History of Sunnyside
On September 16, 1902, residents voted 42 to one 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 name W.H. Cline. Considering Sunnyside enjoys over 300 days of sunshine per year, the name fits the town well.
Walter Granger, under the auspices of Northern Pacific Railroad President, Thomas F. Oakes, was responsible for the construction of the Sunnyside Canal. The Sunnyside Canal brought water from the Yakima River to the north slope of the Yakima Valley. Granger platted Sunnyside next to the canal and was involved in financing the project. However, due to the Panic of 1893, Granger’s creditors foreclosed on the canal and Sunnyside’s population dwindled to just seven families.
Five years later, members of the German Baptist Progressive Brethren relocated to Sunnyside in order to establish what they called the Christian Cooperative Colony. The Brethren, also known as ‘Dunkards,’ bought the entire town site. They developed the first bank and a telephone system. The Dunkards presumably baptized their flock in the canal or perhaps the Yakima River. They enforced strict clauses prohibiting alcohol, dancing, and gambling as a condition on every parcel of land sold. Because of this, old maps of Washington sometimes identify the town with a cross or halo symbol. Sunnyside’s population continued to increase as Brethren from South Dakota moved to town.
The City of Sunnyside Fire Department formed in 1905 as a combination career and volunteer department by Ordinance #35. This original ordinance focused the department on two tasks; minimize fire losses and promote fire prevention. This was a very forward thinking approach for the times.
Mayor William Bright ‘Billy’ Cloud (1870-1959) initiated a project on June 5, 1917 to pave Sunnyside’s dirt streets. Years of irrigation had raised the water table to the point that the streets had become unbearably muddy. The cost of the entire project was $62,629.45.
Later, in the 1930’s, refugees from the Dust Bowl also moved to Sunnyside. Water was plentiful, thanks to the canal system. The rich, volcanic soil was arable. With the railroad always ready to transport the farmers' produce to markets near and far, agriculture flourished.
The Roza Project was approved in 1935 and thanks to the likes of H. Lloyd Miller, irrigation water now reaches the hills surrounding Sunnyside where many of the area’s award winning wine grapes, apples and other produce grow and thrive.
Snipes Mountain, southwest of town, was named after Ben Snipes (1835-1906). Snipes was known as the Cattle King and in the 1850’s, he headquartered his ranch on the mountain that now carries his name. Ben Snipes built the first ‘white man’s’ cabin in the region. Ben and his brother-in-law, H.H. Allen, ran cattle across northern Oregon, most of Washington, and parts of British Columbia. Snipes’ cabin was a mid-point stopping place on many of his long cattle drives. In 1953, Snipes’ Cabin was moved to 321 Grant Avenue in Sunnyside, where it stands today. Located across the street from the Sunnyside Historical Museum, a statue of Ren Ferrel, Snipes’ cattle foreman, stands watch over the cabin.
Snipes Mountain became home to Vinifera Grapes in 1917, when Sunnyside Mayor William Bridgeman, author of many of the Yakima Valley’s irrigation laws, began planting Upland Vineyards.
By 1934, he had developed 165 acres of wine grapes under contract with more than 70 growers. That year, he opened Upland Winery, the first winery in the state east of the Cascade Mountains and believed to be first in the state to commercially produce European-style wine. Upland Winery was making wine from Vinifera Grapes rather than fortified wine from fruit and Concord Grapes.
One of the growers who contracted with Bridgeman was Melvin & Vera Tucker. They contracted with Bridgeman on March 1, 1937 to grow Vinifera Grapes. They delivered their first grapes to Upland Winery in 1939.
During the war in 1941, many of the wineries shut down and most of the grapes were pulled out. The wineries began a re-emergence in the mid to late 70’s. Many of those acreages were again growing Vinifera Grapes.
Dean & Rose Tucker opened Tucker Cellars in Sunnyside in 1981. Randy & Debbie Tucker currently own the winery. Randy is the grandson of Melvin & Vera Tucker, pioneer grape growers in the Sunnyside area. The winery is located at the corner of Ray Road and Yakima Valley Highway next to Black Rock Creek Golf Course.
William Bridgeman encouraged Dr. Walter Clore, Washington State University horticulturist, to plant Vinifera Wine Grapes as WSU’s experimental station in Prosser in 1940. Bridgeman even supplied Dr. Clore with the cuttings, according to information contained in Ronald Irvine’s book, The Wine Project: Washington State’s Winemaking History. Though Clore is recognized as the ‘father’ of Washington’s wine industry, Bridgeman was a significant influence in the early winemaking years and could be considered the ‘grandfather.’
In 1972, Alfred Newhouse bought all of Bridgeman’s Upland Vineyards. Alfred’s son, Steve, continued to expand their acreage on Snipes Mountain and nearby Harrison Hill over several decades. Today, the Newhouse family has 700 acres of wine grapes in what is once again called Upland Vineyards, as well as another 600 acres of tree fruit and juice and table grapes.
Todd Newhouse and his wife, Amber, recently revived the name of Upland Estates Winery, which opened in 2008 and is the only winery located on Snipes Mountain.
In 1979, Sunnyside was awarded the distinction of being an All-American City.
The Yakima Valley is responsible for approximately 75% of the hop production in the United States. Our hops are known for their quality and are shipped all over the world. Hops have been growing in the valley since the mid 1800’s. Many visitors to the area comment on the strange telephone poles, in a row, with strings connecting them. They are excited to learn that they are, in fact, hop fields.
The Sunnyside Historical Museum is located at the corner of 4th & Grant. It is open Thursday through Sunday from 1:00pm - 4:00pm. You may call for more information (509) 837-6010. If you are interested in group tours, please call Sally Saras at (509) 837-2105.Located just across the street is the historical Ben Snipes Cabin.
Notable Sunnyside Citizens:
- Bonnie J. Dunbar - NASA Astronaut - Graduated from Sunnyside High School in 1967
- Kristina Guerrero - Inside Edition TV Correspondent
- Scott Linehan - Head Coach of the NFL's St. Louis Rams (2006-2008) - Born & raised in Sunnyside, graduated from SHS in 1982.
- Jens Pulver - MMA Fighter - Born in Sunnyside in 1974
- Rob Thomas - Creator of Veronica Mars - Born in Sunnyside in 1965
Above photos courtesy of Kathy Sharman - View her photo blog here
