History Sunnyside, Washington

iconic barn in sunnyside

on september 16, 1902, residents voted 42 1 incorporate town of sunnyside. state law town needed have 300 citizens in order legally incorporate. 314 residents, sunnyside eligible legally vote incorporation.

the first mayor of sunnyside town druggist james henderson.

the settlement founded walter granger in 1893. name sunnyside coined merchant named w. h. cline. granger involved in financing , construction of sunnyside canal allow yakima river water irrigate area. however, due panic of 1893, granger s creditors foreclosed on canal, , town s population dwindled 7 families. however, end of 1901, population had doubled, exceeding 300 people. townsite contained 1 bank, 11 stores, 3 hotels, 1 newspaper, 2 blacksmith shops, 2 livery barns, 3 churches, , large , growing school.

sunnyside s population increase @ time stimulated immigration of dunkards south dakota moving town. population of dunkards of such notable size 1902 noted had built commodious place of worship @ sunnyside largest church in yakima county @ time.

the dunkards, members of german baptist progressive brethren, relocated sunnyside in order form called christian cooperative colony. brethren bought entire town site , developers of first bank, , telephone system. enforced clauses prohibiting alcohol, dancing, , gambling condition on every parcel of land sold. because of this, old maps of washington identify town cross or halo symbol.

later, in 1930s, refugees dust bowl moved sunnyside.

under leadership of mayor william bright billy cloud (1870–1959), sunnyside initiated project pave dirt streets on june 5, 1917. project necessary since years of irrigation had raised water table point streets had become unbearably muddy. cost of entire project $62,629.45.

in 1948, sunnyside became first city in state of washington adopt council-manager plan of government (see rcw 35a.13). plan provides elected city council responsible policy making, , professional city manager, appointed council, responsible administration. city manager provides policy advice, directs daily operations of city government, handles personnel functions (including power appoint , remove employees) , responsible preparing city budget. under council-manager statutes, city council prohibited interfering manager s administration. city manager; however, directly accountable , can removed majority vote of council @ time.

sunnyside awarded distinction of being all-america city in 1979.