Kennewick, Washington

Kennewick, Washington is located in the southeastern region of Washington, on the west coast of the United States. The city is located in Benton County and is part of the Tri-Cities area with Richland and Pasco. Kennewick is the most populated of the three cities. All three cities have enjoyed positive growth in the last decade.

The city is located on the banks of the Columbia River opposite from Pasco and just south of where the Yakima and Columbia Rivers meet. As of 2010 census, Kennewick had a population of just less than 74,000.

Forbes magazine has named neighboring Yakima as number one in the area for job growth and Kennewick as number two. Two reasons were prominent in Forbes reaching this decision: First the area is very good farmland and secondly because of the presence of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory that draws in many employees.

The city leads Washington in many categories with an excellent retail area, a very talented labor pool, steady job growth and one of the state's lowest costs of living. The city boasts over 300 days of annual sunshine. Kennewick is now one of Washington's most popular tourist destinations. Kennewick Man's remains found on the banks of the Columbia river has helped the city get its name.

Welcome to the city of Kennewick, where you will be able to make just about anything happen. The city also has a bustling nightlife, various places to eat, places to see and can also offer you a great shopping experience. It is also an area of history and culture.

Kennewick History

In 1996, the remains found on the bank of the Columbia River were named Kennewick Man. The remains were said to be over 9,300 years old and were notable for the Caucasoid features even though they were indigenous. The rightful owner of the remains has been an ongoing controversy.

Kennewick is believed to mean grassy place as well as winter paradise because of the very mild winters. In the late 1800s, railroads and steamboats connected the outside world with Kennewick on the Columbia River. At that same time, a bridge connecting Kennewick with Pasco was also built.

In the late 1890s, ditches were dug and pumps brought in to irrigate for agriculture in the highlands of Kennewick. Afterwards water was easily transported to vineyards and orchards starting, which began to create more jobs in the area and bring more people in the area.

In 1904, the area was incorporated and named Kennewick. The opening of the Dalles-Celilo canal connected the city to the Pacific Ocean took place in 1915. The Northern Pacific Railroad helped to give Kennewick its name in the area. The railroad helped to put Kennewick on the map by creating jobs thus people needed a place to live. Kennewick also started to become famous for the grape juice that was made in a local factory and a creamery. For many years, the three - the creamery, juice factory and railroad - were the largest employers in the city.

The 1940s brought more growth and the city was chosen as the location for the Manhattan Project. That helped to turn the city into a thriving and bustling mini-metropolis. The city has continued to grow since then and now has over 70,000 residents. Between the 1940s and present day has seen the city became famous for its lightning industry, great agricultural products and above all great wine.

The weather created a sanctuary for growing grapes for wine and people came in droves to buy land and start harvesting grapes. At times, it was the grape rush of the west with people coming from afar to make it rich producing wine.

Today the city boasts great weather, some of the most talented workers in the state, a sound school system, excellent tourism and a great tourism infrastructure, with very good hotels and a number of restaurants that offer local and international cuisine from burgers and fries to dishes for over $100. Kennewick is the largest of the three cities that make up the Tri-Cities in the southwestern part of Washington and is located in Benton County that was created in 1905.

About Kennewick, Washington

Kennewick enjoys great weather throughout the year which is one of the main reasons the city has become one of Washington's leaders in tourism. The city is in the heart of wine country in Washington and Kennewick has over 160 wineries that all are within a fifty-mile radius. The wineries not only provide great wines for those visiting or living in the area but offer many different tours so visitors can see how the process of making wine is carried out.

Since the city is located on the Columbia River there are a myriad of water sports to enjoy as well as other recreational activities like birding, fishing, bike riding and there are plenty of parks to visit. Since the sun is always out or seems to be, outdoor activities are the most popular thing to enjoy in and around the city. Golfing is one of the most popular sports in the area. There are seven courses in the area to choose from along with two putting courses. There are also public courses to choose from as well.

The CREHST (Columbia River Exhibition of History, Science and Technology) science center and museum addresses the history of the entire Columbia Basin region on both a natural and human level. There are permanent and temporary exhibits to enjoy. Themes in the museum exhibits include nuclear science, American history, hydropower, geology and fish in the Columbia River.

The area also hosts the Columbia Cup races. These are hydroplane races. They are held each year at the end of July. There are also times you can tour and see the boats, get autographs from the drivers and see an air show.

Wine Tastings and tours are very popular in this area. The vineyards seem to run on for miles and miles. Wine has become the treasure of this region. There are wine rooms open for tasting year round and many of them have added picnic area, gift shops and other interesting options to add to the experience. The Tri Cities have four celebrations each year celebrating wine and all are equally exciting.

Parks abound in the area. Columbia Park located on the north side of the Columbia River is over 300 acres in size. There is a beautiful golf course in the park and visitors can enjoy waterskiing, tennis, camping and boating. The Sacajawea State Park and Interpretive Center is also located here and makes for a great afternoon visiting and seeing a number of exhibits such as Lewis and Clark and Native Americans. Recreational activities include fishing, boating, swimming and more.

About Benton County, Washington

Benton County is located in the southern part of the state of Washington and is bounded on three sides: north, east and south by the Columbia River. The population of the county as of the 2010 census was just over 175,000 people. The city of Prosser is the county seat for Benton County and the largest city in the county is Kennewick. The county was named after Thomas Hart Benton, a Missouri Senator.

Benton County was formed in 1905 from Klickitat County. The area has been known for its great agriculture due to the excellent weather with lots of sunshine and very mild winters. Over the past twenty to thirty years, viticulture has helped tremendously with the tourism and agricultural industries in the county. There are over 160 wineries in the county and many wine tasting rooms that are enjoyed by many tourists and visitors on a year round basis.

There are over 53,000 households in the county with 38% having children who were less than 18 years of age, 57% were married couples, 10% had a female who was head of the household and no adult male present and 28% were non families. Almost one in four households consisted of individuals.

The population was made up of 86% white, 1% black or African American and 12% Hispanic, the rest were a mixed of many different ancestries. Thirty percent of the population was less than 18. From 18 years old to 24 there was 8.5%, from 25 to 44 the percentage was 29.5%, from 45 years old to 64 there were 23% and over 65 represented just over 10%.

Median income for household in Benton County was $47,000 with a family's median income averaging $54,100. Male median income was $45,500 while women averaged $27,200. The per capita income for all of Benton County was $21,300. Only 10% of the population was below the poverty line.