WHEREAS, The City of Toppenish is located on land that originally
was part of the Yakama Indian Reservation, the name Toppenish deriving
from the Indian word "Xuupinish," which means sloping and spreading,
and the Allotment Act of February 8, 1887, allowed this land to be
owned by individual tribal members; and
WHEREAS, 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, the acreage eventually
being divided and subdivided and sold which led to the establishment of
the Town of Toppenish; and
WHEREAS, The notice of election was published in the Toppenish
Review and an election held to incorporate as a fourth class town, in
which one hundred votes for incorporation were cast and no votes in
opposition, with Leonard Talbot elected Mayor, Levi J. Goodrich,
Treasurer, and A. J. Allphin, C. W. Grant, John R. Harvey, A. W.
McDonald, and James E. Townsend, Councilmembers, and with the election
being certified on April 23, 1907, and filed with the Secretary of
State on April 29, 1907; and
WHEREAS, The current elected officials for the City of Toppenish
are Mayor William L. Rogers and Councilmembers Loren O. Belton, Alfredo
H. Diaz, Allen G. Hubert, Clara R. Jimenez, Blaine R. Thorington, and
Elaine D. Willman; and
WHEREAS, The events planned for the Toppenish Centennial
Celebration include birthday cake festivities and a centennial hoedown
on April 28th, and an Old Fashioned Picnic and Hamper Auction, a time
capsule viewing, pageant, and dance on April 29th;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate
officially recognize and congratulate the City of Toppenish and its
citizens on the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Town of
Toppenish; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be
immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to William L.
Rogers, Mayor of the City of Toppenish; and to Mike Lindsey, Publisher,
The Review Independent (formerly The Toppenish Review).