Yakima Places of Interest

[Schools, churches, sports and recreation locations in Yakima Washignton.

Yakima Information

[All In A Name

Just where did Yakima get its name?

Debate persists and stories abound, but the most popular explanation draws on a native legend about a chief’s runaway daughter who made her home on the Yakima River after breaking tribal rules. According to legend, the name Yakama, or Yakima, means “runaway.”

A City on The Move

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.

Sports in Yakima

[Yakima has hosted minor league baseball for a total of 47 seasons since the Yakima Indians first took the field with the Pacific Coast International League in 1920. Perhaps the Northwest’s best black baseball team of the era, the “barnstorming” Washington Browns, called Yakima home from 1936 to 1938. Willie Foster, the team’s manager was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996.

The Yakima Bears, continue the baseball tradition for fans who flock to Yakima County Stadium to enjoy the quintessential baseball experience. An affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Bears celebrated their 20^th consecutive season with the Northwest League in 2009, 60 years after their first season. The team earned the 2000 NWL championship.

The Yakima Reds brought professional soccer to Yakima with their first season in 1995, celebrating their 15^th anniversary in 2009. A two-time Western Conference Division Champion in the Premier Development League, The Reds support the development of central Washington’s most talented soccer players and promote soccer among Yakima’s youth.

Yakima residents tee off under sunny skies nine months out of the year on the valley’s six public and two private golf courses. With a four-star rating by Golf Digest, Yakima’s Apple Tree Golf Course has been named “Best Par Three” by the Seattle Times, and “One of Washington’s Top 18 Holes” by Washington CEO. Its signature, par 3 17^th hole features the world-famous Apple Island Green.

Notable Residents of Yakima

[* Oleta Adams, singer
* Mario Batali, Celebrity Chef
* Jerry D. Burling, Former KIMA-TV on air announcer, Winner, National Emmy Award (1977) [1]
* Raymond Carver, author
* Charles Carter, Olympic and Professional Boxer [2]
* Beverly Cleary, author
* Harlond Clift, Major League Baseball player (1934–45)
* Cary Conklin, NFL Football player (1992–1995)
* Dr. Dan Doornink, NFL football player (1978–1985)
* William O. Douglas, U.S. Supreme Court associate justice (1939–1975)
* Dave Edler, Former Major League Baseball Player, City of Yakima Mayor
* Tom Ewing, Former Host, “Bar 29 Ranch,” KIMA-TV Western Program
* Patrick Harris, IBM Mainframe developer for 3270
* Scott Hatteberg, Major League Baseball player
* Bob Heironimus, alleged portrayer of Bigfoot in the infamous Patterson film
* Joe Hipp, Professional Boxing (former NABF Heavyweight Champion 1994)
* Damon Huard, NFL Football player (1998-Current)
* Robert Ivers, Film and TV star. Later newsman on KAPP and KNDO TV.
* Basil James, Jockey (won the 1942 Preakness)
* Sam Kinison, actor/comedian
* Larry Knechtel, Grammy award winning musician.
* Jake Kupp, NFL Football player (1964–1975) and 1969 Pro Bowl player
* Craig Kupp, NFL Football player (1991) Phoenix Cardinals
* Robert Lucas, Jr., Nobel prize winning economist
* Barbara La Marr, actor/writer
* Kyle MacLachlan, actor
* Debbie Macomber, author
* Phil Mahre, Olympics medal-winning skier and twin brother of Steve Mahre
* Steve Mahre, Olympic medal-winning skier and twin brother of Phil Mahre
* Mitch Meluskey, Major League Baseball player (1998–2003)
* James “Jimmy” Nolan, Jr., Former Host, “Uncle Jimmy’s Clubhouse,” KIMA-TV (1953–1978)
* Arvo Ojala, Hollywood actor and quick-draw artist
* Jim Pomeroy, Motocross racer, elected to AMA Hall of Fame in 1999.
* Gary Puckett, 1960s pop artist of Gary Puckett & The Union Gap
* Pete Rademacher, Olympic and Professional Boxer, Gold Medal, Heavyweight Division, 1956 Melbourne Olympics
* Will Sampson, actor/artist
* Kurt Schulz, NFL football player
* Brad Sinsel, Leader of the rock band TKO (band) (1977–2001)
* Mel Stottlemyre, Major League Baseball player for the Yankees, Mets and Astros
* Mel Stottlemyre, Jr., Major League Baseball player and son of Mel Stottlemyre Sr.
* Todd Stottlemyre, Major League Baseball player with the Blue Jays, Athletics and Cardinals, son of Mel Stottlemyre Sr. and brother of Mel Stottlemyre Jr.
* Thelma Johnson Streat Artist (1911–1959)
* Bob Wells, Major League Baseball player for the Mariners, Twins, and Phillies
* Christopher Wiehl, actor
* Chief Yowlachie (birth name: Daniel Simmons) (1891–1966), Native American actor

Yakima: Things to do

Outdoors in the Valley

With four seasons of sunny skies and starry nights, Yakima residents make the most of the outdoors.

The valley lies in a rain shadow created by the Cascade Mountains, resulting in just 8 inches of precipitation each year, about half of which is measured from snowfall which averages 20 to 25 inches annually.

Right in the city of Yakima, Cowiche Canyon’s 14 miles of trails on 1,800 pristine acres through stunning canyon landscapes draw outdoor enthusiasts year-round for hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and the best mountain biking in central Washington.

Thrill seekers head to the Tieton River for nonstop whitewater action on the fastest-moving, fastest-dropping river in Washington during the annual September Flip-Flop when water released from Rimrock Lake to serve irrigation needs in the Yakima Valley rushes down through the Tieton River and into the Naches river, creating one of the state’s best whitewater runs for kayakers and rafters, with class III to IV rapids.

The 66 trails throughout the William O. Douglas Wilderness are only the beginning. Thanks to grant funding, the William O. Douglas Trail, a 75-mile recreational corridor linking Yakima to Mount Rainier National Park will soon be completed. Celebrating places treasured by Douglas, Supreme Court Justice, the trails final pathway will run adjacent to the historic Yakima Valley Electric Railway Line.

It’s far more than the 109 fishing lakes dotting Yakima County that make this an angler’s paradise. Winding waterways that stretch from the dense forest slopes of the East Cascades through rugged hillsides promise the lure of Coho salmon, steelhead, brown, rainbow and cutthroat trout and whitefish. Designated as the state’s only “blue ribbon” trout stream, the Yakima River delivers more than 65 miles of some or the state’s best fly fishing and unbeatable scenery.

Travel just 30 minutes from Yakima to reach two of the state’s most stunning scenic byways—White Pass and Chinook Pass.

Nordic and Alpine skiers and snowboarders head to White Pass Ski Area for the 1,500-foot vertical drop and more than 350 inches of annual snowfall. With more than 30 downhill trails, a terrain park and an 18-kilometer network of marked, groomed trails for cross-country skiing, White Pass serves hard-core, beginners and families.

Climbers travel from throughout the region to challenge themselves in the Tieton River Canyon—one of the state’s best rock climbing destinations. Most of the nearly 400 routes are near vertical to vertical, with some overhanging climbing.

More than 30 city and community parks in the city of Yakima and neighboring communities offer play spaces for kids and grownups, whether skateboarding, tennis, basketball, soccer or baseball is the activity of choice.

Volunteers at the Yakima Area Arboretum create a living museum of plants and trees, both exotic and those native to Central Washington’s semiarid climate, caring for more than 2,000 specimens on 46 acres of land  adjoining the Yakima River’s riparian habitat.

The Yakima Greenway stretches from Selah Gap to Union Gap and west along the Naches river, providing more than ten miles of paved pathways connecting parks, river access landings, nature trails, fishing lakes and protected natural areas.

The Yakima River Canyon’s dramatic basalt cliffs shelter the densest concentration of nesting hawks, eagles and falcons in Washington State. Nearby wilderness areas host Rocky Mountain elk, bighorn sheep, deer, small mammals, birds of prey, songbirds, blue herons, osprey, wood ducks, grouse, reptiles and amphibians. Each winter, two feeding stations in the Naches area take visitors up close for spectacular viewing of elk and bighorn sheep interacting in their natural habitat.

Nearby Mount Rainier National Park creates a spectacular backdrop for the Yakima Valley. With an elevation of 13,211 feet, its 26 major glaciers make it the most glaciated peak in the lower 48. Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park houses a collection of rare Native American petroglyphs.

Yakima Culture

[Cultural Connections
From film festivals and celebrations to pow-wows, history comes to life with Yakima’s rich heritage and cultural traditions.

The native Yakima Nation people celebrate their long history in the valley with traditions such as the annual Treaty Days Pow Wow. Signed in 1855, the Yakima Nation treaty combined 14 Southeastern Washington tribes and bands into one, officially known as the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation.
The largest cultural event in Yakima, the valley’s annual Cinco de Mayo celebration honors Latino culture and heritage. Making up more than 35 percent of the population, many of Yakima’s Spanish-speaking families have lived in the valley for generations.

First drawn to the valley for work on farms and ranches, families from the Philippines and other Asian countries arrived in the valley in the late 19th century and continue to contribute to the valley’s cultural traditions.

Yakima Arts

Find an unexpected oasis for the arts in the Yakima Valley.

World-class performing arts venues and community theaters bring the arts to life on stage with acclaimed music, dance and theatrical performances, creating the rich cultural experiences you expect to find in larger communities. Celebrate the works of Northwest and international artists at galleries and shops in and around the Yakima Valley showcasing art glass, fine art photography, oil and watercolor paintings, multimedia arts, wood sculptures and vessels, fine prints and native petroglyphs.

The Seasons Performance Hall A beautifully restored 1902 church is transformed into a performance hall with unparalleled natural acoustics. Visitors settle into the pews remaining from the original church to experience an incomparable selection of jazz, classical and world music featuring some of the most thrilling international performers, sampling Northwest wines and enjoying the dramatic, arched, painted ceilings and original stained-glass windows.

The Capitol Theater A grand, cultural icon, with stunning ornamentation and decorative murals, the historic 1920 Capitol Theater is often known as “Yakima’s jewel box.” Destroyed by fire in 1975, the theater was completely rebuilt thanks to community dedication. Artist A.B. Heinsberger came out of retirement to repaint grand murals lost in the fire. The theater hosts more than 150 events each year, featuring touring Broadway musicals, including the traditional Best of Broadway series as well as sassy and irreverent Broadway on the Edge performances, and brings the arts to the valley’s youth.

The Larson Gallery Opening their first exhibition in 1949, Yakima’s Larson Gallery is the largest and oldest continuously operated noncommercial gallery in Central Washington. Promoting visual arts throughout the community, they host juried art exhibits such as the Central Washington Artists Exhibit and the Biennial National Photography Exhibit. They also bring rotating exhibits to the valley, celebrating Northwest culture, local heritage and world culture.
Mighty Tieton Begun with the transformation of 1940s apple warehouses into artists lofts, Mighty Tieton is a haven for the arts and fine design, showcasing the work of artisans and hosting arts events, including Artist Trust film festivals and exhibitions.

Community Arts
Public arts installations and a host of music festivals throughout the valley reflect the community’s long-standing dedication to the arts. From outdoor sculptures to jazz festivals, experience the valley celebrates the arts throughout the year.

The Millennium Arts Plaza Commissioned in 1999 as part of the nationwide “Artists and Communities: Americans Create for the Millennium” project, a one-of-a-kind, 80- by 80-foot sculpture by renowned artist, Wen-ti Tsen, reflects the history of the valley and dreams for the future.

The Toppenish Mural Project The city of Toppenish takes visitors back in time “where the west still lives,” with an extensive series of outdoor murals unlike any other. The mural project, reflecting the history and cultural diversity of the area, has earned several awards, including the Governors Art Award and a national Prettiest Painted Places award.

Yakima Culture & Community

[A median age of 32 makes Yakima an exceptionally youthful community. With the seventh largest population in the state, 234,564 people call Yakima County home. About 80,000 people make their home in the city of Yakima.

More than 60 local organizations, service clubs and groups bring people together for recreation, to share interests and learn from one another, connect socially, support the community and care for those in need.

More than 250 churches serve Yakima County, including Christian, Catholic and non-denominational churches, as well as Jewish and Buddhist temples.