The first mural was Toppenish's first Mural-in-a-Day, painted on June 3, 1989, to launch the ambitious mural program. Designed by Phil Kooser of Yakima, the mural was painted under his direction by 15 noted western artists who collaborated on the 40-foot painting on the side of the Western Auto building at Washington Ave. and Toppenish Ave. It depicts the tremendous effort put forth by settlers in the area.]]>
Immerse yourself in Haller's Defeat and it practically crackles with the sounds of gunfire and the beating of horses' hoofs. Located just off East Toppenish Ave. on Asotin Avenue, it covers a Les Schwab Tire wall 108 feet long. The mural, painted by Fred Oldfield, portrays a battle fought in 1855 a few miles southwest of Toppenish between 80 troops from Fort Dalles in Oregon and an estimated thousand Yakama Indians.]]>
3. FIFTEEN MILES & A CHANGE OF HORSES. On a sunny Saturday in June of 1990, 14 western artists from around the Pacific Northwest gathered to paint the second Mural-in-a-Day on the Roadrunner building on West First Street. Designed by Phil Kooser, the mural takes you back to an old-time Toppenish stage coach depot of the 1880s. The depot burned down in 1928.]]>
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Gambling has been a favorite activity of many cultures through the ages. "The Indian Stick Game" shows Northwest Indians gathered around to pit their wits and luck against one another. The age-old stick game was played by Indians at any function where they had the space and time. You can still see it played at modern day pow wows, including at the Indian Village during the Fourth of July Toppenish Pow Wow. Yakima artist Mavis Willson painted this mural at Top Cleaners, 11 Washington Ave.]]>
Snow on the ground, a crisp chill in the air, a hot cup of coffee extended to a friend. It's Christmas day in the Old West. In his second mural for the Toppenish Mural Society, Fred Oldfield painted a scene from his own past, a scene he once lived as a former cowboy from Toppenish. Called "Christmas at Logy Creek," in this mural, two Indians share their fire and food with a cowboy friend. The mural is on the Family Bargain Center building at 14 Washington Ave.]]>
7. THE RHYTHMS OF CELILO. Nothing tells the story of Northwest Indians better than the saga of the majestic salmon. And nobody tells that story quite like Yakima artist Phil Kooser. In "The Rhythms of Celilo," Kooser has brought back the traditional fishing ritual practiced by Indian tribes of the Toppenish area. The mural, located on the former Pacific Power building at Third Street and South Elm, captures the life and feeling of a bygone day. Jack Fordyce assisted in the painting.]]>
It may be a far cry from heaven to our eyes, but to early-day settlers, this street was paradise. This turn-of-the-century scene is the work of Val Kerby of Toppenish. It is based on a photograph of Toppenish's first main street, taken in 1905. It is located on the side of S&S Sales at 311 Asotin Ave. next to the Toppenish school bus garage. Gary Kerby assisted his father with the painting]]>
This mural by Robert Thomas of Kooskia, Idaho, shows an early hop harvest when the crop was picked by hand. This was usually done by Indians from all over the Northwest, who came to the Toppenish area each year with their families, pets and chickens. They set up small Indian villages of teepees at the hop fields, staying until the harvest was completed. The mural was funded by the hop industry, which also paid for and developed a park called Old Timers Plaza, adjacent to the mural.]]>
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Roger Cooke, a well-known artist from Sandy, Oregon, has recreated a composite of Toppenish's early day blacksmith shops - there were four of them at the turn of the century. Blacksmith shops were the backbone of the local economy then, repairing wagon wheels, shoeing horses, and manufacturing various metal products.]]>
The twelfth mural in the series depicts a potato harvest of bygone days. Sponsored by Toppenish?s Bouchey families potato growers the mural illustrates the back-breaking work potato harvest was until the development of mechanized harvesting. Fred Oldfield, with a little help from his friends, completed this mural across from Old Timers Plaza downtown in the summer of 1991]]>
Rodeo recalls the early Toppenish round-ups when cowboys and ranchers would get together for a little friendly competition. Artist Newman Myrah of Portland, Oregon, illustrates the rodeo theme with his version of a timeworn poster with brick showing through. It is painted on the west wall of Ferguson's Saddlery at South Alder and West First. A photo of Myrah working on the mural has received widespread notoriety in local, regional, and national publications. He?s pictured on a ladder in his straw hat, painting the mural. Myrah came back later and surprised the town by painting himself into the mural on a ladder doing his work. People now do a double take...Is it the artist?...Or is it a painting of the artist]]>
A mural in four panels, it was painted in early 1992 by Val Kerby and shows the fort area as it was in the early 1850s. Fort Simcoe, about 30 miles west of Toppenish. The mural is located on the American Legion building on West First.]]>
Governor Stevens of the Washington Territory sat down with several northwestern Indian chiefs to sign the far-reaching Treaty of 1855. In this mural in downtown Toppenish near the post office, the Indians were represented by Chief Kamiakin of the Yakamas. It was painted in May of 1992 by Roger Cooke of Sandy, Oregon.]]>
Using a catalogue from the turn of the century, artist Robert Morgan of Clancy, Montana, made certain that the blankets being traded in this mural show the authentic patterns of the time. The mural is above Kraff's clothing store on South Toppenish Ave., downtown, and was painted in May of 1992]]>
Artist Robert Thomas shows the various methods of moving commodities to market in this collage. Thomas was born and raised in Toppenish and now resides in Kooskia, Idaho. The mural is on the wall of the Pow Wow Emporium adjacent to Old Timers Plaza in downtown Toppenish.]]>
Painted as the fourth mural-in-a-day by a dozen northwest artists, this mural shows the red and green chuck wagon that was a common sight at roundup time. The design was created by artist Newman Myrah of Portland, Oregon. The mural is located on a free standing wall near Central Valley Bank.]]>
Dr. Johnson purchased one of the first automobiles in the area for the purpose of making house calls. Since he often had trouble starting the car, he always kept his horse and buggy ready. Painted by Yakima artists Jack Fordyce and Phil Kooser, this mural shows Dr. Johnson giving up on the automobile and switching to the buggy. It is painted on the wall of Providence Toppenish Hospital on Fourth Street.]]>
Although the winters were long, cold and bleak, the local tribes survived the hardships. The winter lodge was the gathering place for social functions. Hulan Fleming of Bothell, Washington, painted this mural to depict a typical winter encampment. It is located on the north wall of the Kirkwood Building on South Toppenish Ave.]]>
Dear to the hearts of many pioneers of the Toppenish area is the memory of Saturdays spent buying and trading livestock, produce, and various wares. The market and auction took place where the post office now stands. Artist Robert Thomas, who remembers the Saturday market from his youth spent in Toppenish, brings the scene to life in this mural at Central Valley Bank.]]>
Women like Ruth Parton helped put Toppenish on the map in the early days with feats depicted in this mural of several panels painted by Lesa Delisi of Cashmere, Washington. Parton rode broncos, performed as a trick rider, and rode relay races at rodeos around the country. She was also inducted into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame. The mural is located on the United Telephone Co. building at Washington and Alder.]]>
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In 1893, Nevada and Josephine Lillie built a 10-room, two-story home with two inside bathrooms, steam heat, and a generator for electrical power. She is remembered as the "Mother of Toppenish," having platted much of the town. The mural was painted by Ju-hong "Joe" Chen of Portland, Oregon, on the H&H Furniture building.]]>
Artist Lanny Little from Portland, Oregon, used "architectural illusion" to give this mural a three-dimensional look when viewed from a distance. Panels on the theatre depict wild horses running free as they did in the Toppenish area until recently. It is located on South Toppenish Ave.]]>
For years the Logy Creek Cattle Association Cow Camp served as headquarters for local Indian roundups. Here the unmarked calves were branded before being pushed out to higher range. Bob F. Pierce and Newman Myrah, both of Portland, Oregon, painted this mural. It is located on the Toppenish Inn at South Elm near the intersection of Highway 97.]]>
Maud Bolin was one of the first female pilots and one of the first women to parachute jump. She was also a rodeo rider who competed in Madison Square Garden and in many of the famous rodeos around the West. Larry Kangas, the artist, is from Portland, Oregon. The mural is on the southwest wall of the Toppenish Review building at 11 East Toppenish Ave.]]>
There never was a dull stage coach race. In the early 1900s, this was one of the highlights of each rodeo. The action-filled mural was painted by Don Gray of Union, Oregon. It is located on the State Farm building on South Toppenish Ave.]]>
To see what downtown Toppenish looked like around 1906, visit the mural on the El Corral Motel on Highway 22 near the intersection with Highway 97. The mural was painted by Yakima artist Jack Fordyce with help from Phil Kooser, also from Yakima.]]>
The Trading Company was one of the first buildings in Toppenish and was built on railroad property since there were no lots available at the time. The painting was the sixth Mural-in-a-Day, painted on panels in Pioneer Park on June 4, 1994, by 12 artists. The mural is located on the east wall of the Toppenish Review building, at the corner of East Toppenish Ave. and A Street.]]>
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On two outside walls of the American Hop Museum at 22 S. 'B' Street, false architectural features are painted on the otherwise plain stucco surface, incorporating three archways which open as windows onto a series of typical ag scenes in the hop industry. The artist is Eric Allen Grohe.]]>
In this painting, because of the impending storm, the cattle are restless. The cattle dogs, which are dashing about, barking, and nipping at the cattle's hooves, are not helping the situation. The spooked cattle run down the middle of main street. The artist is Gary Kerby, now of Montana. The mural is located on West First Street.]]>
L. S. (Lou) Shattuck (1892-1978) was one of the original Toppenish Pow Wow Rodeo boosters. He helped organize the rodeo in the beginning. The artist is Don Gray from Flagstaff, Arizona. The mural is located on South Toppenish Avenue.]]>
Painted as 1995's Mural-in-a-Day, the mural depicts one of Toppenish?s old grade schools. Lincoln and Garfield elementary schools were built in 1908 and 1909. The designing artist was Roger Cooke of Sandy, Oregon.]]>
When the frontier towns were settled, the oldest profession was part of the scene. So it was in Toppenish. On the second floor windows of the Logan Building on Division Street, you can see the ladies, and get a feeling for the ebb and flow of activities. Betty Billups of Sandpoint, Idaho, was the artist.]]>
This is one of the two murals on the downtown 'Public Westrooms' created as the eighth annual Mural-in-a-Day, June 1, 1996. The building is located across Division Street from Old Timers Plaza in downtown Toppenish. A breezy spring in the early 1900s finds mom hanging the clothes and dad reading a catalog in the 'library.' Jack Fordyce of Yakima did the original painting.]]>
This is the second half of the 1996 Mural-in-a-Day, on the public restrooms in downtown Toppenish, also with a theme relating to outhouses. In the early days when outside plumbing was common, pranksters were on the prowl Halloween night and anybody using the facilities that night did so at their own peril. Jack Fordyce of Yakima is the creator. .]]>
After Governer Stevens was informed by Lt. George B. McClellan (later a general) that Snoqualmie Pass was probably impassable during the winer, he directed A. W. Tinkam, a civil engineer, to resurvey the route. This mural, on the Valley View Market building on East Toppenish Ave., was completed in 1996 by Gary Kerby of Toppenish.]]>
The J.D. Keck building, constructed in 1911, housed two early Toppenish businesses' a Chinese cafe and Mechtels Sugar Bowl Restaurant. In 1940, the Mercy theatre chain opened the Pix Theatre. The 16 windows, painted by Lisa Delisi, portray early lawyers, judges, and physicians who came to town in the early 1900s. The building is downtown on S. Toppenish Ave.]]>
Born near The Dalles, Oregon, in 1835, Alex McCoy was a descendant of the Wishram and Wasco tribes. He was a policeman under four different Indian agents, and served one term as an Indian judge. The mural was painted by Beryl Thomas and Jack Fordyce in 1996, and is on the Logan Building on Division Street.]]>
This mural, painted by Bill Ross and Jan Sovak of Alberta, Canada, depicts wildlife native to this area prior to its settlement. The mural is located on the north wall of the 88 Cents Store building downtown, at Washington and Toppenish Avenues]]>
In about 1910, a strapping, hard-drinking shepherd called Irish Dick traded a pet bear cub to a Toppenish saloon-keeper for whiskey. Some months later, the rowdy shepherd was in town when his grown-up pet escaped, panicking townsfolk. He offered to return the bear to its tether. A terrible fight on mainstreet ended when an unharmed bear was returned to saloon servitude and a brave and bloodied Irishman was taken to the hospital. The mural, painted by Bill Ross and Jan Sovak, is on the 88 Cents Store building at Washington and Toppenish Avenues.]]>
The judge watches as the prosecutor presents the evidence. A small glass of water is held above an old milk can. Charged with diluting milk, the farmer sits with hat on knee, his lawyer standing behind him. The mural, also painted by Ross and Sovak, is on the east wall of the city jail building.]]>
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In 1907, mail was first delivered to the rural areas of Toppenish. This was the early start of Rural Free Delivery. The postman has to furnish his own horse and buggy. Routes were about 23 miles long. These two murals were 1997 murals-in-a-day, designed by Jack Fordyce. One is a winter scene, the other is a summer scene. If the postman was a bachelor, he occasionally found himself the recipient of home-baked goodies, delivered by the farmer's daughter. These murals is on the Los Murales Restaurant building downtown.]]>
The unique and beautiful designs on baskets made by the Yakama peoples represent the oldest continuous art form in the Valley, one that is still practiced today. The mural by Janet Essley is painted on the Toppenish Pawn and Trade building at Division near Toppenish Ave.]]>
In 1896, Toppenish had lots of sagebrush, a few buildings, and no churches. The town's first church was incorporated as the Methodist Church on Aug. 26, 1898, at the corner of Asotin Avenue and Beech Street. It was moved to its present location in 1909, on the corner of Chehalis and Beech, where this mural was painted, recalling the early days of the building which served as both a church and school. Painted by Roger Cooke.]]>
This dance is done to traditional Indian songs. The name was derived from a legend of some Indian boys who were playing warrior games on the prairie and who looked over a bluff to see a group of prairie chickens dancing (it was the mating season!). It is also known as the Round Bustle Dance. Painted by George Flett on the Maid O' Clover/Shell Station building.]]>
Also painted on the Maid O' Clover building by George Flett. It depicts a traditional dance in which both men and women participate.]]>
One of Toppenish more unusual murals, it was painted in colors reminiscent of sepia-toned old photographs. The Toppenish depot was a hub of activity for nearly 100 years, with both passenger and freight trains stopping on their routes east and west. Painted by Bill Ross at a visitor information and RV dump site at the corner of Washington Avenue and South Elm Street]]>
The 1998 Mural-in-a-Day, designed by Robert Thomas, and painted by a dozen participating artists. The huge project helped control flooding, providing a channel for drainage of water on the reservation. Painted on panels and then mounted on the Ideal Hardware building on West First.]]>
The first cattle in the Yakima Valley were brought in by Chief Kamiakin in 1840. Many more cattle drives came through the Valley in later years. This mural depicts the life and times of the cattle drover on such a drive. Painted by Don Gray, assisted by Jared Gray, on the Washington Beef building at Highway 97 and Fort Road.]]>
This mural depicts several well-known and revered Yakama Indian legends, including the legend of Spilyay, the trickster who most often appeared as a coyote. Painted by Cameron Blagg, assisted by Gene Andy, Gene Andy Jr., and Pat Coffey on the Yakamart building at Highway 97 and Fort Road.]]>
55. INDIAN HORSE RACES. Charlie Newell's knowledge of the Indian language and his acquaintance with the Yakama enabled him to avert a crisis. The Indian Agency had forbidden the racing of horses on the track and gambling at their meets. At Newell's suggestion, the Yakamas drafted a request to Washington D.C. to rescind the order, which was granted. This mural depicts the time and the races. Painted by Ken Carter on the Ray Reid building on Toppenish Avenue.]]>
Some of the first contact between white men and the Yakama involved trading. And some of the most prized trading items were horses. Painted by Cameron Blagg, assisted by Gene Andy, Gene Andy Jr., and Pat Coffey on the Yakamart building at Highway 97 and Fort Road.]]>
Painted as 1999's mural in a day and designed by Ken Carter, this mural shows one of Toppenish's early day gas stations, at one time known as the Windmill Service Station.]]>
Painted as 2000's mural in a day, it is located on the Benton Rural Electric Association building at East Toppenish Ave. and 'H' Street. It shows crews and farmers hooking up a farm house in the 1930s to electricity. Designing artist was Ken Carter of Prosser]]>
Called the Mystery House because even today some details about its origin and use are not known, the house was built south of town near where Highway 97 now runs. It still is standing, in a weathered condition, on the old Goldendale Highway about six miles south of Toppenish. The mural was painted by Robert Walton and is located on the NAPA Auto Parts building on West First St]]>
The outline and design of this mural depicts the sarape, a woven blanket worn by Hispanics as a cloak or poncho. The mural tells the story of the braceros, workers who came from Mexico to help harvest the crops in the 1940s. The mural was painted by Daniel DeSiga and is located on the back of the Marketplace on Second Ave.]]>
On June 14, 1925, the first swimming pool was opened and was privately owned about a quarter mile west of Toppenish. This mural, painted in one day by a dozen artists, depicts the family fun enjoyed in those days. It is on the side of the swimming pool building on Lincoln Ave. Lead artist was Roger Cooke.]]>
This mural on the west wall of the school bus garage near the railroad tracks shows school buses in a scene circa 1930 at the Four Way Filling Station. The buses often gassed up there or had minor repairs done. It was painted in October of 2001 by Bill McCusker and Jack Fordyce.]]>
Painted on the wall of Coco's Hair Salon on East Toppenish Avenue, this mural is unique in that it was painted by an all-woman team of artists. Noted western artist Fred Oldfield led the team of about a dozen women who created this nostalgic scene of an old barn dance.]]>
A mural-in-a-day coordinated by Robert Walton, the painting represents an area when sagebrush and bunch grass grew rampant on the Valley floor. It was in the early 1800s when the railroad came to the Valley, with construction beginning in the spring of 1884, depicted in the mural. See it on the building next to the old Toppenish depot.]]>
Painted by Dave Bartholet, this mural shows the migratory waterfowl attracted to the Toppenish Creek refuge just south of town]]>
Kennewick artist Don Brown designed this two-panel double mural depicting scenes from Toppenish rodeos in the past. The panels frame the south entrance to the rodeo grounds on Division Street.]]>
This mural is located high upon the 88 Cents Store building at Toppenish and Washington Avenues, on the south wall, depicting Yakama Indian Nation leaders of the early days.]]>
This Mural-in-a-Day was designed in three panels by Roger Cooke and painted on the Legends Casino building in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the signing.]]>
Clara Kraff was one of Toppenish's pioneer business woman, first doing business with a small store at an area hop field and later with her husband in downtown Toppenish, selling clothing and shoes. Don Crook was the artist]]>