Yakima ( or ) is a city in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

Yakima County, Washington Yakima County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 256,728. The county seat and most populous city is Yakima, Washington, Ya ...

, United States, and the state's 11th most populous city. 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 Terrace Heights is a census-designated place (CDP) in Yakima County, Washington, United States. The population was 9,244 at the 2020 census. It is essentially a suburb of the city of Yakima. Geography According to the United States Census Bur ...

are considered a part of greater Yakima. Yakima is about southeast of

Mount Rainier Mount Rainier ( ), also known as Tahoma, is a large active stratovolcano in the Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest in the United States. The mountain is located in Mount Rainier National Park about south-southeast of Seattle. With an off ...

in Washington. It is situated in the Yakima Valley, a productive agricultural region noted for apple, wine, and hop 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 The Yakama Indian Reservation (spelled Yakima until 1994) is a Native American reservation in Washington state of the federally recognized tribe known as the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. The tribe is made up of Klikitat ...

Native American tribe, whose reservation is located south of the city.

History

The

Yakama The Yakama are a Native Americans in the United State, Native American tribe with nearly 10,851 members, based primarily in Eastern Washington, eastern Washington (state), Washington state. Yakama people today are enrolled in the federally rec ...

people were the first known inhabitants of the Yakima Valley. In 1805, the

Lewis and Clark Expedition The Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery Expedition, was the United States expedition to cross the newly acquired western portion of the country after the Louisiana Purchase. The Corps of Discovery was a select gro ...

came to the area and encountered abundant wildlife and rich soil, prompting the settlement of homesteaders. A

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

Mission Mission (from Latin 'the act of sending out'), Missions or The Mission may refer to: Geography Australia *Mission River (Queensland) Canada *Mission, British Columbia, a district municipality * Mission, Calgary, Alberta, a neighbourhood * ...

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 Yakima War (1855–1858), also referred to as the Plateau War or Yakima Indian War, was a conflict between the United States and the Yakama, a Sahaptian-speaking people of the Northwest Plateau, then part of Washington Territory, and the tr ...

. The U.S. Army established

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. The site and remaining buildings are preserved as Fort Simcoe Historical State Park, located w ...

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 The Yakama Indian Reservation (spelled Yakima until 1994) is a Native American reservation in Washington state of the federally recognized tribe known as the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. The tribe is made up of Klikitat ...

. Yakima County was created in 1865. When bypassed by the

Northern Pacific Railroad The Northern Pacific Railway was an important American transcontinental railroad that operated across the northern tier of the Western United States, from Minnesota to the Pacific Northwest between 1864 and 1970. It was approved and chartered b ...

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 is a city in Yakima County, Washington, United States. The population was 6,568 at the 2020 census. Union Gap has become the retail hub for the entire Yakima Valley as a result of Valley Mall and other thriving businesses being locat ...

was the new name given to the original site of Yakima. On May 18, 1980, the

eruption A volcanic eruption occurs when material is expelled from a volcanic vent or fissure. Several types of volcanic eruptions have been distinguished by volcanologists. These are often named after famous volcanoes where that type of behavior has ...

Mount St. Helens Mount St. Helens (known as Lawetlat'la to the local Cowlitz people, and Loowit or Louwala-Clough to the Klickitat) is an active stratovolcano located in Skamania County, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States ...

caused a large amount of

volcanic ash Volcanic ash consists of fragments of rock, mineral crystals, and volcanic glass, produced during volcanic eruptions and measuring less than 2 mm (0.079 inches) in diameter. The term volcanic ash is also often loosely used to r ...

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 which removes and eliminates contaminants from wastewater. It thus converts it into an effluent that can be returned to the water cycle. Once back in the water cycle, the effluent creates an acceptable impact on ...

plant.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , or 1.84% is water. Yakima is 1,095 feet above mean sea level. The city of Yakima is located in the Upper Valley of Yakima County. The county is geographically divided by

Ahtanum Ridge Ahtanum Ridge is a long anticline mountain ridge in Yakima County, Washington, Yakima County in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. It is located just south of the city of Yakima, Washington, Yakima, and much of its length is at the ...

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 Tampico is a city and port in the southeastern part of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. It is located on the north bank of the Pánuco River, about inland from the Gulf of Mexico, and directly north of the state of Veracruz. Tampico is the fif ...

, Gleed, and Naches in the Upper Valley, as well as Wapato,

Toppenish Toppenish () is a city in Yakima County, Washington, United States. The population was 8,854 at the 2020 census. It is located within the Yakama Indian Reservation, established in 1855. Toppenish calls itself the city of Murals, as it has more ...

, 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 Granger may refer to: People and fictional characters * Granger (surname), a list of people and fictional characters * Granger (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Granger (Tourtechot) (c. 1680s–1734), French physician a ...

, Mabton, Sunnyside, and Grandview in the Lower Valley.

Bodies of water

The

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. Lewis and Clark mention in their journals that the Chin-nâm pam (or the Lower Snake River Chamnapam N ...

runs through the city 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 (state), Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as m ...

to the

Columbia River The Columbia River (Upper Chinook language, Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin language, Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river headwater ...

at Richland. It is the primary irrigation source for the Yakima Valley and also used for both fishing and recreation. The

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 (121 km) long. After the confluence of the Little Naches and Bumping River the name b ...

, a tributary of the Yakima River, forms the northern border of the city. The Yakima Greenway is a system of parks, paved pathways, and nature reserves along the Yakima and Naches rivers. The community project was formed in 1983 with work to reclaim a former city

landfill A landfill is a site for the disposal of waste materials. It is the oldest and most common form of waste disposal, although the systematic burial of waste with daily, intermediate and final covers only began in the 1940s. In the past, waste was ...

into a park, which opened in 1990 as Sarg Hubbard Park. 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 semi-arid climate Cold is the presence of low temperature, especially in the atmosphere. In common usage, cold is often a subjective perception. A lower bound to temperature is absolute zero, defined as 0.00K on the Kelvin scale, an absolute thermodynamic ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

''BSk'') with a

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...

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 18.9 days per year in which the high does not surpass freezing, and 1.6 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 In meteorology, diurnal temperature variation is the variation between a high air temperature and a low temperature that occurs during the same day. Temperature lag Temperature lag, also known as thermal inertia, is an important factor in diur ...

is large, averaging in July, sometimes reaching as high as during that season; there are 40.2 afternoons of maxima reaching or greater annually and 5.7 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 body of water, bodies of water (such as oceans and larg ...

, 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

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 96,968 people, 35,752 households, 22,858 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 37,192 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 51.80% (50,234)

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 1.45% (1,405)

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 2.53% (2,453)

Native American Native Americans or Native American usually refers to Native Americans in the United States. Related terms and peoples include: Ethnic groups * Indigenous peoples of the Americas, the pre-Columbian peoples of North, South, and Central America ...

, 1.46% (1,418) Asian, 0.18% (171)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 27.66% (26,824) from some other races and 14.92% (14,463) from

two or more races Multiracial Americans, also known as mixed-race Americans, are Americans who have mixed ancestry of two or more races. The term may also include Americans of mixed-race ancestry who self-identify with just one group culturally and socially (cf. t ...

Hispanic or Latino ''Hispanic'' and '' Latino'' are ethnonyms used to refer collectively to the inhabitants of the United States who are of Spanish or Latin American ancestry (). While many use the terms interchangeably, for example, the United States Census Bureau ...

of any race were 45.46% (42,947) of the population. Of the 35,752 households, 32.6% had children under the age of 18; 42.8% were married couples living together; 31.1% had a female householder with no husband present. Of all households, 29.1% consisted of individuals and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.7 and the average family size was 3.4. 27.3% of the population was under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 96.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 95.7 males. The 2018–2022 five-year

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...

estimates show that the median household income was $55,734 (with a margin of error of +/- $7,514) and the median family income $57,296 (+/- $3,722). Males had a median income of $31,188 (+/- $828) versus $26,018 (+/- $1,183) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $28,697 (+/- $1,619). Approximately, 14.7% of families and 19.2% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 27.4% of those under the age of 18 and 10.0% of those ages 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 91,067 people with 33,074 households, and 21,411 families residing in the city. The

was . There were 34,829 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 67.1% (61,065)

, 1.7% (1,556)

, 2.0% (1,838)

, 1.5% (1,347) Asian, 0.1% (83)

, 23.3% (21,216) from some other races and 4.4% (3,962) from

of any race were 41.3% (37,587) of the population.La Ganga, Maria L. (September 25, 2014
"Yakima Valley Latinos Getting a Voice, With Court's Help"
''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

'' 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 recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

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. People under the age of 18 accounted for 28.3% of the population, while 13.1% were 65 years or older. The median age was 33.9 years, and 50.7% of the population was female. The median household income was $39,706. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

was $20,771. 21.3% of the population were below the

Economy

Yakima's growth in the 20th century was fueled primarily by agriculture. The Yakima Valley produces many fruit crops, including

apple An apple is a round, edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus'' spp.). Fruit trees of the orchard or domestic apple (''Malus domestica''), the most widely grown in the genus, are agriculture, cultivated worldwide. The tree originated ...

peach The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and Agriculture, cultivated in China. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and the glossy-skinned, non-fuzzy varieties called necta ...

es,

pear Pears are fruits produced and consumed around the world, growing on a tree and harvested in late summer into mid-autumn. The pear tree and shrub are a species of genus ''Pyrus'' , in the Family (biology), family Rosaceae, bearing the Pome, po ...

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 name ...

, and

melon A melon is any of various plants of the family Cucurbitaceae with sweet, edible, and fleshy fruit. It can also specifically refer to ''Cucumis melo'', commonly known as the "true melon" or simply "melon". The term "melon" can apply to both the p ...

s. Many vegetables are also produced, including

peppers Pepper(s) may refer to: Food and spice * Piperaceae or the pepper family, a large family of flowering plants ** Black pepper ** Long pepper ** Kampot pepper * ''Capsicum'' or pepper, a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanaceae ...

corn Maize (; ''Zea mays''), also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout Poaceae, grass that produces cereal grain. It was domesticated by indigenous peoples of Mexico, indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago ...

and

bean A bean is the seed of some plants in the legume family (Fabaceae) used as a vegetable for human consumption or animal feed. The seeds are often preserved through drying (a ''pulse''), but fresh beans are also sold. Dried beans are traditi ...

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 whic ...

, a key ingredient in the production of

beer Beer is an alcoholic beverage produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches from cereal grain—most commonly malted barley, although wheat, maize (corn), rice, and oats are also used. The grain is mashed to convert starch in the ...

, 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.

Top employers

According to the City's 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the largest employers in the city are: 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 A shopping mall (or simply mall) is a large indoor shopping center, usually Anchor tenant, anchored by department stores. The term ''mall'' originally meant pedestrian zone, a pedestrian promenade with shops along it, but in the late 1960s, i ...

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 Cinco de Mayo (; ) is an annual celebration held on May 5 to celebrate Mexico's victory over the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, led by General Ignacio Zaragoza. Zaragoza died months after the battle from an illness, ho ...

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 ninety 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, boun ...

, 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 The , , also referred to as the Japanese Army, is the land warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Created on July 1, 1954, it is the largest of the three service branches. New military guidelines, announced in December 2010, direct t ...

, 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 businesses 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 (; ) is a word used 74 times in the Hebrew Bible. Its etymology and precise meaning are unknown, though various interpretations are given. It is probably either a liturgical-musical mark or an instruction on the reading of the text, with the m ...

. The Yakima Valley Trolleys organization, incorporated in 2001, operates the trolleys and a museum for the City of Yakima. The City of Yakima expanded the Convention Center in 2020.

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 mus ...

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, an ...

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. Located on the Central Washington State Fairgrounds, it hosts sporting events, ice shows, horse shows, circuses, boxing and concerts, as well as ...

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

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. * Yakima Pride Festival is a celebration of

LGBT pride In the context of LGBTQ culture, pride (also known as LGBTQ pride, LGBTQIA pride, LGBT pride, queer pride, gay pride, or gay and lesbian pride) is the promotion of the rights, self-affirmation, dignity, equality, and increased visibility o ...

held in June.

Sports

* The Yakima Mavericks are a minor league

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

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 and ...

and play at Marquette Stadium. * The Yakima Beetles

American Legion baseball American Legion Baseball is a variety of amateur baseball played by 13-to-19-year-olds in fifty states in the U.S. and Canada. More than 3,500 teams participate each year. The American Legion Department of South Dakota established the program in 1 ...

team, 3-time World Champions. * The Yakima Canines of the

American West Football Conference The American West Football Conference (AWFC) was 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 were ...

. * The

Yakima Valley Pippins The Yakima Valley Pippins are a collegiate wood bat baseball team based in Yakima, Washington. They are member of the West Coast League and began play in 2014 at the 2,800 seat Yakima County Stadium. They replaced the Yakima Bears of the Nor ...

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 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 SunDome. ...

were an indoor football team. Play ended in 2010. * The

Yakima Sun Kings The Yakima SunKings were a basketball team located in Yakima, Washington, covering the central Washington sports market of Yakima, Tri-Cities, and Ellensburg and plays at the Yakima SunDome. The team competed in the Continental Basketball Assoc ...

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 professional basketball league. The league began operating in North America in 2018 with eight teams, and has since expanded. TBL's regular season runs from Feb ...

league. * The

Yakima Bears The Yakima Bears were a minor league baseball team in the northwest United States, located in Yakima, Washington. The Bears competed at the Class A Short Season level as members of the Northwest League from 1990 to 2012. Following the 2012 season ...

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 USL League Two (USL2), formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), is a semi-professional soccer league sponsored by United Soccer Leagues in the United States, forming part of the United States soccer league system. The league will featu ...

, 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 The All-America City Award is a community recognition program in the United States given by the National Civic League. The award recognizes the work of communities in using inclusive civic engagement to address critical issues and create stron ...

, given by the

National Civic League The National Civic League is an American nonpartisan, non-profit organization founded in 1894 as the "National Municipal League”; it adopted its new name in 1986. Its mission is to advance civic engagement to create equitable, thriving communit ...

. 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 tha ...

until a 2012 lawsuit filed by the

American Civil Liberties Union The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is an American nonprofit civil rights organization founded in 1920. ACLU affiliates are active in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The budget of the ACLU in 2024 was $383 million. T ...

was ruled in the favor of Latino constituents on the grounds of racial discrimination. The council's four district-based and three at-large seat arrangement was also removed in favor of seven districts—of which two have a Latino majority. The city manager position has been vacant since January 2024, when the new city council removed incumbent Bob Harrison. Several attempts were made in the early 2020s to move Yakima to a mayor–council form of government. 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 Olympi ...

by Republicans Curtis King in District 14, and

Nikki Torres Nikki Torres is an American politician serving as a member of the Washington State Senate for the 15th district. Elected in November 2022, she assumed office on January 9, 2023. Education Torres attended Pasco High School. She earned an asso ...

in District 15, and in the

Washington House of Representatives The Washington House of Representatives is the lower house of the Washington State Legislature, and along with the Washington State Senate makes up the legislature of the U.S. state of Washington. It is composed of 98 Representatives from 49 ...

by Republicans

Chris Corry Chris Corry (born 1982) is an American politician and businessman serving as a member of the Washington House of Representatives from the 15th district, which includes portions of Yakima County, Washington. Education Corry earned a Bachelor of ...

and Gina Mosbrucker in District 14, and Republicans

Bruce Chandler Bruce Q. Chandler (born May 7, 1952) is an American businessman and politician from Washington. Chandler was a Republican member of the Washington House of Representatives, representing District 15, Position 1 from 1999 to 2025. Career In 198 ...

and Bryan Sandlin in District 15. At the national level, Yakima is part of Washington's US Congressional 4th District, currently represented by Republican

Dan Newhouse Daniel Milton Newhouse (born July 10, 1955) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for . The district covers much of the central third of the state, including Yakima and the Tri-Cities. Before his election to Congress, Newh ...

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: * Davis High School, a 4A high school with about 2,100 students *

Eisenhower High School Eisenhower High School can refer to the following schools in the United States: * Eisenhower High School (Rialto, California) * Eisenhower High School (Blue Island, Illinois) * Eisenhower High School (Decatur, Illinois) * Eisenhower High School (K ...

, 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. * Yakima Adventist Christian School

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 5 Bachelor of Applied Science d ...

is one of the oldest community colleges in the state of Washington. Founded in 1928, the college 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. The campus is also home to the Yakima Campus of

Central Washington University Central Washington University (CWU) is a public university in Ellensburg, Washington, United States. Founded in 1891, the university consists of four divisions: the President's Division, Business and Financial Affairs, Operations, and Academi ...

. 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 Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences (PNWU) is a private osteopathic medical and health professional school in Yakima, Washington. The university focuses on educating health care professionals to serve "rural and medically underserved ...

opened in the fall of 2008, and graduated its first class of

osteopathic physicians 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 lice ...

(

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 lice ...

) 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 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. History The ''Herald'' was founded in 1889. The paper was ...

'' 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 Kennewick () is a city in Benton County, Washington, Benton County in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. It is located along the southwest bank of the Columbia River, just southeast of the confluence of the Columbia and Yakima ...

Transportation

Roads and highways

Interstate 82 Interstate 82 (I-82) is an Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States that travels through parts of Washington (state), Washington and Oregon. It runs from its northwestern terminus at I ...

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, with onward connections to

Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...

and

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

U.S. Route 12 U.S. Route 12 or U.S. Highway 12 (US 12) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway, running from Aberdeen, Washington, to Detroit, Michigan, for almost . The highway has mostly been superseded by Interstate 90 (I-90 ...

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 ...

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 terminates in northern Yakima and traverses the

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 transit

City-owned Yakima Transit serves Yakima,

, West Valley and

, as well as several daily trips to Ellensburg. There are also free intercity bus systems between adjacent Union Gap and nearby

, Wapato,

, and

Airport

Yakima is served by the

Yakima Air Terminal McAllister Field (known for the Yakima Air Terminal) is a public airport three miles south of Yakima, Washington, Yakima, in Yakima County, Washington. Owned by the City of Yakima, it is used for general aviation and commercial air service. Yak ...

, a municipal airport located on the southern edge of the city and is used for

general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations except for commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services for other ...

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 Alaska Airlines is a major American airline headquartered in SeaTac, Washington, within the Seattle metropolitan area. It is the fifth-largest airline in North America when measured by scheduled passengers carried, as of 2024. Alaska, togethe ...

) 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 World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

the airfield was used by the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

. The airport at is home to numerous private aircraft, and is a test site for military jets and

Boeing The Boeing Company, or simply Boeing (), is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product support s ...

test flights.

Notable people

Oleta Adams Oleta Angela Adams (born May 4, 1953) is an American singer, pianist, and songwriter. She found limited success during the early 1980s, before gaining fame via her contributions to Tears for Fears' international chart-topping album '' The Seeds o ...

, singer * Jamie Allen,

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

player *

Colleen Atwood Colleen Atwood (born September 25, 1948) is an American costume designer. In a career spanning over four decades, she is recognized for her prolific work across film and television. She has received numerous accolades, including four Academy Awa ...

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

-winning costume designer *

Mario Batali Mario Francesco Batali (born September 19, 1960) is an American chef, writer, and former restaurateur. Batali co-owned restaurants in New York City; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Newport Beach, California; Boston; Singapore; Westport, Connecticut; and ...

, celebrity chef *

MarJon Beauchamp MarJon Beauchamp ( ; born October 12, 2000) is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA), on a two-way contract with the Westchester Knicks of the NBA G League. He played colle ...

, professional basketball player for the

Los Angeles Clippers The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The ...

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 Bryan Caraway (born August 4, 1984) is an American mixed martial artist currently competing in Battlefield Fighting Championship. A professional MMA competitor since 2005, Caraway has fought in the UFC, Strikeforce, EliteXC, and the WEC. He was ...

, mixed martial artist *

Raymond Carver Raymond Clevie Carver Jr. (May 25, 1938 – August 2, 1988) was an American short story writer and poet. He published his first collection of stories, '' Will You Please Be Quiet, Please?'', in 1976. His breakout collection, '' What We Talk About ...

, author, poet and screenwriter * William Charbonneau, founder of Tree Top Apple Juice *

Beverly Cleary Beverly or Beverley may refer to: Places Australia * Beverley, South Australia, a suburb of Adelaide * Beverley, Western Australia, a town * Shire of Beverley, Western Australia Canada * Beverly, Alberta, a town that amalgamated with the City ...

, 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 an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins and the San Francisco 49ers. Born and raised in Yakima, Washin ...

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...

football player * Alex Deccio, politician. Former member of

and

Washington State 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 Washington State Capitol, Legis ...

. *

Garret Dillahunt Garret Lee Dillahunt (born November 24, 1964) is an American actor. He is best known for his work in television, including the roles Burt Chance on the Fox sitcom '' Raising Hope'', for which he was nominated for the Critics' Choice Television ...

, actor *

Dan Doornink Daniel Glenn Doornink (born February 1, 1956) is an American former professional football running back in the National Football League (NFL) who played one season for the New York Giants and seven seasons for the Seattle Seahawks. Born in Yakim ...

, NFL football player *

William O. Douglas William Orville Douglas (October 16, 1898January 19, 1980) was an American jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1939 to 1975. Douglas was known for his strong progressive and civil libertari ...

, U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice * Dave Edler, Major League Baseball player, Yakima Mayor *

Mary Jo Estep Mary Josephine Estep (1909 or 1910 — 19 December 1992) was a Shoshone child survivor of the Battle of Kelley Creek, "the last massacre" of Native Americans in the United States, in 1911. Early life Mary Josephine Estep was born in 1909 or 19 ...

, teacher, last survivor of the

Battle of Kelley Creek The Battle of Kelley Creek, also known as the Last Massacre, is often considered to be one of the last known massacres carried out between Native Americans and forces of the United States, and was a closing event to occur near the end of the A ...

Gabriel E. Gomez The 2013 United States Senate special election in Massachusetts was held on June 25, 2013, in order to fill the Massachusetts Class 2 United States Senate seat for the remainder of the term ending January 3, 2015. The vacancy that prompted th ...

, politician and former Navy SEAL *

Kathryn Gustafson Kathryn Gustafson (born 1951) is an American landscape architect. Her work includes the Gardens of the Imagination in Terrasson, France; a city square in Évry, France; and the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park, London ...

, artist * Gordon Haines, NASCAR driver *

Scott Hatteberg Scott Allen Hatteberg (born December 14, 1969) is an American former professional first baseman and catcher. From 1995 through 2008, he played in Major League Baseball for the Boston Red Sox, Oakland Athletics, and Cincinnati Reds. Hatteberg atte ...

, Major League Baseball player *

Joe Hipp Joe "The Boss" Hipp (born December 7, 1962) is a retired professional Americans, American heavyweight boxing, boxer. A member of the Blackfeet Tribe, he became the first Native Americans in the United States, Native American to challenge for a w ...

, professional boxer *

Al Hoptowit Alphonse William Hoptowit (September 7, 1915 – April 6, 1981), nicknamed "Hoppy" and "Tonto", was an American football tackle who played four seasons with the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Clevela ...

, NFL football player *

Myke Horton Michael "Myke" Horton (born July 17, 1954) is a former American gridiron football player who played professionally for the Calgary Stampeders and Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). After his professional football career was ...

, professional football player and cast member of '' American Gladiators'' *

Damon Huard Damon Paul Huard (born July 9, 1973) is an American former professional football quarterback. He is the director of community relations and fundraising for the University of Washington football program, his alma mater. Huard was signed by the ...

, 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 Scho ...

, actor * Harry Jefferson, NASCAR driver * Marshall Kent, professional ten-pin bowler *

Sam Kinison Samuel Burl Kinison ( ; December 8, 1953 – April 10, 1992) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. A former Pentecostal preacher, he performed stand-up routines that were characterized by intense sudden tirades, punctuated with his distin ...

, actor and comedian *

Larry Knechtel Lawrence William Knechtel (August 4, 1940 – August 20, 2009) was an American keyboard player and bassist who was a member of the Wrecking Crew, a collection of Los Angeles–based session musicians who worked with such renowned artists as Sim ...

, Grammy Award-winning musician *

Cooper Kupp Cooper Douglas Kupp (born June 15, 1993) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Eastern Washington Eagles, winning the Walter Payton ...

, NFL football player *

Craig Kupp Craig Marion Kupp (born April 14, 1967) is an American former professional football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Phoenix Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Pacific Lutheran University. Earl ...

, NFL football player *

Jake Kupp Jacob Ralph Kupp (born March 12, 1941) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a Guard (American football), guard in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, Atlanta F ...

, NFL football player *

Mark Labberton Mark Labberton was the Clifford L. Penner Presidential Chair at Fuller Theological Seminary from 2013 to 2023. Before he became Fuller's president, he served for 16 years as senior pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, California. ...

, seminary president * Donald A. Larson, World War II

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviation, military aviator credited with shooting down a certain minimum number of enemy aircraft during aerial combat; the exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ...

Robert Lucas Jr. Robert Emerson Lucas Jr. (September 15, 1937 – May 15, 2023) was an American economist at the University of Chicago. Widely regarded as the central figure in the development of the New classical macroeconomics, new classical approach to macr ...

Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; ; ) are awards administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted in accordance with the principle of "for the greatest benefit to humankind". The prizes were first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred N ...

-winning economist *

Paige Mackenzie Paige Mackenzie (born February 8, 1983) is an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour. Early years Born and raised in Yakima, Washington, Mackenzie is a 2001 graduate of Eisenhower High School, where she was selected as a first ...

, professional golfer *

Josh Pearce Joshua Ray Pearce (born August 20, 1977) 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, Washington in the 1996 Major ...

, Major League Baseball Player *

Kyle MacLachlan Kyle Merritt MacLachlan ( ; ' McLachlan, February 22, 1959) is an American actor. He is best known for his Emmy-nominated and Golden Globe-winning role as Dale Cooper in ''Twin Peaks'' (1990–1991, 2017) and its film prequel '' Twin Peaks: Fire ...

, film and television actor *

Debbie Macomber Debbie Macomber (born October 22, 1948) is an American author of romance novels and contemporary women's fiction. Six of her novels have become made-for-TV movies and her ''Cedar Cove'' series of novels was adapted into a television series of the ...

, author *

Phil Mahre Phillip Ferdinand Mahre (born May 10, 1957) is a former World Cup alpine ski racer, widely regarded as one of the greatest American skiers of all time. Mahre competed on the World Cup circuit from 1976 to 1984. Starting with the 1978 season, Ma ...

, Olympic gold medalist and world champion skier *

Steve Mahre Steven Irving Mahre (born May 10, 1957 in Yakima, Washington) is a former World Cup alpine ski racer and younger twin brother (by four minutes) of ski racer Phil Mahre. Career Mahre won the silver medal in slalom at the 1984 Winter Olympics i ...

, Olympic silver medalist and world champion skier *

Barbara La Marr Barbara La Marr (born Reatha Dale Watson; July 28, 1896 – January 30, 1926) was an American film actress and screenwriter who appeared in twenty-seven films during her career between 1920 and 1926. La Marr was also noted by the media ...

, actress and writer *

Mitch Meluskey Mitchell Wade Meluskey (born September 18, 1973) is an American retired professional baseball player. He played all or parts of five seasons in Major League Baseball, between 1998 and 2003, for the Houston Astros and Detroit Tigers, primarily as ...

, Major League Baseball player *

Colleen Miller Colleen Joy Miller (born November 10, 1932) is an American former 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 L ...

, 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. Mosebar was selected in the first round of th ...

, NFL football player * James "Jimmy" Nolan Jr., former host of ''Uncle Jimmy's Clubhouse'' * Arvo Ojala, actor and artist *

Joe Parsons Joseph or Joe Parsons may refer to: * Joseph Parsons (educator), West Australian educator and principal of Perth Modern School * Joseph Parsons (Vermont politician) * Joseph Mitchell Parsons Joseph Mitchell "Yogi" Parsons (July 22, 1964 &ndas ...

, snowmobiler *

Floyd Paxton Floyd Greg Paxton (March 17, 1918 – December 10, 1975) was a manufacturer of ballbearings during World War II, and later inventor of the bread clip, a notched plastic tag used for sealing bags of bread worldwide. Bread clip Paxton conce ...

, inventor of the Kwik Lok bread clip *

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, piani ...

, Jazz double bassist *

Steve Pelluer Steven Carl Pelluer (born July 29, 1962) is a former professional American football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs. He was selected by the Cowboys in the 5th round of the 1984 NFL ...

, NFL football player * Jim Pomeroy, professional

motocross Motocross is a form of off-road motorcycle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits. The sport evolved from motorcycle trials competitions held in the United Kingdom. History Motocross first evolved in Britain from motorcycle trials competi ...

racer and member of the AMA

Motorcycle Hall of Fame The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum is an offshoot of the American Motorcyclist Association, recognizing individuals who have contributed to motorcycle sport, motorcycle construction, or motorcycling in general. It also displays motorcycles, ...

William Farrand Prosser William Farrand Prosser (March 16, 1834 – September 23, 1911) was an American politician who served in the United States House of Representatives representing Tennessee, and was a Union Colonel in the American Civil War. Early years Prosser w ...

, U.S. Congressman and mayor of Yakima *

Gary Puckett Gary Dale Puckett (born October 17, 1942) is an American singer widely known as the lead vocalist for Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, who had six consecutive gold records in 1968, including " Woman Woman", " Young Girl", " Lady Willpower", " Over ...

, 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 Whea ...

Pete Rademacher Thomas Peter Rademacher (November 20, 1928 – June 4, 2020) was an American heavyweight boxer. As an amateur, he was a gold medalist at the 1956 Olympics. Rademacher became the only person to challenge for the world heavyweight championsh ...

, Olympic and professional boxer *

Monte Rawlins Monte Rawlins, born Dean Calvin Spencer (February 21, 1907 – July 13, 1988), also called Monte "Alamo" Rawlins, was a short-lived western film star of the late 1930s, often dubbed The Masked Phantom due to his better known role. The B-rate ...

, actor *

Jim Rohn Emanuel James Rohn (September 17, 1930 – December 5, 2009) was an American entrepreneur, author, and motivational speaker. He wrote numerous books including ''How to obtain wealth and happiness''. Early life Emanuel James Rohn was born ...

, entrepreneur *

Will Sampson William Sampson Jr. (September 27, 1933 – June 3, 1987) was a Muscogee Nation painter, actor, and rodeo performer. He is best known for his performance as the apparently mute Chief Bromden in the 1975 film '' One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest ...

, actor and artist *

Kurt Schulz Kurt Erich Schulz (born December 12, 1968) is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL). He played 10 years, eight for the Buffalo Bills, and two for the Detroit Lions. He played col ...

, NFL football player *

Mel Stottlemyre Melvin Leon Stottlemyre Sr. (November 13, 1941 – January 13, 2019) was an American professional baseball pitcher and Coach (baseball)#Pitching coach, pitching coach. He played for 11 seasons in Major League Baseball, all for the New York Yanke ...

, Major League Baseball player and coach *

Mel Stottlemyre Jr. Melvin Leon Stottlemyre Jr. (born December 28, 1963) is an American professional baseball pitching coach and a former right-handed pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals. Listed at , , Stottlemyre is the so ...

, Major League Baseball player *

Todd Stottlemyre Todd Vernon Stottlemyre (born May 20, 1965) is an American former professional baseball player. He played for 15 seasons in Major League Baseball as a starting pitcher from to , most notably as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays with whom he won ...

, 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 who is the wide receivers coach for the Air Force Falcons football, Air Force Falcons. He played professionally as a wide receiver for the Carolina ...

, football player *

Miesha Tate Miesha Theresa Tate ( ; born August 18, 1986) is an American professional mixed martial artist. She currently competes in the women's Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), in which she is a former UFC Women's Bant ...

, mixed martial artist * Willie Turner, sprinter *

Janet Waldo Janet Waldo (born Jeanette Marie Waldo; February 4, 1919 – June 12, 2016) was an American radio and voice actress. In animation, she voiced Judy Jetson in various Hanna-Barbera media, Nancy in ''Shazzan'', Penelope Pitstop, Princess from '' ...

, actress * Bob Wells, baseball player *

Christopher Wiehl Christopher Wiehl (born October 29, 1970) 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 ...

, actor *

Lis Wiehl Lis Wiehl (born August 19, 1961) is a ''New York Times'' bestselling American author of fiction and nonfiction books, and a legal analyst. She is the author of twenty books, including, most recently, ''A Spy in Plain Sight: The Inside Story of th ...

, 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. J ...

, 8th president of

Boston University Boston University (BU) is a Private university, private research university in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. BU was founded in 1839 by a group of Boston Methodism, Methodists with its original campus in Newbury (town), Vermont, Newbur ...

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 ...

, Native American actor

Sister cities

Morelia Morelia (; from 1545 to 1828 known as Valladolid; Otomi language, Otomi: ) is a city and municipal seat of the municipalities of Mexico, municipality of Morelia in the north-central part of the state of Michoacán in central Mexico. It is both th ...

Michoacán Michoacán, formally Michoacán de Ocampo, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Michoacán de Ocampo, is one of the 31 states which, together with Mexico City, compose the Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. The stat ...

, Mexico *

Itayanagi, Aomori 270px, KaidoJinja founded by Tsugaru Tamenobu 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 300 persons per km². The total area of the town is . ...

, Japan

References

External links

City of Yakima – Official Website
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Yakima Yakima ( or ) is a city in and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, United States, and the state's 11th most populous city. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 96,968 and a metropolitan population of 256,728. The ...

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 Washington (state) placenames of Native American origin

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