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 Sweeper Parts Yakima - Yakima, Washington serves as the county seat of Yakima County. The city of Yakima is near the Snoqualmie National Forest and Mount Ranier National Park. Yakima has a population of around 91,200, making it the 8th most densely inhabited city in Washington State. The Yakima metropolitan area has a population of 243,231.
Greater Yakima comprises the unincorporated suburban areas of Terrace Heights and West Valley, all situated in the Yakima Valley. The Valley is a fertile area producing some of the best apples within the world. The valley is a major wine- and hops-producing region. About 75 percent of all hops grown in the United States are grown all around the city.
Southeast and south of Yakima lies the Yakama Indian Reservation. The Yakama people first inhabited the valley. Explorers Lewis and Clark arrived within the area during the year 1805. Their reports of fertile soil and abundant wildlife encouraged homesteaders to live here. During the year 1847, a Catholic Mission was constructed within southwest of the existing site of Yakima. Conflicts between the people of Yakima and the settlers escalated into the Yakama Indian War of 1855. In response, the U.S. Army established a fort in the year 1856 near the existing site of 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 pears, apples, melons, cherries and peaches, grown in the valley. Vegetables, such as beans, peppers and corn, grow well here. Many workers who came to market, pick and process the agricultural produce of the valley stayed to become inhabitants. Agricultural support services and agriculture provide a considerable number of jobs.
Since the latter part of the 1990's, downtown Yakima has gone through significant changes. Union Gap has taken over as the retail core from the downtown area. Union Gap is a city within Yakima County, situated south of Yakima. The department stores and a shopping mall of Yakima have been replaced with several hotels and call centers. Union Gap is where individuals go to shop now, in huge big-box stores. The city of Yakima plans to revive its downtown area with entertainment venues, and a more personal kind of shopping experience.
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