Yakama Nation Reservation & Toppenish, Wa.

We worked inside the RV every day while parked at the wineries, starting before daybreak here but just in time for the start of the workday back East.  Afternoons meant a walk or a visit to the nearest grocery store or library, where free Wifi means we can save on our data costs.

On our second day in the Yakima Valley we visited the Cultural Center in the Yakama Nation Reservation where visitors can learn about the Yakama belief system, see examples of their shelters and how the dams on the Columbia River devastated the salmon, a staple of their diet. 

The exterior of the Yakama Nation Cultural Center.

​The Cultural Center does not allow photos, but other aspects of local culture were displayed in murals in Toppenish, a small city created when white settlers managed to get deeds to some of the Yakama reservation land.
 
Over 25 years, artists have created more than 75 murals that show a view of the city’s history.  We had lunch at a Mexican restaurant in downtown Toppenish and saw these few examples of their mural creations.