Sunnyside, Washington
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| Sunnyside, Washington | |
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| Coordinates: | |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Yakima |
| Area | |
| - Total | 5.9 sq mi (15.4 km²) |
| - Land | 5.9 sq mi (15.4 km²) |
| - Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km²) |
| Elevation | 745 ft (227 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 13,905 |
| - Density | 2,340.4/sq mi (903.6/km²) |
| Time zone | Pacific (PST) (UTC-8) |
| - Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC-7) |
| ZIP code | 98944 |
| Area code(s) | 509 |
| FIPS code | 53-68750[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1531913[2] |
Sunnyside is a city in Yakima County, Washington, United States. The population was 13,905 at the 2000 census.
Contents |
[edit] History
On September 16, 1902, by a 42 to one vote, residents voted 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 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 1930's, refugees from the Dust Bowl also moved to Sunnyside.[3]
Under the leadership of mayor William Bright "Billy" Cloud (1870-1959), Sunnyside intiated a project to pave its dirt streets on June 5, 1917. The cost of the entire project was $62,629.45.[4]
[edit] Attractions and events
[edit] Lighted Farm Implement Parade
First held in 1989, the 'Lighted Farm Implement Parade has been called "the NW's premier lighted parade."[5] 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.[6] The 2006 edition of the parade had over 70 parade entrants. The A&E network has named the event one of the "Top 10" such parades in the United States.[7] The parade was the first of its kind in the Yakima Valley.
[edit] Sunnyside cheese factory
The Darigold Dairy Fair manufactures cheese, (150 million pounds of cheese annually[8]) but is mostly noted for its colorful facade and circus like decorations which include a pair of cows swinging on a flying trapeze.[9] Self-guided tours are available demonstrating how cheese is made. Cheese tasting and a gift shop are also on the premises.
[edit] 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.[10][11]
[edit] Schools
There are 7 public and 5 parochial schools in Sunnyside.
[edit] Public schools
- Sunnyside High School
- Sierra Vista Middle School
- Harrison Middle School
- Chief Kamiakin Elementary School
- Pioneer Elementary School
- Washington Elementary School
- Outlook Elementary School
- Sunnyside Early Learning Center
[edit] Private Schools
- Sunnyside Christian Elementary School
- St. Joseph Elementary School
- Calvary Lutheran Pre-School and Kindergarten
[edit] Libraries
Sunnyside has one public library. The original public library, a Carnegie Library, 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. [12]
[edit] Notable citizens
- Scott Linehan, head coach of the NFL's St. Louis Rams. Born and raised in Sunnyside, he graduated from Sunnyside High School in 1982.
- Bonnie J. Dunbar, NASA astronaut. She Graduated from Sunnyside High School in 1967.
- Rob Thomas, creator of Veronica Mars. Born in Sunnyside in 1965.
- Jens Pulver, a boxer and MMA fighter Born in Sunnyside December 6, 1974.
[edit] Geography
Sunnyside is located at (46.320798, -120.012232)[13].
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.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[1] 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/sq mi (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 races, 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 population was spread out with 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.
[edit] References
- ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ Sunnyside incorporates on September 16, 1902. HistoryLink.org Essay 5316
- ^ Sunnyside begins paving its streets on June 5, 1917. HistoryLink.org Essay 8372
- ^ Calendar of Events and Attractions for Yakima Valley
- ^ Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce Press Release: Sunnyside's 19th Annual Lighted Farm Implement Parade
- ^ "Sunnyside's lighted Christmas parade is an awesome display"
- ^ Manufacturing page on Darigold website
- ^ "Sunnyside cheese factory offers fun and fantasy, too"
- ^ City of Sunnyside, Park and Recreation - Museum
- ^ Museums, Heritage Centers, and Historical Societies in the Tri-Cities Washington Region
- ^ Sunnyside Public Library web site
- ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
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