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Toppenish, WA
Toppenish is a city in Yakima County, Washington, United States. The population was 8,854 at the 2020 census. It is located within the Yakama Indian Reservation, established in 1855.
All territory set aside for the Yakama Indian Reservation by the Treaty of Washington was held communally in the name of the tribe. Prior to their ceding the land, only Native Americans had lived in the area. The Dawes Act of 1887 was part of federal legislation designed to force assimilation to European-American ways by Native Americans. Specifically, it was designed to break up the communal tribal land of Native American reservations and allot portions to individual households of tribal members.
A driving figure in Toppenish's early development was William Leslie Shearer (October 31, 1862 – June 5, 1922). Since Toppenish had no church in 1897 Shearer obtained permission from the Northern Pacific Railroad Company and offered the freight room for religious services. Toppenish was officially incorporated on April 29, 1907, and founded by Johnny Barnes.
Today, Toppenish is home to 75 hand painted and historically accurate murals. The American Hop Museum, located in the heart of the nation's largest hop producing area, features striking exhibitions and intriguing displays. The Northern Pacific Railway Museum is located in the restored 1911 depot. The Yakama Nation Cultural Center is the place to encounter your first time Yakama Experience or you can enjoy a taste of Yakima's Wine Country at a host of wineries within a few miles of Toppenish.
