, Azteca America
    Azteca América
    Azteca América is a broadcast television network marketed toward Spanish-speaking families residing in the United States. As a rapidly-growing Spanish language network, Azteca América now reaches 89% of the Hispanic households in the U.S., operating in sixty-two markets nationwide. Wholly owned by...

  • Channel 39.2 - KWYT, Mexicanal
    Mexicanal
    Mexicanal Network is a Mexican based television Network launched in 2005 by and and serves Mexicans living and working in the United States, Canada and Mexico....

  • Channel 39.3 - KWYT, Hispanavision
  • Channel 41 - KCYU-LD, Fox
    Fox Broadcasting Company
    Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...

  • Channel 47 - KYVE, PBS
    Public Broadcasting Service
    The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....


Print

  • Yakima Herald-Republic
    Yakima Herald-Republic
    The Yakima Herald-Republic is a newspaper published in Yakima, Washington and distributed throughout Yakima, Kittitas and Klickitat counties as well as northwest Benton County. It is Washington state's seventh largest daily newspaper. The newspaper traces its roots to the late 19th...

  • Yakima Business Journal
  • Yakima Valley Business Times
  • Yakima Family Times
  • Viva, Yakima Valley's Hispanic Newspaper

Notable current and former residents

  • Oleta Adams
    Oleta Adams
    Oleta Adams is an American soul, jazz, and gospel singer and pianist.-Biography:Adams was born the daughter of a preacher and was raised with gospel music. In her youth her family moved to Yakima, Washington, which is sometimes shown as her place of birth.Before gaining her opportunity to perform,...

    , singer
  • Jamie Allen, Seattle Mariners
    Seattle Mariners
    The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...

     baseball player (1983)
  • Mario Batali
    Mario Batali
    Mario Batali is an American chef, writer, restaurateur and media personality. In addition to his classical culinary training, he is an expert on the history and culture of Italian cuisine, including regional and local variations. Batali co-owns restaurants in New York City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles,...

    , Celebrity Chef
  • Jerry Burling, Former KIMA-TV on-air announcer, Winner, National Prime Time Emmy Award (1977) http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1244210/awards
  • Raymond Carver
    Raymond Carver
    Raymond Clevie Carver, Jr. was an American short story writer and poet. Carver is considered a major American writer of the late 20th century and also a major force in the revitalization of the short story in the 1980s....

    , author
  • Charles Carter, Olympic and Professional Boxer http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=3111&cat=boxer
  • Beverly Cleary
    Beverly Cleary
    Beverly Cleary is an American author. Educated at colleges in California and Washington, she worked as a librarian before writing children's books. Cleary has written more than 30 books for young adults and children. Some of her best-known characters are Henry Huggins, Ribsy, Beatrice Quimby, her...

    , author
  • Harlond Clift
    Harlond Clift
    Harlond Benton Clift born in El Reno, Oklahoma, was a third baseman for the St. Louis Browns and Washington Senators ....

    , Major League Baseball player (1934–45)
  • Cary Conklin
    Cary Conklin
    Cary Lee Conklin is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins and the San Francisco 49ers. He played college football at the University of Washington and was drafted in the fourth round of the 1990 NFL Draft.-References:...

    , NFL
    National Football League
    The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

     Football player (1992–1995)
  • Garret Dillahunt, actor
  • Dr. Dan Doornink, NFL
    National Football League
    The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...

     football player (1978–1985)
  • William O. Douglas
    William O. Douglas
    William Orville Douglas was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. With a term lasting 36 years and 209 days, he is the longest-serving justice in the history of the Supreme Court...

    , U.S. Supreme Court associate justice (1939–1975)
  • Dave Edler
    Dave Edler
    David Delmar Edler is a former Major League Baseball player and former Mayor of Yakima, Washington. He a current member of the Yakima City Council...

    , Former Major League Baseball Player, City of Yakima Mayor
  • Tom Ewing, Former Host, "Bar 29 Ranch," KIMA-TV Western Program
  • Scott Hatteberg
    Scott Hatteberg
    Scott Allen Hatteberg is a former American Major League Baseball first baseman and catcher.- Early life :...

    , Major League Baseball player
  • Bob Heironimus, alleged portrayer of Bigfoot in the infamous Patterson film
  • Joe Hipp
    Joe Hipp
    Joe "The Boss" Hipp is a retired professional Native American Heavyweight boxer. Hipp, a member of Blackfoot Tribe became the first Native American to challenge for the world heavyweight championship of boxing on August 19, 1995 when he fought WBA champion Bruce Seldon at the MGM Grand Las Vegas...

    , Professional Boxing (former NABF Heavyweight Champion 1994)
  • Damon Huard
    Damon Huard
    Damon Paul Huard is a former American football quarterback. He was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 1996. He played college football at Washington....

    , NFL Football player (1998-Current)
  • Robert Ivers
    Robert Ivers
    Robert Ivers, AKA Bob Ivers, Robert Ivers, AKA Bob Ivers, Robert Ivers, AKA Bob Ivers, (December 11, 1934 - 13 February 2003 was an American actor who appeared in films and television in the 1950s and 1960s.-Background:...

    , Film and TV star. Later newsman on KAPP and KNDO TV.
  • Basil James
    Basil James
    -Biography:Born in Loveland, Colorado, Basil James became a jockey in California while in his teens and in 1936 at age sixteen he led all U.S. jockeys with 245 wins. After a successful 1937, in January 1938 he was suspended for ninety days after "grabbing Herb Litzenberger during the running of the...

    , Jockey (won the 1942 Preakness)
  • Sam Kinison
    Sam Kinison
    Samuel Burl "Sam" Kinison was an American stand-up comedian and actor. Kinison was known for his intense, harsh and politically incorrect genre humor...

    , actor/comedian
  • Keith Hunter Jesperson
    Keith Hunter Jesperson
    Keith Hunter Jesperson is a Canadian-born American serial killer known as the "Happy Face Killer" for the smiley face he drew on his many letters to the media and prosecutors. He had a violent and troubled childhood under a domineering, alcoholic father...

    , serial killer
  • Larry Knechtel
    Larry Knechtel
    Lawrence William "Larry" Knechtel was an American keyboard player and bassist, best known for his work as a session musician with such artists as Simon & Garfunkel, Duane Eddy, The Beach Boys, The Mamas & the Papas, The Partridge Family, The Doors, and Elvis Presley, and as a member of the 1970s...

    , Grammy award winning musician
  • Jake Kupp
    Jake Kupp
    Jacob Ralph Kupp is a former American football guard in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, and the New Orleans Saints. Kupp played college football at the University of Washington and was drafted in the ninth round of the 1964 NFL Draft...

    , NFL Football player (1964–1975) and 1969 Pro Bowl player
  • Craig Kupp
    Craig Kupp
    Craig Marion Kupp is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Phoenix Cardinals and the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Pacific Lutheran University and was drafted in the fifth round of the 1990 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. His father,...

    , NFL Football player (1991) Phoenix Cardinals
  • Robert Lucas, Jr.
    Robert Lucas, Jr.
    Robert Emerson Lucas, Jr. is an American economist at the University of Chicago. He received the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1995 and is consistently indexed among the top 10 economists in the Research Papers in Economics rankings. He is married to economist Nancy Stokey.He received his B.A. in...

    , Nobel prize
    Nobel Prize
    The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...

     winning economist
  • Barbara La Marr
    Barbara La Marr
    Barbara La Marr was an American stage and film actress, cabaret artist and screenwriter.La Marr was known as "The Girl Who Is Too Beautiful", after a Hearst newspaper feature writer, Adela Rogers St...

    , actor/writer
  • Kyle MacLachlan
    Kyle MacLachlan
    Kyle Merritt MacLachlan is an American actor. MacLachlan is best known for his roles in cult films Blue Velvet as Jeffrey Beaumont, Showgirls as Zack Carey, as Paul Atreides in Dune, and Ray Manzarek in the Oliver Stone film The Doors...

    , actor
  • Debbie Macomber
    Debbie Macomber
    Debbie Macomber is a best-selling American author of over 150 romance novels and contemporary women's fiction. Over 140 million copies of her books are in print throughout the world, and four have become made-for-TV-movies...

    , author
  • Phil Mahre
    Phil Mahre
    Philip Mahre is a former champion alpine ski racer, widely regarded as one of the greatest American skiers of all time...

    , Olympics medal-winning skier and twin brother of Steve Mahre
  • Steve Mahre
    Steve Mahre
    Steven Mahre is a former alpine ski racer and younger twin brother of ski racer Phil Mahre....

    , Olympic medal-winning skier and twin brother of Phil Mahre
  • Mitch Meluskey
    Mitch Meluskey
    Mitchell Wade Meluskey is a retired professional baseball player. He played all or part of five seasons in Major League Baseball, between 1998 and 2003, for the Houston Astros and Detroit Tigers, primarily as a catcher....

    , Major League Baseball player (1998–2003)
  • James "Jimmy" Nolan, Jr., Former Host, "Uncle Jimmy's Clubhouse," KIMA-TV (1953–1978)
  • Arvo Ojala
    Arvo Ojala
    Arvo Ojala was a Hollywood technical advisor on the subject of quick-draw with a revolver. He also worked as an actor; his most famous role was that of the unnamed man shot by Marshal Matt Dillon in the opening sequences of the long-running television series Gunsmoke...

    , Hollywood actor and quick-draw artist
  • Jim Pomeroy
    Jim Pomeroy
    Jim Pomeroy was a professional motocross racer. In 1973, he became the first American rider to win a FIM world championship motocross race when he rode a Bultaco Pursang to victory in the 1973 250cc Spanish motocross Grand Prix...

    , Motocross
    Motocross
    Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...

     racer, elected to AMA
    American Motorcyclist Association
    The American Motorcyclist Association is an American not-for-profit organization of more than 300,000 motorcyclists that organizes numerous motorcycling activities and campaigns for motorcyclists' legal rights...

     Hall of Fame in 1999.
  • Gary Puckett, 1960s pop artist of Gary Puckett & The Union Gap
    Gary Puckett & The Union Gap
    Gary Puckett & The Union Gap was an American pop rock group operating in the late 1960s...

  • Pete Rademacher
    Pete Rademacher
    Thomas Peter Rademacher is a former boxer who made boxing history by being the only man to fight for the world heavyweight championship in his first professional fight.-Amateur career:...

    , Olympic and Professional Boxer, Gold Medal, Heavyweight Division, 1956 Melbourne Olympics
  • Will Sampson
    Will Sampson
    Will Sampson was an American actor and artist.-Life and career:Sampson, a Native American Muscogee , was born in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. Sampson's most notable roles were as "Chief Bromden" in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and as "Taylor the Medicine Man" in the horror film Poltergeist II...

    , actor/artist
  • Kurt Schulz
    Kurt Schulz
    Kurt Erich Schulz was born on December 12, 1968 in Wenatchee, Washington to parents Erich and Judy Schulz. He is a former American football player in the National Football League. He played 10 years, eight for the Buffalo Bills, and two for the Detroit Lions. He played college football at Eastern...

    , NFL football player
  • Brad Sinsel, Leader of the rock band TKO (band)
    TKO (band)
    TKO was a hard rock/heavy metal band from Seattle, Washington. The group's leader and only consistent member was singer Brad Sinsel. TKO lasted from approximately 1977-2001....

     (1977–2001)
  • Mel Stottlemyre
    Mel Stottlemyre
    Melvin Leon Stottlemyre, Sr. is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and pitching coach. He played 11 years in the Major Leagues, all of them with the New York Yankees...

    , Major League Baseball player for the Yankees, Mets and Astros
  • Mel Stottlemyre, Jr.
    Mel Stottlemyre, Jr.
    Melvin Leon Stottlemyre, Jr. is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Kansas City Royals. He attended the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.-Houston Astros:...

    , Major League Baseball player and son of Mel Stottlemyre Sr.
  • Todd Stottlemyre
    Todd Stottlemyre
    Todd Vernon Stottlemyre is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played 15 seasons for the Toronto Blue Jays, Oakland Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks. He is the son of Mel Stottlemyre, former New York Yankees pitcher. His brother...

    , Major League Baseball player with the Blue Jays, Athletics and Cardinals, son of Mel Stottlemyre Sr. and brother of Mel Stottlemyre Jr.
  • Taylor Stubblefield
    Taylor Stubblefield
    Taylor Evans Stubblefield is a former American football wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers and St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He left Purdue owning the most receptions in NCAA history. Stubblefield is currently a wide receivers coach at Central Michigan University. A...

    , collegiate football player, NCAA All-Time receptions leader and former pre-season NFL wide receiver for the Panthers and Rams.
  • Thelma Johnson Streat
    Thelma Johnson Streat
    Thelma Johnson Streat was an African American artist, dancer, and educator, who gained prominence in the 1940s for her art, performance and work to foster inter-cultural understanding and appreciation.-Honors & Accomplishments:...

     Artist (1911–1959)
  • Bob Wells, Major League Baseball player for the Mariners, Twins, and Phillies
  • Christopher Wiehl
    Christopher Wiehl
    -Life and career:Wiehl was born in Yakima, Washington. He graduated from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Arts degree in dramatic arts. He is the brother of legal analyst Lis Wiehl....

    , actor
  • Lis Wiehl
    Lis Wiehl
    Lis Wiehl is an American author and legal analyst for Fox News.She is an adjunct professor of law at New York Law School, and formerly was an associate professor at University of Washington Law School. She formerly offered legal commentary for National Public Radio program and on Bill O'Reilly's...

    , author and legal analyst for the Fox News Channel
  • Chief Yowlachie
    Chief Yowlachie
    Chief Yowlachie was a Native American actor from the Yakama tribe in the state of Washington, known for playing supporting roles and bit parts in numerous films....

     (birth name: Daniel Simmons) (1891–1966), Native American actor
  • Don Mosebar
    Don Mosebar
    Donald Mosebar is a retired American Football Center.-College career:Mosebar was an All-American offensive lineman in 1982 at the University of Southern California and drafted by the Los Angeles Raiders....

    , NFL Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders Center (1983-1995)

In popular culture

Due to its rather humorous-sounding name, Yakima has been used in a number of productions
  • In an episode of Cheers
    Cheers
    Cheers is an American situation comedy television series that ran for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993. It was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television for NBC, and was created by the team of James Burrows, Glen Charles, and Les Charles...

    , Eddie LeBec
    Eddie LeBec
    Guy Édouard Raymond "Eddie" LeBec ia a character on the American television show Cheers, portrayed by Jay Thomas. Eddie was an ice hockey player of French Canadian background, and was married to Cheers waitress Carla Tortelli. Carla and Eddie had met when Eddie began frequenting the bar after...

     phones Carla Tortelli
    Carla Tortelli
    Carla Maria Victoria Angelina Teresa Apollonia Lozupone Tortelli LeBec, known as Carla Tortelli, is a waitress on the American television show Cheers, portrayed by Rhea Perlman. Outwardly, at least, Carla is a mean-spirited woman who expresses disdain for many people...

     from the bus station in Yakima while touring with his ice show.
  • In an episode of Seinfeld
    Seinfeld
    Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...

    , Jerry, George, and Elaine are all at the diner, and Jerry mentions sarcastically that Elaine is dating a man from Yakima. The man was actually from Seattle.
  • In the movie Extreme Days
    Extreme Days
    Extreme Days is a 2001 Christian-based comedy romance film about four boys on a roadtrip that they have been planning their whole lives. Their dreams are to participate in many extreme sports, but they are stopped short due to many circumstances.-Plot:...

    , the guys go to Yakima to visit Corey Ng's grandparents.
  • In the movie Ray
    Ray (film)
    Ray is a 2004 biographical film focusing on 30 years of the life of rhythm and blues musician Ray Charles. The independently produced film was directed by Taylor Hackford and starred Jamie Foxx in the title role; Foxx received an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance.Charles was set to...

    , one of Ray Charles
    Ray Charles
    Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...

    ' concerts takes place in Yakima.
  • In the Kenan & Kel
    Kenan & Kel
    Kenan & Kel is an American teen sitcom produced by Tollin/Robbins Productions that originally aired on Nickelodeon from July 1996 to July 2000. The show starred friends and then-All That cast members Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell. Sixty-two episodes and a made-for-TV movie were produced over four...

    episode "Housesitter", Chris mentions going to (a fictional) "Yakima Springs" with his mother.
  • In an episode of iCarly
    ICarly
    iCarly is an American sitcom that focuses on a girl named Carly Shay who creates her own web show called iCarly with her best friends Sam and Freddie. The series was created by Dan Schneider, who also serves as executive producer. It stars Miranda Cosgrove as Carly, Jennette McCurdy as Sam, Nathan...

    , Carly's grandfather comes to take her to his home in Yakima because he thinks that Carly's brother Spencer has not been responsible enough with her. The name of the city is not quite pronounced correctly in the episode.
  • The first episode of the travel show Travel Scene Investigators was filmed in Yakima.
  • A legendary Chicken-Wolf-Moose-Pig sighted in the Yakima Valley in 1978 (as stated on the side of the cereal box) known as the "Bigg Mixx
    Bigg Mixx
    Bigg Mixx was a short-lived Kellogg's breakfast cereal introduced in 1990. The cereal was an assortment of other Kellogg brand cereals already in existence mixed together.-Mascot:...

    " inspired Kellogg's cereal to design a brand "Bigg Mixx" cereal no longer in production (1990-91 only).
  • Seattle's KING5-TV (seen in Western Washington on Cable TV) has done many segments on the city and region with its Northwest Backroads show.
  • In the 2006 movie "Outsourced" the lead character Todd Anderson, played by Josh Hamilton, says his parents live in Yakima.

Dr. Stenfan Bradley - Associate Professor of History and African American Studies at St. Louis University, MO.

Sister cities

Morelia, Mexico
Morelia
Morelia is a city and municipality in the north central part of the state of Michoacán in central Mexico. The city is in the Guayangareo Valley and is the capital of the state. The main pre-Hispanic cultures here were the P'urhépecha and the Matlatzinca, but no major cities were founded in the...

 Itayanagi, Japan
Itayanagi, Aomori
is a town located in the Kitatsugaru District of northeastern Aomori Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the town had an estimated population of 15,404 and a density of 368 persons per km². Its total area was 41.81 km².-Geography:...

 Derbent, Russia
Derbent
Derbent |Lak]]: Чурул, Churul; Persian: دربند; Judæo-Tat: דארבּאנד/Дэрбэнд/Dərbənd) is a city in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia, close to the Azerbaijani border. It is the southernmost city in Russia, and it is the second most important city of Dagestan...

 Ensenada, Mexico
Ensenada, Baja California
Ensenada is a coastal city in Mexico and the third-largest city in Baja California. It is located south of San Diego on the Baja California Peninsula. The city is locally referred to as La Cenicienta del Pacífico, or, The Cinderella of the Pacific...

 Keelung, Taiwan
Keelung
Keelung City is a major port city situated in the northeastern part of Taiwan. It borders New Taipei and forms the Taipei–Keelung metropolitan area, along with the Taipei and New Taipei. Nicknamed the Rainy Port for its frequent rain and maritime role, the city is Taiwan's second largest seaport...

 Burley
Burley, Idaho
Burley is a city in Cassia and Minidoka counties in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Idaho. The population was 10,345 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Cassia County....

, USA

Further reading

Available online through the Washington State Library's Classics in Washington History collection

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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