Sunnyside, Washington
Encyclopedia
Sunnyside is a city in Yakima County, Washington
, United States. As of the 2010 Census
the population was 15,858.
The first mayor of Sunnyside was the town druggist James Henderson.
The settlement was originally founded by Walter Granger in 1893. The name "Sunnyside" was coined by a merchant named W. H. Cline. Granger was involved in the financing and construction of the Sunnyside Canal which would allow Yakima River
water to irrigate the area. However, due to the Panic of 1893
, Granger's creditors foreclosed on the canal, and the town's population dwindled to seven families.
Five years later, members of the German Baptist Progressive Brethren
(also known as Dunkards) relocated to Sunnyside in order to form what they called the Christian Cooperative Colony. The Brethren bought the entire town site and soon developed its first bank, and a telephone system. They enforced clauses prohibiting alcohol, dancing, and gambling as a condition on every parcel of land sold. Because of this, old maps of Washington identify the town with a cross or halo symbol.
Sunnyside's population continued to increase as Dunkards from South Dakota moved to the town. Later, in the 1930s, refugees from the Dust Bowl
also moved to Sunnyside.
Under the leadership of mayor William Bright "Billy" Cloud (1870–1959), Sunnyside initiated a project to pave its dirt streets on June 5, 1917. This project was necessary since years of irrigation had raised the water table to the point that the streets had become unbearably muddy. The cost of the entire project was $62,629.45.
Sunnyside was awarded the distinction of being an All-America City in 1979.
First held in 1989, the Lighted Farm Implement Parade has been called "the NW's premier lighted parade." Usually taking place in early December, the parade includes "farm implements: combines, boom trucks, sprayers, swathers, grape pickers, and all types of tractors" decorated with colorful lights. The 2006 edition of the event had more than 70 parade entrants. The A&E
network has named the event one of the "Top 10" such parades in the United States. The parade was the first of its kind in the Yakima Valley
.
The land that Lincoln School sits on was donated to the school district by H. Lloyd Miller in 1926. He and his wife later donated the land next to it between the school and 9th Ave. to be used for play fields for the students. Lincoln still remains as one of the oldest buildings in the school district. It has been remodeled and renovated to accommodate the administrative offices for the district. It also houses classrooms for kindergarten.
, was built in 1911. It was replaced in 1964 with the current library building. It is the second largest library in the Yakima Valley Regional Library System and has one of the largest Spanish language
collections in the system.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 5.9 square miles (15.4 km²), all of it land.
, and 3.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 73.05% of the population.
There were 3,827 households out of which 50.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% were married couples living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 18.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.58 and the average family size was 4.02.
In the city the age distribution of the population shows 38.1% under the age of 18, 11.7% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 14.0% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,583, and the median income for a family was $28,304. Males had a median income of $25,187 versus $25,779 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $10,366. About 29.1% of families and 34.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 46.2% of those under age 18 and 18.1% of those age 65 or over.
Yakima County, Washington
Yakima County is the second largest county by area in the U.S. state of Washington. It is named after the Yakama tribe of Native Americans. In the 2010 census, its population was 243,231...
, United States. As of the 2010 Census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
the population was 15,858.
History
On September 16, 1902, residents voted 42 to one to incorporate as the town of Sunnyside. By state law a town needed to have 300 citizens in order to legally incorporate. With 314 residents, Sunnyside was just eligible to legally vote for incorporation.The first mayor of Sunnyside was the town druggist James Henderson.
The settlement was originally founded by Walter Granger in 1893. The name "Sunnyside" was coined by a merchant named W. H. Cline. Granger was involved in the financing and construction of the Sunnyside Canal which would allow Yakima River
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. The length of the river from headwaters to mouth is , with an average drop of .-Course:...
water to irrigate the area. However, due to the Panic of 1893
Panic of 1893
The Panic of 1893 was a serious economic depression in the United States that began in 1893. Similar to the Panic of 1873, this panic was marked by the collapse of railroad overbuilding and shaky railroad financing which set off a series of bank failures...
, Granger's creditors foreclosed on the canal, and the town's population dwindled to seven families.
Five years later, members of the German Baptist Progressive Brethren
Old German Baptist Brethren
Old German Baptist Brethren descend from a pietist movement in Schwarzenau, Germany, in 1708, when Alexander Mack founded a fellowship with seven other believers. They are one of several Brethren groups that trace themselves to that original founding body...
(also known as Dunkards) relocated to Sunnyside in order to form what they called the Christian Cooperative Colony. The Brethren bought the entire town site and soon developed its first bank, and a telephone system. They enforced clauses prohibiting alcohol, dancing, and gambling as a condition on every parcel of land sold. Because of this, old maps of Washington identify the town with a cross or halo symbol.
Sunnyside's population continued to increase as Dunkards from South Dakota moved to the town. Later, in the 1930s, refugees from the Dust Bowl
Dust Bowl
The Dust Bowl, or the Dirty Thirties, was a period of severe dust storms causing major ecological and agricultural damage to American and Canadian prairie lands from 1930 to 1936...
also moved to Sunnyside.
Under the leadership of mayor William Bright "Billy" Cloud (1870–1959), Sunnyside initiated a project to pave its dirt streets on June 5, 1917. This project was necessary since years of irrigation had raised the water table to the point that the streets had become unbearably muddy. The cost of the entire project was $62,629.45.
Sunnyside was awarded the distinction of being an All-America City in 1979.
Lighted Farm Implement Parade
A&E Network
The A&E Network is a United States-based cable and satellite television network with headquarters in New York City and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, London, Los Angeles and Stamford. A&E also airs in Canada and Latin America. Initially named the Arts & Entertainment Network, A&E launched...
network has named the event one of the "Top 10" such parades in the United States. The parade was the first of its kind in the Yakima Valley
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. The length of the river from headwaters to mouth is , with an average drop of .-Course:...
.
Darigold cheese factory
The Darigold Dairy Fair manufactures cheese, (150 million pounds of cheese annually) but is mostly noted for its colorful facade and circus-like decorations, which include a pair of cows swinging on a flying trapeze. Self-guided tours are available demonstrating how cheese is made. Cheese tasting and a gift shop are also on the premises.Sunnyside Historical Museum
Located downtown, the museum houses and displays artifacts and documents with a focus on daily life in Sunnyside during its early years.Schools
Many of the original school buildings in Sunnyside, and the town of Outlook just northwest of town, have either burned to the ground or been demolished to make way for bigger and better structures. One of the original structures still in use is the Lincoln School Building which sits at the intersection of Lincoln and Sixth Street. Erected in 1927, it is a two story structure with an adjacent gymnasium attached to the east wing of the building. In 1928, female teachers were not allowed to marry. Doing so would void their contract to teach.The land that Lincoln School sits on was donated to the school district by H. Lloyd Miller in 1926. He and his wife later donated the land next to it between the school and 9th Ave. to be used for play fields for the students. Lincoln still remains as one of the oldest buildings in the school district. It has been remodeled and renovated to accommodate the administrative offices for the district. It also houses classrooms for kindergarten.
Public schools
- Sunnyside High School
- Sierra Vista Middle School
- Harrison Middle School
- Chief Kamiakin Elementary SchoolChief Kamiakin Elementary SchoolChief Kamiakin Elementary School in Sunnyside, Washington, was the first public school to be named after the famous chief of the Yakama, Chief Kamiakin.-History:Construction of the current school began in 1975 and was finished in 1976...
- Pioneer Elementary School
- Washington Elementary School
- Sun Valley Elementary School
- Outlook Elementary School
- Lincoln School Building (Administration Bldg.)
Private schools
- Sunnyside Christian High School
- Sunnyside Christian Elementary School
- Calvary Lutheran Pre-School and Kindergarten
Libraries
Sunnyside has one public library. The original public library, a Carnegie LibraryCarnegie Library
Carnegie Library, Carnegie Public Library, Carnegie Free Library, Carnegie Free Public Library, Andrew Carnegie Library, Andrew Carnegie Free Library or Carnegie Library Building may refer to any of the following Carnegie libraries:- California :*Carnegie Library , listed on the National Register...
, was built in 1911. It was replaced in 1964 with the current library building. It is the second largest library in the Yakima Valley Regional Library System and has one of the largest Spanish language
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
collections in the system.
Notable citizens
- Bonnie J. DunbarBonnie J. DunbarBonnie Jeanne Dunbar is a former NASA astronaut. She retired from NASA in September 2005. She then served as president and CEO of The Museum of Flight until April of 2010. She is now a consultant.-Early life:...
, NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
astronautAstronautAn astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
. She graduated from Sunnyside High School in 1967.
- Kristina Guerrero, Inside EditionInside EditionInside Edition is a thirty-minute American television syndicated news program, first aired on CBS on October 9, 1988. It was originally similar to the programs Hard Copy and A Current Affair, but now more closely resembles a condensed version of breakfast television, exclusively with pre-recorded...
television correspondent.
- Jake KuppJake KuppJacob Ralph Kupp is a former American football guard in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, and the New Orleans Saints. Kupp played college football at the University of Washington and was drafted in the ninth round of the 1964 NFL Draft...
former American football guard in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, and the New Orleans Saints.
- Scott LinehanScott LinehanScott Thomas Linehan is an American football coach, currently the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions of the NFL. He was previously the head coach of the St...
, former head coach of the NFL'sNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
St. Louis RamsSt. Louis RamsThe St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
(2006-2008). Born and raised in Sunnyside, he graduated from Sunnyside High School in 1982.
- Jens PulverJens PulverJens Johnnie Pulver is an American mixed martial artist . He was the first Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight champion and was a coach on the The Ultimate Fighter 5 reality show, which aired on Spike TV. He was formerly signed as a featherweight with World Extreme Cagefighting , which is...
, a boxer and MMAMixed martial artsMixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
fighter, he was the first UFCUltimate Fighting ChampionshipThe Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
lightweight champion. Born in Sunnyside December 6, 1974.
- Earl Smith, former outfielder for the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh PiratesThe Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
. Born in Sunnyside in 1928.
- Rob ThomasRob Thomas (writer)Rob Thomas is an American author, producer, and screenwriter, best known as the author of the 1996 novel Rats Saw God and creator of the critically acclaimed television programs Veronica Mars and Party Down.-Education and early career:Thomas graduated from San Marcos High School in 1983 and went...
, creator of Veronica MarsVeronica MarsVeronica Mars is an American television series created by Rob Thomas. The series premiered on September 22, 2004, during television network UPN's final two years, and ended on May 22, 2007, after a season on UPN's successor, The CW Television Network. Veronica Mars was produced by Warner Bros...
. Born in Sunnyside in 1965.
Geography
Sunnyside is located at 46°19′15"N 120°0′44"W (46.320798, -120.012232).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 5.9 square miles (15.4 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,905 people, 3,827 households, and 3,000 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,340.4 people per square mile (903.8/km²). There were 4,070 housing units at an average density of 685.0 per square mile (264.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 42.61% White, 0.40% African American, 0.63% Native American, 0.69% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 52.58% from other racesRace (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 73.05% of the population.
There were 3,827 households out of which 50.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% were married couples living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 18.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.58 and the average family size was 4.02.
In the city the age distribution of the population shows 38.1% under the age of 18, 11.7% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 14.0% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,583, and the median income for a family was $28,304. Males had a median income of $25,187 versus $25,779 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $10,366. About 29.1% of families and 34.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 46.2% of those under age 18 and 18.1% of those age 65 or over.
Climate
| Sunnyside Climate Monthly Averages 9/14/1894 to 12/31/2007 | ||||||||||||||
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | ||
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| Source: Western Regional Climate Center | ||||||||||||||