SENATE RESOLUTION

                             8750

By Senator Honeyford

     WHEREAS, the Washington State Senate has, on occasion, recognized and honored historic events that have united the citizens of Washington and shaped the character of the state; and

     WHEREAS, the establishment of cities and towns in territorial Washington laid the foundation for the growth of our communities and the economic prosperity of the state; and

     WHEREAS, Ben Snipes, the first white settler to arrive in the Yakima Valley in 1854, built a cabin and set his cattle to graze on the lush pastures of the valley; and

     WHEREAS, thirty-nine years later, the growing town site sought to attract its first local business, a much needed general store, by inviting then-well-known business man W.H. Cline to build a store in Mayhew; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. W.H. Cline said he could not dare the fates to move to a place called Mayhew, so the town's leaders asked Mr. Cline what he would call the town.  Sunnyside, he replied, and the townspeople offered to change the name if Mr. Cline would stay and open a store; and             WHEREAS, Mr. Cline opened his store in Sunnyside in 1893 and quickly gained the respect and trust of the community, later becoming a member of the Washington State House of Representatives and the Yakima County Commission; and

     WHEREAS, H.M. Lichty of Nebraska, Chris Rowland of Illinois, and S.J. Harrison of Iowa, obtained the town site in 1898, establishing Sunnyside as a Christian cooperative colony; and  

     WHEREAS, these gentlemen instituted a property deed forfeiture clause that lasted until the late 1930s, forbidding the sale of alcoholic beverages, gambling and other vices conducted on the premises, earning Sunnyside the nickname of Holy City, designated as such by crosses and halos on then published maps; and

     WHEREAS, the Sunnyside Irrigation Project help spur significant growth and investment in the fertile region when the water first flowed to the town from the Sunnyside Canal in 1893; and

     WHEREAS, the grand nature of the valley, coupled with these developments, inspired Mr. Harrison to act in the spirit of economic development by promoting the town with statements like

     "Guaranteed incomes from investments of enhancing values.  Government Irrigation.   Water appurtenant and to inseparable from the land.  Sure Crops.  Good markets and     railroad facilities. Rich deep soil.  Mild Climate.  Big money in farm, garden, orchard,   stock, dairy, poultry or bees.  Wages high.  Work plenty the year round;" and

     WHEREAS, the townspeople voted to incorporate Sunnyside on September 16, 1902, by a vote of 42-1, and the first town council meeting was held on September 24, 1902, with new mayor and local druggist, James Henderson, leading new council members, C.W. Taylor, William Hitchcock, Joseph Lannin and George Vetter.

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Washington State Senate recognize and honor the city of Sunnyside as it celebrates its one hundredth birthday this year; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the current Mayor of Sunnyside, Ed Prilucik.  

I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 8750,

adopted by the Senate February 21, 2002.

TONY M. COOK

Secretary of the Senate