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Yakima ( or ) is a city in and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, and the state's 11th-largest city by population. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 96,968 and a metropolitan population of 256,728. The unincorporated suburban areas of West Valley and Terrace Heights are considered a part of greater Yakima. Yakima is about southeast of
Mount Rainier Mount Rainier (), indigenously known as Tahoma, Tacoma, Tacobet, or təqʷubəʔ, is a large active stratovolcano in the Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest, located in Mount Rainier National Park about south-southeast of Seattle. With a s ...
in Washington. It is situated in the Yakima Valley, a productive agricultural region noted for apple, wine, and
hop A hop is a type of jump. Hop or hops may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Hop'' (film), a 2011 film * Hop! Channel, an Israeli TV channel * ''House of Payne'', or ''HOP'', an American sitcom * Lindy Hop, a swing dance of the 1920s and ...
production. As of 2011, the Yakima Valley produces 77% of all hops grown in the United States. The name Yakima originates from the Yakama Nation Native American tribe, whose reservation is located south of the city.


History

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. A Catholic Mission was established in Ahtanum, southwest of present-day Yakima, in 1847. The arrival of settlers and their conflicts with the natives resulted in the Yakima War. The U.S. Army established Fort Simcoe in 1856 near present-day White Swan as a response to the uprising. The Yakamas were defeated and forced to relocate 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. On May 18, 1980, the eruption of Mount St. Helens caused a large amount of volcanic ash to fall on the Yakima area. Visibility was reduced to near-zero conditions that afternoon, and the ash overloaded the city's
wastewater treatment Wastewater treatment is a process used to remove contaminants from wastewater and convert it into an effluent that can be returned to the water cycle. Once returned to the water cycle, the effluent creates an acceptable impact on the environme ...
plant.


Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Yakima is 1095 feet 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 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 unincorporated suburban areas of West Valley and Terrace Heights are considered a part of greater Yakima. 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 White Swan (18501904), or Mee-nah-tsee-us in the Crow language, was one of six Crow Scouts for George Armstrong Custer's 7th Cavalry Regiment during the 1876 campaign against the Sioux and Northern Cheyenne. At the Battle of the Little Bighorn ...
, Parker, Buena, Outlook, Granger, Mabton, Sunnyside, and Grandview in the Lower Valley.


Bodies of water

The primary irrigation source for the Yakima Valley, the Yakima River, runs through Yakima from its source at
Lake Keechelus Keechelus Lake () is a lake and reservoir in the northwest United States, near Hyak in Kittitas County, Washington. Approximately southeast of Seattle and a few miles southeast of Snoqualmie Pass, it is the source of the Yakima River. Keechelus ...
in the
Cascade Range The Cascade Range or Cascades 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, ...
to the
Columbia River The Columbia River (Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, C ...
at Richland. In Yakima, the river is used for both fishing and recreation. A 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 cold desert climate ( Köppen ''BWk'') with a Mediterranean precipitation pattern. Winters are cold, with December the coolest month, with a mean temperature of . Annual average snowfall is , with most occurring in December and January, when the snow depth averages . There are 22 days per year in which the high does not surpass freezing, and 2.3 mornings where the low is or lower. Springtime warming is very gradual, with the average last freeze of the season May 13. Summer days are hot, but the diurnal temperature variation is large, averaging in July, sometimes reaching as high as during that season; there are 34 afternoons of maxima reaching or greater annually and 3.2 afternoons of maxima. Autumn cooling is very rapid, with the average first freeze of the season occurring on September 30. Due to the city's location in a
rain shadow A rain shadow is an area of significantly reduced rainfall behind a mountainous region, on the side facing away from prevailing winds, known as its leeward side. Evaporated moisture from water bodies (such as oceans and large lakes) is carrie ...
, precipitation, at an average of annually, is low year-round, but especially during summer. Extreme temperatures have ranged from on February 1, 1950, to on June 29, 2021.


Demographics


2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 91,067 people with 33,074 households, and 21,411 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,350.5 people per square mile. There were 34,829 housing units at an average density of 1,281.4 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 67.1%
Caucasian Caucasian may refer to: Anthropology *Anything from the Caucasus region ** ** ** ''Caucasian Exarchate'' (1917–1920), an ecclesiastical exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Caucasus region * * * Languages * Northwest Caucasian l ...
, 1.7% African American, 2.0% Native American, 1.5%
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 23.3% from other races, and 4.4% from two or more races. 41.3% were Hispanic or
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
, of any race.La Ganga, Maria L. (September 25, 2014
"Yakima Valley Latinos Getting a Voice, With Court's Help"
'' Los Angeles Times''
19.1% of the population had a bachelor's degree or higher. There were 33,074 households, of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.7% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 15.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.3% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.3. 28.3% of the population was under the age of 18 and 13.1% were 65 years or older. The median age was 33.9 years. 50.7% of the population was female. The median household income was $39,706. The per capita income was $20,771. 21.3% of the population were below the poverty line.


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 A cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus ''Prunus'', and is a fleshy drupe (stone fruit). Commercial cherries are obtained from cultivars of several species, such as the sweet ''Prunus avium'' and the sour ''Prunus cerasus''. The nam ...
, and melons. Many vegetables are also produced, including peppers,
corn Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn (North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. Th ...
and
bean A bean is the seed of several plants in the family Fabaceae, which are used as vegetables for human or animal food. They can be cooked in many different ways, including boiling, frying, and baking, and are used in many traditional dishes th ...
s. Most of the nation's
hops Hops are the flowers (also called seed cones or strobiles) of the hop plant ''Humulus lupulus'', a member of the Cannabaceae family of flowering plants. They are used primarily as a bittering, flavouring, and stability agent in beer, to whi ...
, a key ingredient in the production of beer, are also grown in the Yakima Valley. 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. 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, have been replaced by a Whirlpool Corporation facility (shut down in 2011), an Adaptis call center, and several hotels. The region's retail core has shifted to the town of Union Gap to a renovated shopping mall and other new retail businesses. The Downtown Futures Initiative promotes the downtown area as a center for events, services, entertainment, and small, personal shopping experiences. The DFI has provided for street-to-storefront remodeling along Yakima Avenue throughout the entire downtown core, and includes new pedestrian-friendly lighting, water fountains, planters, banner poles, new trees and hanging baskets, and paver-inlaid sidewalks. 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, a weekly Farmers' Market, and the Hot Shots 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament. Over fifty wineries are in the Yakima Valley. The
Yakima Training Center The Yakima Training Center (YTC) is a United States Army training center, used for maneuver training, Land Warrior system testing and as a live fire exercise area. It is located in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Washington, bounde ...
, between Yakima and Ellensburg, is a United States Army training center. It is used primarily for maneuver training and land warrior system testing, and has a live-fire area. Artillery units from the Canadian Armed Forces based in British Columbia, as well as the Japan Ground Self Defense Force, conduct annual training in Yakima. Japanese soldiers train there because it allows for large-scale live-fire maneuvers not available in Japan. Similarly, it is the closest impact area for the Canadian Gunners, the next closest being in Wainwright, Alberta.


Tourism

In the early 2000s, the city of Yakima, in conjunction with multiple city organizations, began revitalization and preservation efforts in its historic downtown area. The Downtown Yakima Futures Initiative was created to make strategic public investments in sidewalks, lighting and landscaping to encourage further development. As a result, local businesses featuring regional produce, wines, and beers, among other products, have returned to the downtown area. Many of these business are located on Front Street, Yakima Avenue and 1st Street. During the summer, a pair of historic trolleys operate along five miles (8 km) of track of the former
Yakima Valley Transportation Company The Yakima Valley Transportation Company (YVT Co.) was an interurban electric railroad headquartered in Yakima, Washington. It was operator of the city's streetcar system from 1907–1947, and it also provided the local bus service from the 1920s ...
through the Yakima Gap connecting Yakima and Selah. The Yakima Valley Trolleys organization, incorporated in 2001, operates the trolleys and a museum for the City of Yakima.


Arts and culture

Cultural activities and events take place throughout the year. The
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. Exhibits The muse ...
houses exhibits related to the region's natural and cultural 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. Larson Gallery housed at Yakima Valley College present six diverse art exhibitions each year. The city is home to the Yakima Symphony Orchestra. The
Yakima Area Arboretum The Yakima Area Arboretum (46 acres) 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 e ...
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 The Yakima Valley SunDome is a 6,195-seat multi-purpose arena in Yakima, Washington, United States. It was built in 1990, on the Central Washington State Fairgrounds, by contractor Gilbert H. Moen Co and architecture firm Loofburrow & Associates ...
in State Fair Park.


Festivals and fairs

* Central Washington State Fair, held each year in late September at State Fair Park. * Yakima Folklife Festival, held the second week of July at Franklin Park. * Fresh Hop Ale Festival, held each October in Downtown Yakima. * A Case of the Blues and All That Jazz, held in August in Sarg Hubbard Park.


Sports

* The
Yakima Mavericks Yakima ( or ) is a city in and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, and the state's 11th-largest city by population. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 96,968 and a metropolitan population of 256,728. The uninco ...
are a minor league
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
team in the
Pacific Football League The North Pacific Football League is the collaboration name for two separate but related minor American football leagues - the Pacific Football League and Northern California League - that operated in the Pacific Northwest region, between 1963 to ...
and plays at Marquette Stadium. * The Yakima Beetles American Legion baseball team, 3-time World Champions. * The
Yakima Canines Yakima ( or ) is a city in and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, and the state's 11th-largest city by population. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 96,968 and a metropolitan population of 256,728. The uninco ...
of the
American West Football Conference The American West Football Conference (AWFC) is a professional indoor American football minor league created in 2018 by Platinum Events & Security, LLC, the owners of the Idaho Horsemen. The league's inaugural season was in 2019. Players are ...
. * The
Yakima Valley Pippins The West Coast League (WCL) is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league founded in 2005, comprising teams from Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Alberta. The WCL was previously named the West Coast Collegiate Baseball League (WCCB ...
are a collegiate wood bat baseball team that play in the
West Coast League The West Coast League (WCL) is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league founded in 2005, comprising teams from Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and Alberta. The WCL was previously named the West Coast Collegiate Baseball League (WCCB ...
. ;Former professional teams * The
Yakima Valley Warriors The Yakima Valley Warriors were a professional indoor football team that will played in the American Indoor Football Association in the 2010 season. The Warriors were based in Yakima, Washington. Their home games were played at the Yakima SunDo ...
were an indoor football team. Play ended in 2010. * The Yakima Sun Kings was a
Continental Basketball Association The Continental Basketball Association (CBA) (originally known as the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League, and later as the Eastern Professional Basketball League and the Eastern Basketball Association) was a men's professional basketball m ...
franchise that won 5 CBA championships and disbanded in 2008. The team was reinstituted in 2018 as part of the
North American Premier Basketball The Basketball League (TBL), formerly North America Premier Basketball (NAPB), is a minor league basketball organization. The league began operating in North America in 2018 with eight teams, and expanded to over 44 teams as of 2022. The Bas ...
league. * The Yakima Bears minor league baseball team, moved to Hillsboro, Oregon after the 2011 season. * The
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 (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Northwest Division of the We ...
soccer team played in the USL Premier Development League, disbanded in 2010.


Government

Yakima is one of the ten first class cities, those with a population over 10,000 at the time of reorganization and operating under a home rule charter. The Yakima City Council operates under the council–manager form of government. The city council has seven members, elected by district and the mayor is elected by the council members. Yakima's City Manager serves under the direction of the City Council, and administers and coordinates the delivery of municipal services. The city of Yakima is a full-service city, providing police, fire, water and wastewater treatment, parks, public works, planning, street maintenance, code enforcement, airport and transit to residents. In 1994 and 2015, 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. The city council was elected
at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather than ...
until a 2012 lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union was ruled in the favor of Latino constituents on the grounds of racial discrimination. The current city manager is Alex Meyerhoff, who was hired as an interim manager in November 2019. The citizens of Yakima are represented in the
Washington Senate The Washington State Senate is the upper house of the Washington State Legislature. The body consists of 49 members, each representing a district with a population of nearly 160,000. The State Senate meets at the Legislative Building in Olympia. ...
by Republicans Curtis King in District 14, and Jim Honeyford in District 15, and in the Washington House of Representatives by Republicans Chris Corry and Gina Mosbrucker in District 14, and Republicans Bruce Chandler and
Jeremie Dufault Jeremie Joseph Dufault (born 1978) is an American attorney, businessman, and politician serving as a member of the Washington House of Representatives from the 15th district. Elected in 2018, Dufault's district includes the eastern half of Yakima ...
in District 15. At the national level, Yakima is part of Washington's US Congressional 4th District, currently represented by Republican Dan Newhouse.


Education

The city of Yakima has three K–12 public school districts, several private schools, and three post-secondary schools.


High schools


Public schools

There are four high schools in the
Yakima School District Yakima School District No. 7 is a public school district in Yakima County, Washington, United States, USA and serves the city of Yakima, Washington, Yakima. As of May 2016, the district had an enrollment of 15,999 students. The student body was ...
: * Davis High School, a 4A high school with about 2,100 students * Eisenhower High School, a 4A high school with about 2,300 students * Stanton Academy * Yakima Online High School Outside the city: * West Valley High School, in the West Valley School District, is a division 4A school with a student population of around 1,500. * East Valley High School, just east of Terrace Heights on the city's eastern side, is in the East Valley School District. It is a 2A school with about 1,000 students.


Private schools

* La Salle High School in Union Gap is a Catholic high school in the 1A division and enrolls about 200 students. * Riverside Christian School, near East Valley High School, is a private K–12 Christian school. Riverside Christian is a 1B school with around 400 students in grades K–12.


Post-secondary schools

Yakima Valley College Yakima Valley College (YVC) is a public college in Yakima, Washington. It was founded as Yakima Valley Community College in 1928 with Elizabeth Prior serving as the institution's first president. The college offers five Bachelor of Applied Scienc ...
(YVC) is one of the oldest community colleges in the state of Washington. Founded in 1928, YVC is a public, four-year institution of higher education, and part of one of the most comprehensive community college systems in the nation. It offers programs in adult basic education, English as a Second Language, lower-division arts and sciences, professional and technical education, transfer degrees to in-state universities, and community services. Perry Technical Institute is a private, nonprofit school of higher learning located in the city since 1939. Perry students learn trades such as automotive technology, instrumentation, information technology, HVAC, electrical, machining, office administration, medical coding, and legal assistant/paralegal. Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences opened in the fall of 2008, and graduated its first class of osteopathic physicians (
D.O. Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO or D.O., or in Australia DO USA) is a medical degree conferred by the 38 osteopathic medical schools in the United States. DO and Doctor of Medicine (MD) degrees are equivalent: a DO graduate may become licens ...
) in 2012. The first college on the campus is home to the first medical school approved in the Pacific Northwest in over 60 years, and trains physicians with an osteopathic emphasis. The school's mission is to train primary-care physicians committed to serving rural and underserved communities throughout the Pacific Northwest. It is housed in a state-of-the-art facility.


Media

The '' Yakima Herald-Republic'' is the primary daily newspaper in the area. According to Arbitron, the Yakima metropolitan area is the 197th largest radio market in the US, serving 196,500 people. Yakima is part of the U.S.'s 114th largest television viewing market, which includes viewers in Pasco, Richland and Kennewick.


Transportation


Roads and highways

Interstate 82 is the main freeway through the Yakima Valley, connecting the region to
Ellensburg Ellensburg is a city in and the county seat of Kittitas County, Washington, United States. It is located just east of the Cascade Range near the junction of Interstate 90 and Interstate 82. The population was 18,666 at the 2020 census. and was ...
and the
Tri-Cities Tri-Cities most often refers to: *Tri-Cities, Tennessee, United States *Tri-Cities, Washington, United States Tri-City, Tricity or Tri-Cities may also refer to: Populated places Americas Canada *Tri-Cities (British Columbia), consisting of Co ...
, with onward connections to Seattle and Oregon.
U.S. Route 12 U.S. Route 12 (US 12) is an east–west United States Numbered Highways, United States highway, running from Aberdeen, Washington, to Detroit, Detroit, Michigan, for almost . The highway has mostly been superseded by Interstate 90 (I-90) an ...
crosses northern Yakima, joining I-82 and
U.S. Route 97 U.S. Route 97 (US 97) is a major north–south route of the United States Numbered Highway System in the Pacific Northwest region. It runs for approximately through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington, primarily serving in ...
along the east side of the city. State Route 24 terminates in Yakima and is the primary means of reaching Moxee City and agricultural areas to the east.
State Route 821 The following highways are numbered 821: Canada *Alberta Highway 821 United Kingdom * A821 road List of A roads in zone 8 in Great Britain starting north of the A8 and west of the A9 (roads beginning with 8). Single- and double-digit road ...
terminates in northern Yakima and traverses the Yakima River canyon, providing an alternate route to Ellensburg that bypasses the I-82 summit at
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. The ridge is part of the Yakima Fol ...
.


Public transport

City-owned
Yakima Transit Yakima Transit is the primary provider of mass transportation in the city of Yakima, Washington. It was established in 1966, as Yakima City Lines, when the city of Yakima began funding the provision of transit service after the privately owned ...
serves Yakima, Selah, West Valley and Terrace Heights, as well as several daily trips to Ellensburg. There are also free intercity bus systems between adjacent Union Gap and nearby Toppenish, Wapato,
White Swan White Swan (18501904), or Mee-nah-tsee-us in the Crow language, was one of six Crow Scouts for George Armstrong Custer's 7th Cavalry Regiment during the 1876 campaign against the Sioux and Northern Cheyenne. At the Battle of the Little Bighorn ...
, and
Ellensburg Ellensburg is a city in and the county seat of Kittitas County, Washington, United States. It is located just east of the Cascade Range near the junction of Interstate 90 and Interstate 82. The population was 18,666 at the 2020 census. and was ...
.


Airport

Yakima is served by the Yakima Air Terminal, a municipal airport located on the southern edge of the city and is used for general aviation and commercial air service. The FAA identifier is YKM. It has two asphalt runways: 9/27 is 7,604 by 150 feet (2,318 x 46 m) and 4/22 is 3,835 by 150 feet (1,169 x 46 m). Yakima Air Terminal is owned and operated by the city. Yakima is served by one scheduled air carrier ( Alaska Airlines) and two non-scheduled carriers (Sun Country Airlines and Xtra Airways). Alaska Airlines provides multiple daily flights to and from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Sun Country Airlines provide charter flights to Laughlin, NV and Xtra Airways provide charter flights to Wendover, NV. During World War II the airfield was used by the United States Army Air Forces. The airport at is home to numerous private aircraft, and is a test site for military jets and Boeing test flights.


In popular culture

The film '' The Hanging Tree'' (1959) was shot entirely in and around Yakima.


Notable people

*
Oleta Adams Oleta Adams (born May 4, 1953) is an American singer and pianist. She found limited success during the early 1980s, before gaining fame via her contributions to Tears for Fears's international chart-topping album ''The Seeds of Love'' (1989). Her ...
, singer * Jamie Allen, Major League Baseball player *
Colleen Atwood Colleen Atwood (born September 25, 1948) is an American costume designer. Atwood has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Costume Design twelve times, winning four times - for the films ''Chicago'' (2002), ''Memoirs of a Geisha'' (200 ...
, Academy Award-winning costume designer * Mario Batali, celebrity chef *
Wanda E. Brunstetter Wanda E. Brunstetter is a novelist in the Amish romance genre, with more than 10 million books sold. Her books have been on the New York Times Best Seller list. Brunstetter is based in Washington. Biography Brunstetter grew up in Tacoma, Washingt ...
, author * Bryan Caraway, mixed martial artist * Raymond Carver, author, poet and screenwriter * William Charbonneau, founder of Tree Top Apple Juice * Beverly Cleary, author *
Harlond Clift Harlond Benton "Darkie" Clift (August 12, 1912 – April 27, 1992) was a Major League Baseball (MLB) third baseman for the St. Louis Browns (1934–1943) and the Washington Senators (1943–1945). He was an All-Star for the American League in 19 ...
, Major League Baseball player *
Cary Conklin Cary Lee Conklin (born February 29, 1968) is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins and the San Francisco 49ers. Born and raised in Yakima, Washington, Conklin graduated from it ...
,
NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
football player * Alex Deccio, Politician. Former member of Washington House of Representatives and Washington State Senate. * Garret Dillahunt, actor *
Dan Doornink Daniel Glenn Doornink (born February 1, 1956) is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League who played one season for the New York Giants and seven seasons for the Seattle Seahawks. Born in Yakima, Washi ...
, NFL football player * William O. Douglas, U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice *
Dave Edler David Delmar Edler (born August 5, 1956) is a former Major League Baseball player. Edler played third base for the Seattle Mariners from –. Edler attended Washington State University, where he played college baseball for the Cougars from 1976 ...
, Major League Baseball player, Yakima Mayor * Mary Jo Estep, teacher, last survivor of the
Battle of Kelley Creek A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
* Gabriel E. Gomez, politician and former Navy SEAL * Kathryn Gustafson, artist *
Gordon Haines Gordon Earnest Haines (May 6, 1921 – October 3, 2012) was an American stock car racing, stock car racing driver. He competed in the NASCAR Grand National Division, during 1956. Career In addition to his Grand National Series career, Haines als ...
, NASCAR driver *
Scott Hatteberg Scott Allen Hatteberg (born December 14, 1969) is an American former professional first baseman and catcher. During his MLB career, spanning from 1995 through 2008, he played for the Boston Red Sox, Oakland Athletics, and Cincinnati Reds. Befo ...
, Major League Baseball player * Joe Hipp, professional boxer * Al Hoptowit, NFL football player * Damon Huard, NFL football player *
Robert Ivers Robert Ivers, also known as Bob Ivers, (December 11, 1934 – February 13, 2003) was an American actor who appeared in films and television in the 1950s and 1960s. Background Ivers was born in Seattle, Washington. He attended Tucson High Schoo ...
, actor * Harry Jefferson, NASCAR driver * Marshall Kent, professional ten-pin bowler * Sam Kinison, actor and comedian * Larry Knechtel, Grammy Award-winning musician * Cooper Kupp, NFL football player * Craig Kupp, NFL football player * Jake Kupp, NFL football player *
Mark Labberton Mark Labberton is the Clifford L. Penner Presidential Chair at Fuller Theological Seminary. Before he became Fuller's president, he served for 16 years as senior pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, California. Early life and ed ...
, seminary president *
Donald A. Larson Donald A. Larson (2 April 1915 or 1917 – 4 August 1944) was an American fighter pilot and World War II flying ace from Yakima, Washington. He attained to the rank of major in the United States Army Air Forces while serving with 505th Fighter S ...
, World War II flying ace *
Robert Lucas Jr. Robert Emerson Lucas Jr. (born September 15, 1937) is an American economist at the University of Chicago, where he is currently the John Dewey Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus in Economics and the College. Widely regarded as the central ...
, Nobel prize-winning economist * Paige Mackenzie, professional golfer *
Josh Pearce Joshua Ray Pearce (born August 20, 1977 in Yakima, Washington) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the St. Louis Cardinals from to . Pearce was drafted by the New York Mets out of West Valley High School in Yakima, Washingto ...
, Major League Baseball Player * Kyle MacLachlan, film and television actor * Debbie Macomber, author * Phil Mahre, Olympic gold medalist and world champion skier * Steve Mahre, Olympic silver medalist and world champion skier * Barbara La Marr, actress and writer * Mitch Meluskey, Major League Baseball player *
Colleen Miller Colleen Joy Miller (born November 10, 1932) is an American actress. She starred in several films, such as the Westerns ''Gunfight at Comanche Creek'' (1963) and '' Four Guns to the Border'' (1954). Early life The daughter of Elias and Lillian ...
, actress *
Don Mosebar Donald Howard Mosebar (born September 11, 1961) is an American former professional football player who was a center for 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) during the 1980s and 1990s. He played college football for the USC Trojans ...
, NFL football player * James "Jimmy" Nolan Jr., former host of ''Uncle Jimmy's Clubhouse'' * Arvo Ojala, actor and artist * Joe Parsons, snowmobiler * Floyd Paxton, inventor of the Kwik Lok bread clip *
Steve Pelluer Steven Carl Pelluer (born July 29, 1962) is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs. He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 5th round of the 1984 NFL ...
, NFL football player * Jim Pomeroy, professional motocross racer and member of the
AMA Ama or AMA may refer to: Ama Languages * Ama language (New Guinea) * Ama language (Sudan) People * Ama (Ama Kōhei), former ring name for sumo wrestler Harumafuji Kōhei * Mary Ama, a New Zealand artist * Shola Ama, a British singer * Ām ...
Motorcycle Hall of Fame *
Gary Puckett Gary may refer to: *Gary (given name), a common masculine given name, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name *Gary, Indiana, the largest city named Gary Places ;Iran * Gary, Iran, Sistan and Baluchestan Province ;Uni ...
, singer, 1960s pop artist of
Gary Puckett & The Union Gap Gary Puckett & The Union Gap (initially credited as The Union Gap featuring Gary Puckett) was an American pop rock group active in the late 1960s. The group, formed by Gary Puckett, Gary "Mutha" Withem, Dwight Bement, Kerry Chater and Paul Wheat ...
*
Pete Rademacher Thomas Peter Rademacher (November 20, 1928 – June 4, 2020) was an American heavyweight boxer. A gold medalist at the 1956 Olympics, he became the only person to challenge for the world heavyweight championship in his first professional b ...
, Olympic and professional boxer * Monte Rawlins, actor * Jim Rohn, entrepreneur * Will Sampson, actor and artist *
Kurt Schulz Kurt Erich Schulz was born on December 12, 1968 in Wenatchee, Washington to 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 L ...
, NFL football player * Mel Stottlemyre, Major League Baseball player and coach * Mel Stottlemyre Jr., Major League Baseball player * Todd Stottlemyre, Major League Baseball player *
Thelma Johnson Streat Thelma Beatrice Johnson Streat (1912–1959) was an African-American artist, dancer, and educator. She gained prominence in the 1940s for her art, performance and work to foster intercultural understanding and appreciation. Early life and educ ...
, artist *
Taylor Stubblefield Taylor Evans Stubblefield (born January 21, 1982) is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the wide receiver coach for the Penn State Nittany Lions football, Penn State Nittany Lions. He is a former wide receiver for the ...
, football player *
Miesha Tate Miesha Theresa Tate ( ; born August 18, 1986) is an American professional mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist. She currently competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), in which she is a former UFC Women's Bantamweight Champions ...
, mixed martial artist * Willie Turner, sprinter * Janet Waldo, actress * Bob Wells, baseball player *
Christopher Wiehl Christopher Wiehl (born ) is an American actor. Life and career Wiehl was born in Yakima, Washington and is of Danish and German descent. His father, Dick Wiehl, was an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He graduated from t ...
, actor * Lis Wiehl, author and legal analyst *
Jon Westling Jon Westling (1942 – 15 January 2021) was an American educator, and was president of Boston University from 1996 until 2002. Biography Raised in Yakima, Washington, he took his undergraduate degree from Reed College and studied history at St. ...
, 8th president of Boston University *
Chief Yowlachie Chief Yowlachie (August 15, 1890 – March 7, 1966), also known as Daniel Simmons; was a Native American actor from the Yakama tribe in the U.S. state of Washington, known for playing supporting roles and bit parts in numerous films. He is pe ...
, Native American actor *
Gary Peacock Gary George Peacock (May 12, 1935September 4, 2020) was an American jazz double bassist. He recorded a dozen albums under his own name, and also performed and recorded with major jazz figures such as avant garde saxophonist Albert Ayler, pianist ...
, Jazz double bassist


Sister cities

* Morelia,
Michoacán Michoacán, formally Michoacán de Ocampo (; Purépecha: ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Michoacán de Ocampo ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of ...
, Mexico *
Itayanagi, Aomori is a town located in Aomori Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 13,332 in 5450 households, and a population density of 320 persons per km². The total area of the town is . Geography Itayanagi is located at the base of ...
, Japan


See also

* * Japantown


References


Further reading


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


External links


Official website
{{Authority control 1847 establishments in Oregon Country Cities in Washington (state) Cities in Yakima County, Washington County seats in Washington (state) Populated places established in 1847 Populated places on the Yakima River