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 Seats for Forklifts Yakima - The city of Yakima, Washington serves as the county seat of Yakima County. The city is near the Mount Rainier National Park and Snoqualmie National Forest. The city has a population of 91,196, making it the 8th most populous city within the state. The metropolitan area of the city has a population of 243,231.
The unincorporated suburban areas of West Valley and Terrace Heights are all situated within the Yakima Valley and are considered part of Greater Yakima. The valley is a fertile area which could produce some of the best apples within the world. The valley is a key wine- and hops-producing region. About 75 percent of all hops grown within the United States are grown all around Yakima City.
The Yakama Indian Reservation is located southeast and south of Yakima. The Yakima peoples were the areas first people. In the year 1805, Explorers Lewis and Clark arrived in the region. Their reports of abundant wildlife and fertile soil encouraged homesteaders to settle here. In 1847, a Catholic Mission was built within southwest of the existing location of Yakima. Conflicts between the settlers and the Yakima people escalated into the Yakama Indian War of 1855. In response, the U.S. Army established a fort in the year 1856 near present-day White Swan. The Yakamas were defeated by the army and the Yakama Indian Reservation was created.
The economic foundation of Yakima has traditionally been agriculture, with an abundant amount of fruit crops, such as apples, pears, cherries, peaches and melons, grown within the valley. Vegetables, such as peppers, corn and beans, grow well here. Numerous workers who came to market, pick and process the agricultural produce of the valley stayed to become residents. Agriculture and agricultural support services provide a significant number of jobs.
Downtown Yakima has changed considerably since the latter part of the 1990s. The retail core of the region has shifted from downtown Yakima to Union Gap, a city that lies to the south of Yakima within Yakima County. A shopping mall and the department stores of Yakima have been replaced with numerous hotels and call centers. Union Gap is where individuals go to shop now, in huge big-box stores. The city of Yakima plans to rejuvenate its downtown area with entertainment venues, and a more personal type of shopping experience.
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