Yakima is the 10th most populated city in Washington with a community of 91,067, according to the 2010 census. Its name comes from the Yakama nation, the American Indians who were the original inhabitants of the area. Those moving to Yakima will also discover that the city is one of the best apple-producing areas in the world as well as a major producer of hops.
Economy:
The Yakima area has always been blessed with rich soil making agriculture a main industry of the city. The Yakima valley produces a variety of fruit crops and vegetables including apples, melons, cherries, peaches, pears, peppers, beans and corn.
There is also a growing wine industry in the area due to Yakima's soil, which is similar to the condition found in France. This keeps Yakima moving companies busy because there are always people who want to settle down in the area because of its popular wines or start their own vineyards.
During the 1990s many improvements have come to other industries in Downtown Yakima including the establishment of call-centers and hotels. The shopping malls and department stores are now located in the Union Gap, where the retail business flourishes.
History:
Yakima came from the Native American group called Yakama who were the first inhabitants of the area. It was in 1805 that the Lewis and Clark expedition, commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson originally to find a "direct & practicable water communication across this continent, for the purposes of commerce," discovered the area.
What the expedition found was a land with very abundant wildlife and rich soil hence encouraging settlement. This caused conflicts between the natives and the settlers that culminated to the 1855 Yakima War. The U.S. Army built the Fort Simcoe as a response to the uprising and was able to win over the Yakamas. The Indian tribe was relocated to the Yakama Indian Reservation.
The city was first named North Yakima and was made a county on January 27, 1886 and was later changed to Yakima in 1918. Since then families have been moving to Yakima further swelling its population.
Tourism:
There are many great festivals celebrated in Yakima all year round. These are usually celebrated in the Downtown area. These events include Cinco de Mayo, Yakima Live Music Festival on July, Fresh Hop Ale Festival on October, a weekly Farmer's Market from May to October and the Annual New Year's Eve celebration held at the Millennium Plaza.
A unique feature of the area is America's last intact inter-urban electronic railroad called the Yakima Valley Trolleys. The company offers a tour of their museum as well as private charters and rentals of these historic trolleys to tourists and locals who are interested.