A brief glimpse at the history of Toppenish

As with any town turning 100 years old, Toppenish has a tremendous amount of history.

Prior to the white man coming to the valley, it was inhabited solely by Native Americans.

The only white settlers in the valley before the coming of the railroad in 1883 were stockman from other older settlements on the Columbia river.

The Treaty of 1855 between the U.S. government, Chief Kamiakin, and representatives from 13 other tribes and bands resulted in the Yakamas ceeding 16,920 square miles of their homeland.

All land set aside by the Treaty of 1855 was in the name of the tribe. None of it was individually owned.

The Allotment Act of February 8, 1887 allowed land to be individually owned. This news drew members of five Indian familes – Bowser, French, Olney, Robbins and Spencer to the vicinity of Toppenish to select lands for which they expected to apply for alltoments after surveying was completed.

Originally known as "squatter's claims", these land claims were the beginning of the individual title in which the City of Toppenish is built.

Josephine Bowser Lillie "The Mother of Toppenish" was the first to be granted a fee patent for her 80-acre allotment, removing it from government trust restrictions.

Eventually these plats were divided and subdivided and sold which eventually led to the establishment of the Town of Toppenish (Renamed in 1907 to the City of Toppenish).

Toppenish was an appropriate name for this town, as it is derived from an Indian word "Xuupinish", which means sloping and spreading.

As time moved on, various ethnic groups came to the valley. German, French, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Black and Hispanic people contributed to the growth of Toppenish and the surrounding communities.

Bibliography
Toppenish Historical Society. TOPPENISH from Sagebrush to 1997. Washington: Color Press, 1997