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Yakima, Washington

Coordinates: 46°35′48″N 120°31′47″W / 46.596728°N 120.529657°W / 46.596728; -120.529657
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Yakima
City
Official seal of Yakima
Seal
Location of Yakima in Washington
Location of Yakima in Washington
CountryUnited States
StateWashington
CountyYakima
IncorporatedDecember 1, 1883
Government
 • TypeCouncil-Manager
 • ManagerRichard Zais
 • MayorMicah Cawley (2010)
 • Asst MayorKathy Coffey (2010)
Area
 • City
20.6 sq mi (53.4 km2)
 • Land20.1 sq mi (67.7 km2)
 • Water0.5 sq mi (1.2 km2)  2.33%
Elevation
1,066 ft (325 m)
Population
 (July 1, 2008)
 • City
84,074
 • Density3,569.9/sq mi (1,378.0/km2)
 • Metro
261,102
Time zoneUTC-8 (PST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
Zip Code
98901, 98902, 98903, 98904, 98907, 98908, 98909
Area code509
FIPS code53-80010Template:GR
GNIS feature ID1509643Template:GR
Websitewww.ci.yakima.wa.us

Yakima (Template:Pron-en Template:USdict or /ˈjækɨmə/) is a city southeast of Mount Rainier National Park and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, United States, and the tenth largest city by population in the state itself. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 71,845 and a metropolitan population of 229,094. 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.[1] According to the Washington State Office of Financial Management's July 1, 2008 estimate, the city has a population of 84,074.[2] 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 grown in the USA.[3] The name originates from the Yakama Nation. The Yakama Indian Reservation is located to the south and southeast of the city of Yakima.

History

File:ArmisticeDayYakima.jpg
Armistice Day on Yakima Avenue

The Yakama people were the first known inhabitants of the Yakima Valley. In 1805 the Lewis and Clark Expedition came to the area and discovered abundant wildlife and rich soil, prompting the settlement of homesteaders.[4] A Catholic Mission was established in Ahtanum, southwest of present-day Yakima, in 1847.[5] 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 in 1856 near present-day Toppenish as a response to the uprising. The Yakamas were defeated and relocated to the Yakama Indian Reservation. Yakima County was created in 1865. When bypassed by the Northern Pacific Railroad 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 was the new name given to the original site of Yakima.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, 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 (1.2 km²) of it (2.33%) is water. Yakima is 344.392 meters above mean sea level.

Yakima region

Yakima, Washington as seen from the west.

The city of Yakima is located in the Upper Valley of Yakima County. The county is geographically divided by Ahtanum Ridge and Rattlesnake Ridge 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, Lookout, 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, runs through Yakima from its source at Lake Keechelus in the Cascade Range to the Columbia River at Richland. In Yakima, the river is used for both fishing and recreation. A 10-mile (16 km) walking and cycling trail, a park, and a wildlife sanctuary are located at the river's edge.

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 BSk) with a Mediterranean precipitation pattern. Winters are cold, with December the coolest month, with a mean temperature of 28.8 °F (−1.8 °C).[6] Snowfall occurs mostly in December and January, and averages 24.6 inches (62 cm).[6] 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.[6] 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, precipitation, at an average of 8.26 inches (209.8 mm) annually, is low year-round,[6] but especially during summer. Extreme temperatures have ranged from −25 °F (−32 °C) in February 1950, to 110 °F (43 °C) in August 1971.[7]

Climate data for Yakima, Washington
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 68
(20) 		69
(21) 		80
(27) 		92
(33) 		102
(39) 		105
(41) 		109
(43) 		110
(43) 		100
(38) 		88
(31) 		73
(23) 		67
(19) 		110
(43)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 37.7
(3.2) 		45.6
(7.6) 		56
(13) 		64.1
(17.8) 		72.4
(22.4) 		79.6
(26.4) 		87.2
(30.7) 		86.5
(30.3) 		77.6
(25.3) 		64.3
(17.9) 		47.7
(8.7) 		37.1
(2.8) 		63.0
(17.2)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 20.5
(−6.4) 		24.7
(−4.1) 		28.9
(−1.7) 		33.2
(0.7) 		40
(4) 		46.2
(7.9) 		50.9
(10.5) 		50.1
(10.1) 		42.3
(5.7) 		32.9
(0.5) 		26.3
(−3.2) 		20.5
(−6.4) 		34.7
(1.5)
Record low °F (°C) −21
(−29) 		−25
(−32) 		−1
(−18) 		20
(−7) 		25
(−4) 		30
(−1) 		34
(1) 		35
(2) 		24
(−4) 		4
(−16) 		−13
(−25) 		−18
(−28) 		−25
(−32)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 1.17
(30) 		0.80
(20) 		0.70
(18) 		0.53
(13) 		0.51
(13) 		0.62
(16) 		0.22
(5.6) 		0.36
(9.1) 		0.39
(9.9) 		0.53
(13) 		1.05
(27) 		1.38
(35) 		8.26
(210)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 7.0
(18) 		3.3
(8.4) 		1.3
(3.3) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0.2
(0.51) 		3.3
(8.4) 		9.5
(24) 		24.6
(62)
Average precipitation days 9.4 7.7 6.9 5 5.6 4.8 2.6 2.7 3.5 4.5 8.8 9.4 70.9
Average snowy days 5.2 2.6 1.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.2 2.0 5.6 16.7
Source: NOAA [6], The Weather Channel [7]

Demographics

City of Yakima
Population by year[8]
1890 1,535
1900 3,154
1910 14,082
1920 18,539
1930 22,101
1940 27,221
1950 38,486
1960 42,284
1970 45,588
1980 49,826
1990 54,843
2000 71,845
est. 2001 79,918
est. 2002 80,071
est. 2003 80,414
est. 2004 81,030
est. 2005 81,214
est. 2006 82,805
est. 2007 82,940
est. 2008 84,074
est. 2009 84,850

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 71,845 people with 26,498 households, and 16,826 families residing in the city. The population density 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/sq mi (549.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 68.77% White, 1.99% African American, 2.00% Native American, 1.20% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 21.97% from other races, and 3.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 33.70% of the population.

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 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 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 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 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 Valley SunDome in State Fair Park.

All America City Award

In 1994, the City of Yakima received the All-America City Award, given by the National Civic League. 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,[9] 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,[10] 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 Sun Dome is the home to the Warriors.

The Yakima SunDome currently is the host of the 2A/1A girls' high school state volleyball championships in the fall and the 1A/1B boys' & girls' high school state basketball championships in the winter. Yakima County Stadium presently hosts the 2A/1A boys high school state baseball championships each spring, while Parker Field hosts the 2B/1B state baseball championships.

Transportation

Roads and highways

Welcome sign on I-82.

Interstate 82 is the primary way of reaching Yakima, but U.S. Route 12 crosses through the city from White Pass. U.S. Route 97 joins I-82 from Yakima for approximately 40 miles (64 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 terminates near Yakima and is also called Canyon Road because it passes through the Yakima River canyon. It is an alternate route to Ellensburg which bypasses the I-82 summit at Manastash Ridge.

Public Transport

Yakima Transit services Yakima, Selah, and Terrace Heights.

Airport

Yakima's airport, McAllister Field, operates commercial air flights via Horizon Airlines 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 Production Test Flights. Located on the field is Cub Crafters, Inc a 30+ year rebuilder of Piper Super Cubs 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 apples, peaches, pears, cherries, and melons. Many vegetables are also produced, including peppers, corn and beans. 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[11]
Employer Type Persons employed
1. Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital Hospital 1,500
2. Yakima School District School district
(Education)		 1,453
3. Washington State Department of Social and Health Services State government
(Social services)		 1,400
4. Yakima County County government 1,200
5. Tree Top, Inc. 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 619
10. Shields Bag & Printing Co. Printing/Packaging 575
11. Wal-Mart Department store 545
12. Borton & Sons Fruit & Cold Storage Fruit growing & shipping 524
13. Snokist Growers Cannery 521
14. Yakima Training Center United States Army
(Military)		 512
15. EPIC Social services 500
15. Washington State Department of Transportation State government 500

Downtown Yakima, long the retail hub of the region, has undergone many changes since the late 1990s. Three major department stores and an entire shopping mall that is now closed for business.

The retail core of the region has since shifted to the city of Union Gap, 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.[12] 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.[13]

Events held downtown include Yakima Downtown New Year's Eve, a Cinco de Mayo celebration, Yakima Live music festival, Yakima Summer Kickoff Party, Fresh Hop Ale Fest,[10] a weekly Farmers' Market,[14] and the Hot Shots 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament.[15]

A bright spot in the economy of the Yakima Valley is the burgeoning wine industry, due in part to the Yakima Valley soil, which is very similar to the soil conditions of France. Over fifty wineries dot the Yakima Valley, covering more than 11,000 acres (45 km²).

The Japan Ground Self Defence Force conducts training annually in Yakima. Japanese soldiers train in Yakima because it allows for large-scale live fire maneuvers not available in Japan.

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 through the Yakima Gap connecting Yakima and Selah.

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.

High Schools

Public Schools

There are five high schools in the Yakima School District.

  • Davis High School, a 4A high school with about 2,000 students
  • Eisenhower High School, a 4A high school with about 2,200 students
  • Stanton Academy
  • O.I.C. Alternative
  • 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", and the tragic loss of the Space Shuttle Challenger 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, the teacher-turned-astronaut on the August 8, 2007, flight of the Space Shuttle Endeavour, as great role models.

Outside the city:

  • West Valley High School, which is in the West Valley School District. It is a division 3A school with a total student population of just over 1,000.
  • 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

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-acre (172,000 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 45,000-square-foot (4,200 m2) facility.[16] It opened in the fall of 2008.[17]

Media

Notable current and former residents

Due to its rather humorous-sounding name, Yakima has been used in a number of productions

  • In an episode of Cheers, Eddie LeBec phones Carla Tortelli from the bus station in Yakima while touring with his ice show.
  • In an episode of Seinfeld, 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, the guys go to Yakima to visit Corey Ng's grandparents.
  • In the movie Ray, one of Ray Charles' concerts takes place in Yakima.
  • In the Kenan & Kel episode "Housesitter", Chris mentions going to (a fictional) "Yakima Springs" with his mother.
  • In an episode of iCarly, Carly's grandfather comes to take her to his home in Yakima because he believes Carly's brother Spencer has not been responsible with her. The city's name is not quite pronounced correctly throughout 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" inspired Kellogg's cereal to design a brand "Bigg Mixx" cereal no longer in production (1990-91 only).
  • Seattle's KING-TV (seen in Western Canada on Cable TV) has done many segments on the city and region with its Northwest Backroads show.

Sister cities

References

  1. ^ "State and City Quickfacts". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2006-11-13.
  2. ^ "Official July 1, 2008 Population Estimates". Office of Financial Management. 2006-06-29. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
  3. ^ "American Hop Museum". Retrieved 2009-03-05.
  4. ^ "City of Yakima History". City of Yakima. Retrieved 2006-12-28.
  5. ^ "St. Joseph's Mission, Ahtanum Valley, Tampico vicinity, Yakima County, WA". Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record. Retrieved 2007-01-11.
  6. ^ a b c d e "NCDC: U.S. Climate Normals" (PDF). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2010-05-15.
  7. ^ a b "Average Weather for Yakima, WA - Temperature and Precipitation". The Weather Channel. Retrieved 2010-05-15.
  8. ^ "Population of Cities, 1890 to 2000". State of Washington. Retrieved 2007-01-12.
  9. ^ "Yakima Folklife Festival". Retrieved 2009-03-05.
  10. ^ a b "Fresh Hop Ale Festival". Retrieved 2009-03-05. Cite error: The named reference "FHAF" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  11. ^ "The Yakima Economy". Greater Yakima Chamber of Commerce. Archived from the original on 2006-10-05. Retrieved 2007-01-11.
  12. ^ "Downtown Futures Initiative". Retrieved 2009-03-05.
  13. ^ Kellogg, Aaron (November 16, 2006). "Unused Mall To Become Upscale Apartments". KIMA news. Retrieved 2007-02-03.
  14. ^ "Farmers' Market". Retrieved 2009-03-05.
  15. ^ "Hot Shots 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament". Retrieved 2009-03-05.
  16. ^ "New osteopathic school planned for Yakima". Puget Sound Business Journal. April 14, 2005. Retrieved 2007-02-03.
  17. ^ "Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences". Retrieved 2007-12-08.

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yakima, Washington.

46°35′48″N 120°31′47″W / 46.596728°N 120.529657°W / 46.596728; -120.529657

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