What To See in the Yakima Valley - Yakima Valley Culture & Heritage
Culture and Heritage
Each year thousands of tourists come to the Yakima Valley for the sunshine, scenery and recreation. From the Rattlesnake Hills to the Yakima Valley Mall, there's something for everyone. The Yakima Valley's culture and heritage ranges from the military crispness of restored Fort Simcoe and the proud history reflected by the Yakama Nation, to the historic Teapot Dome and an abundance of specialized museums featuring aspects of this region's past. The following museums and interpretive centers offer a flavorful and entertaining glimpse of our valley, today and yesterday.
Scenes From The Old West
Toppenish, the "City of Murals," has over 55 murals with more in the planning stage. The murals show scenes from the Old West, railroading, rodeos, farming, aviation events, and various historical events. Every mural painted is a historically correct depiction of the area's history. Murals can be viewed from Conestoga Wagons pulled by mules. Or you can take a walking or auto tour of these beautiful murals. These tours offer a narrated history of each mural with an opportunity to stop and photograph the murals of your choice. Enjoy the annual Mural in a Day program held the first Saturday of June, where you can watch several artists complete a large mural in one day.
Yakama Nation Cultural Center
Yakima's cultural diversity is represented well by the Yakama Tribe. The Yakama Nation Cultural Center represents and preserves the Native American culture and how Native Americans adapted to our current society. The Cultural Center has become a focal point of activity for the Yakama Tribe, and a major cultural event for thousands of visitors.
Chimposium
As you travel to the Yakima Valley on I-90, stop in Ellensburg to visit the Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute (CHCI), located on the Central Washington University campus at the corner of "D" Street and Dean Nicholson Boulevard.
Begun in 1966, this is the first and longest-running research project of its kind. Washoe and the other three signing chimpanzees (Loulis, Tatu, and Dar) have acquired extensive American Sign Language (ASL) vocabularies. They gesture and vocalize the same as free-living chimpanzees and also use ASL in their interactions with humans and with one another. Chimposiums are one-hour educational workshops involving our world-renowned signing chimpanzees. It traces Project Washoe from its inception to the present, and discusses free-living chimpanzee culture, the plights of both free-living and captive chimpanzees, and chimpanzee sign language conversations. The workshop also includes a guided observation of Washoe and her family.
The CHCI is designed to facilitate research on primate communication, human as well as chimpanzee, and serves as a training center for students, an educational center for the general public, and a sanctuary for Washoe and her family. Prepaid reservations to attend a Chimposium are highly recommended.
Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute400 E. University Way |
Chukar Cherry Company320 Wine Country Road |
Fort Simcoe State Park5150 Fort Simcoe Rd. |
Hillside Desert Botanical Gardens3405 Hillside Place |
LaKat Gallery10201 Hwy. 12 |
Yakama Nation Cultural CenterSpiel-yi Loop (Hwy 97 & Buster Road) |
Yakima Sportsman State Park904 University Parkway |
Yakima Valley Museum2105 Tieton Drive |
