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Richland is a city in Benton County in southeastern Washington, at the confluence of the Yakima River and the Columbia River. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 38,708, with a 2005 population estimate of 43,520. Along with the nearby cities of Pasco and Kennewick, Richland is one of the Tri-Cities of Washington.
History
For centuries the village of Chemna stood at the mouth of the current Yakima river. Today that village site is called Columbia Point. From this village the Wanapum, Yakama and Walla Walla Indians harvested the salmon runs entering the Yakima river. Captain William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition visited there on October 17, 1805.
Formative years
In 1904-1905, W.R. Amon & his son Howard, purchased 2,300 acres and proposed a town site on the north bank of the Yakima river. Postal authorities approved the designation of this town site as Richland in 1905. In 1906 the town was registered at the Benton County Courthouse. It was incorporated on April 28, 1910 as a Washington Fourth Class City.The war years
Richland was a sleepy little farm town until the US Army purchased 1660 km2 (640 square miles - half the size of Rhode Island) along the Columbia River for the war effort, evicting the 300 residents of Richland as well as those of the now vanished towns of White Bluffs and Hanford just upriver. The army turned it into a bedroom community for the workers on its Manhattan Project at the nearby Manhattan Engineering District (later the Hanford Nuclear Reservation). The population increased from 300 in July and August of 1943 to 25,000 by the end of World War II in August of 1945. Richland became a closed city (federally controlled Atomic Energy community), with access restricted to residents and other personnel authorized by the U.S. Army. Mail was postmarked Seattle and many addresses were misleading.An interesting aspect of the fact that much of the city was planned by the Army Corps of Engineers, is that many of the streets are named after famous engineers. For instance: Stevens Way is named after John Frank Stevens, chief engineer of the Panama Canal and Stevens Pass; Goethals Drive is named after George W. Goethals, designer of the Panama Canal; and Thayer Drive is named after Sylvanus Thayer, founder of the first professional school of engineering in the United States at Dartmouth College. The rule is, if alphabet houses reside on a given street, it is either named after an engineer, or after a type of tree.
The end of the war
With the end of the war, that Hanford workers camp, originally located 15 miles north of Richland at the old Hanford town site, was closed down. Although many of them disbanded as the war effort wound down, some of these workers moved to Richland, offsetting the depopulation that might otherwise have occurred.The Cold War boom
Fears that the Soviet Union’s intentions were aggressive set off the Cold War in 1947. When the Soviet Union developed and tested their first nuclear weapon in 1949, the U.S. nuclear program was reinvigorated. Richland’s Cold War construction boom resulted in Richland’s population growing to 27,000 people by 1952. Many of these people lived in a construction camp of trailers located in what is now north Richland. With time these trailers were vacated and the core city grew.Richland was incorporated in 1958 as a chartered First Class City, an open self-governed city. Richland's dependency on the federal Hanford facility changed little at this time because Hanford's mission as a weapons materials production site continued during the Cold War years.
After the production boom
With the shutdown of the last production reactor in 1987, the area transitioned to environmental cleanup and technology. Now, many Richland residents are employed at the Hanford site in its environmental cleanup mission.Richland contains many reminders of its past. Richland High School's sports teams are called the Bombers - complete with a mushroom cloud (at one point there was a campaign to change this to the more politically correct B-17 logo after the B-17G "Day's Pay" bought by Hanford workers in 1944 for the United States Army Air Forces, but the cloud still prevails). Some of the streets are named after generals in the US Army (Patton Street, MacArthur Street, Sherman Street, and George Washington Way) and after various nuclear themes, (Einstein Avenue, Curie Street, Proton Lane, Log lane, and Nuclear Lane). A local museum (Columbia River Exhibition of History, Science, and Technology (CREHST)) features exhibits of nuclear technology.
Washington State University Tri-Cities was founded there in 1989, growing out of a former Joint Graduate Center which had been affiliated with the University of Washington, Oregon State University and Washington State University. Richland is also home to Kadlec Medical Center, one of the best hospitals in eastern Washington. There is a developing "medical district", including a Columbia Basin College Medical Training Center near the Kadlec facility.
Economy
Technology
After the end of World War II Richland continued to be a center of production and research into nuclear energy, and related technology.It has been the home of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory(PNNL) since 1965. One of the two Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory sites is located immediately north of Richland. Numerous smaller high technology business and expert consultants have grown up around the Richland technology center as well.
Major employers include Battelle Memorial Institute operating PNNL, Fluor Hanford, Inc. integrating work performed at Hanford, Bechtel National Inc. building a waste vitrification plant, Washington Closure providing waste management, Duratek Federal Services, Inc. providing services to the U.S. government, Energy Northwest generating nuclear power at a nearby reactor facility, CH2M Hill Hanford Group, Inc. providing technical consulting service, Framatome ANP fabricating nuclear fuel, Lockheed Martin Services, Inc. providing technology services and the U.S. Department of Energy which operates Hanford.
Agriculture
Agriculture is important in the Richland area; the Columbia basin grows excellent produce. Richland hosts an important food processor, ConAgra/Lamb-Weston, which processes potatoes and other foods.Business and industry
Tri-City Industrial Development Council promotes both agricultural related and technology related industries in the region.Recreation
Viticulture
Richland lies at the center of a flourishing viticulture area which produces internationally recognized wines in four major Washington appellations and serves as an ideal center for wine tours. The Columbia Valley appellation which surrounds Richland contains over 7000 hectares planted to wine grapes. On the west the Yakima Valley appellation includes 5000 hectares. To the east the Walla Walla Valley appellation includes 500 hectares of wine grapes. To the immediate west Red Mountain, with only 350 hectares planted to grapes, produces world class wines (consistent award-winning Cabernet Sauvignons from Washington's first quarter-century of fine winemaking often rely on fruit from Red Mountain vineyards near Richland). Barnard Griffin Winery, Bookwalter Winery and Tagaris Winery, all located in Richland, are three of the many excellent regional wineries. Another 20 excellent wineries lie within a 15 minute drive from Richland, and more than 100 wineries within a 60 mile radius with more appearing yearly as the superior viticultural soils of the region are recognized.Golf
Richland's exceptional climate makes golf one of the most popular sports. Three golf courses designed for varying levels of skill are available in Richland and seven beautiful courses are found in the area.Outdoor activities
Richland has developed a number of parks, several of them fronting on the Columbia and Yakima Rivers. The rivers provide boating, water skiing, fishing, kayaking and water fowl hunting opportunities for the outdoor enthusiast. Snow skiing and hiking are no more than 1-2 hours away.Richland lies within a semi-arid, shrub-steppe environment, and has a number of interesting natural areas within or contiguous to the city:
- The Yakima River delta and wetlands lie within Richland & provide habitat for many birds and animals. The area around the Yakima delta provides a wooded variation of the normal shrub-steppe.
- The Badger Mountain Centennial Preserve, located on the edge of Richland in the Richland GMA area, provides a spectacular view of the Tri-Cities as well as the Columbia and Yakima rivers. A non-profit group, Friends of Badger Mountain, worked to procure this shrub-steppe area that has most native vegetation intact and then in 2005 built a trail to the summit so others can enjoy it. The 2 kilometer trail rises 300 meters above the trail head in Richland.
- The Arid Lands Ecology Reserve, at the western edge of Richland on the Hanford Reservation, is the last remaining large block of undisturbed shrub-steppe habitat in the Pacific Northwest. The site has been closed to public since the 1940’s, preserving its character. It is managed as an environmental research area and wildlife reserve.
- North of Richland the Hanford Reach, the last free-flowing stretch of the Columbia River in the U.S., provides both excellent sight-seeing and superior salmon fishing. This free-flowing stretch flows through the Hanford Reach National Monument which was created by Presidential proclamation in 2000 and is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Volunteers are working to construct an interpretive center on Richland’s Columbia Point at the confluence of the Yakima a Columbia; as of January 2006, $22M of the necessary funds are in hand and construction is expected later in the year.
Professional sports
Three professional sports teams are found in the immediate area:- The Tri-City Americans WHL ice hockey team plays in Kennewick.
- The Tri-City Dust Devils Single-A baseball team (affiliated with the Colorado Rockies) plays in Pasco.
- The Tri-Cities Fever indoor football team, a member of the National Indoor Football League, plays in Kennewick.
Geography
Richland is located at (46.279657, -119.281377).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 97.8 km² (37.8 mi²). 90.2 km² (34.8 mi²) of it is land and 7.6 km² (2.9 mi²) of it (7.79%) is water. Elevation at the airport is 394 ft.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 38,708 people, 15,549 households, and 10,682 families residing in the city. The population density was 429.2/km² (1,111.8/mi²). There were 16,458 housing units at an average density of 182.5/km² (472.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.55% White, 1.37% African American, 0.76% Native American, 4.06% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 1.85% from other races, and 2.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.72% of the population.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.2% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $53,092, and the median income for a family was $61,482. Males had a median income of $52,648 versus $30,472 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,494. About 5.7% of families and 8.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.8% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.
Based on per capita income, one of the more reliable measures of affluence, Richland ranks 83rd of 522 areas ranked in the state of Washington--the highest rank achieved in Benton County.
Sister cities
Hsin Chu, Taiwan
See also
- Hanford High School
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
- Richland High School
- Richland School District
References
- Richland, Celebrating Its Heritage; Barbara J. Kubik; City of Richland, Washington; 1994
- Nuclear Culture: Living & Working in the World's Largest Atomic Complex; Paul Loeb; New Society Publishers; 1986; ISBN 0-86571-088-0
- Federal City Revisited: Atomic Energy and Community Identify in Richland, Washington; Christine F. Noonan; Thesis-Ball State University; 2000
- Hanford and the Bomb; S.L. Sanger, Living History Press; 1989; ISBN 0-9624867-0-1
External links
Photo gallery
Click on photo for full size image.
Image:RichlandWaHowardAmonPark.JPG|One of a string of parks, Howard Amon Park, along the Columbia river in Richland. Photo taken on a wintery January day. (January 2006)
Image:RichlandWaKadlecHospital.JPG|Kadlec Medical Center, a regional hospital in Richland. (January 2006)
Image:RichlandWaRattlesnakeYakima.jpg|Rattlesnake Mountain and Yakima River from the Richland Horn Rapids area
Image:P1150044.JPG|The view of Rattlesnake Mountain from the Horn Rapids Golf Course in Richland. (January 2006)
Image:RichlandWaRattlesnake-1.jpg|Rattlesnake Mountain as seen from the Richland Horn Rapids area. (January 2006)
Image:RichlandWaPNNL 1.jpg|Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Campus in Richland. PNNL has been operated for the U.S. Department of Energy by Battelle Memorial Institute since 1965. (January 2006)
Image:RichlandWaEMSL.jpg|William R. Wiley Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL), a U.S. Department of Energy national scientific user facility at PNNL. Richland. (January 2006)
Image:P1150058.JPG|This photo shows the Consolidated Information Center (CIC), which is operated jointly by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Washington State University (WSU). It is located on the WSU Tri-Cities campus in Richland. (January 2006)
Image:RichlandWaStatueJohnDamPlaza.JPG|Statue of a girl and a boy reading. This is located in John Dam Plaza, Richland. (January 2006)
Image:RichlandWaOfficeBldgs.JPG|Office buildings located on Jadwin Avenue, Richland. (January 2006)
Image:RichlandWaKadlecHospital.JPG|Kadlec Medical Center, Richland, Washington. (January 2006)
Image:RichlandWaMedicalOffices.JPG|Medical Offices near Kadlec Medical Center, Richland, Washington. (January 2006)
Image:RichlandWaCBCMedical.JPG|Columbia Basin College's new medical training facility under construction near Kadlec Medical Center, Richland, Washington. (January 2006)
Image:RichlandWaCBCRichlandClassrooms.JPG|Columbia Basin College classrooms in Richland (across street from new medical training facility near Kadlec hospital). (January 2006)
Image:RichlandWaLibrary.JPG|Richland Public Library facade. Richland, Washington. (January 2006)
Image:RichlandWaRattlesnakeFromBadger.JPG|Rattlesnake Mountain as seen from the public park on Badger Mountain in Richland. (January 2006)
Image:RichlandWaBadgerTrail.jpg|The public park trail up Badger Mountain in the Badger Mountain Centennial Preserve in Richland. (January 2006)
Image:RichlandWaBadgerTrail-A.jpg|The confluence of the Yakima & the Columbia as seen from Badger Mountain, Richland. (January 2006)
Image:P1150033.JPG|Richland as seen from Badger Mountain, Richland. (January 2006)
Image:RichlandWaBadgerTrail-C.jpg|Rattlesnake as seen from Badger Mountain, Richland. (January 2006)
Image:RichlandWaIndustry.jpg|Industrial Hearth Melting produces Titanium in Richland. (January 2006)
Image:RichlandWaIndustry 2.jpg|Ferguson's Richland Distribution Center. Note new construction in foreground. (January 2006)
Cities in Washington | Benton County, Washington | Tri-Cities, Washington
"Richland, Washington"