Kennewick and Richland reputation (Spokane, Yakima: crime, houses, safest area)

[ckhthankgod]

Just curious from reading past stories and this woman’s bio: Barton, Katie D. Morgan (1918-2010) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed

Do these two cities still have a reputation for racial intolerance/discrimination? I know that things change, but is there still a reputation in this regard that these cities can’t shake, to some degree?

I also did know about Pasco’s Black community/population, as well as the large Mexican population there and in the other cities/area as well. I also did hear about Kennewick being a “sundown” town. I didn’t know that this man was once the mayor of Pasco though: Jackson, Joe Winston (1933- ) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed

Also, besides Pasco, where else did all of those Black workers live if they couldn’t live in Kennewick or Richland? Yakima? Spokane? Other nearby communities?

[Hemlock140]

The reputation we hear about has nothing to do with racial issues, it’s that people there “glow in the dark”. I spent a few days in Pisco doing some work in 2009, and didn’t see anything to be concerned about there, seemed like a very normal small city.

[M3 Mitch]

I have heard that, say in the 50's, way before my time here, if you didn't live in Richland, the cops would stop you and hassle you, if they found you after sundown. Likewise in Kennewick. Back in the production days, you had to work at Hanford to live in Richland, it was a "closed city". Houses, the old "letter" houses, were rented for a very nominal amount to employees. Bad news was if you quit or were fired, you lost your house as well.



I have also heard that most blacks living in Pasco is a remnant from when Pullman Porters had a presence there.


This is all ancient history. People of whatever race live in any of the Tri-Cities, with no problems, and it's been that way for over 25 years that I know of.

[pnwguy2]

Originally Posted by M3 Mitch

I have heard that, say in the 50's, way before my time here, if you didn't live in Richland, the cops would stop you and hassle you, if they found you after sundown. Likewise in Kennewick. Back in the production days, you had to work at Hanford to live in Richland, it was a "closed city". Houses, the old "letter" houses, were rented for a very nominal amount to employees. Bad news was if you quit or were fired, you lost your house as well.

Yes, and add of the heavy railroad industry that employed many blacks in the early to mid 20th century....ancient history. People of whatever race live in any of the Tri-Cities, with no problems, and it's been that way for over 25 years that I know of.

It's been that way for many more years than 25...(25 was just 1993, hard to believe. Tri-Cities has been integrated to some effect since the late 1950's, though back then there were different neighborhoods where one was expected to live, not unlike most US cities. As you mention, the railroad workers were also influential in the build up of the Pasco railyard, one of the largest in the State, and Northwest for that matter.

[87112]

I am thinking of Tri Cities now instead of moving to Albuquerque next year or in 2. Its basically ABQ in a smaller scale. Hardly rains, gets very warm and very cold. Tons of sun and a river divides the city. The crime stats in ABQ are mind numbing bad, I would have to worry about coming home to nothing so often.

Oh yeah, the scenery seems quite similar.

[Tall Traveler]

Originally Posted by 87112

I am thinking of Tri Cities now instead of moving to Albuquerque next year or in 2. Its basically ABQ in a smaller scale. Hardly rains, gets very warm and very cold. Tons of sun and a river divides the city. The crime stats in ABQ are mind numbing bad, I would have to worry about coming home to nothing so often.

Oh yeah, the scenery seems quite similar.

We decided to retire in Tri Cities and bought a house there and I'll probably work for another 9 months. Now wife decided she wants to build a house from scratch and we bought a lot in West Richland to do that...now I just want to make sure this is where we want to retire before building.

Richland is a safe place, has excellent bike trails, good health care and decent housing stock and the climate I guess is fine with plenty of summer sun but there is a substantial gray period in the winter and then Spring brings a lot of wind. I think Albuquerque has an overall better climate and is a larger city if you prefer that but you will have to be sure you get in the safest area of the city.

[pnwguy2]

Tri-Cities continues to boom. Just checked Tri vs. Abq. in metro area growth...

2010 vs. 2017 estimates:

Albuquerque +2.7%
Tri-Cities +14.6%

Of course, Albuquerque is still the larger metro area, and these figures perhaps mean that housing is going up in value faster in The Tri. Still affordable, IMO.

The rest of it is pretty subjective. The two cities have similar temps in the summer, but Albuquerque gets more rain with the monsoon season. In winter, Albuquerque is slightly warmer in the winter, but both cities usually avoid much snow.

[M3 Mitch]

Originally Posted by Tall Traveler

We decided to retire in Tri Cities and bought a house there and I'll probably work for another 9 months. Now wife decided she wants to build a house from scratch and we bought a lot in West Richland to do that...now I just want to make sure this is where we want to retire before building.

Richland is a safe place, has excellent bike trails, good health care and decent housing stock and the climate I guess is fine with plenty of summer sun but there is a substantial gray period in the winter and then Spring brings a lot of wind. I think Albuquerque has an overall better climate and is a larger city if you prefer that but you will have to be sure you get in the safest area of the city.

I can understand the sentiment, but, if push comes to shove, and you build a house that's not too off-beat or unusual, you should have no problems selling on, if you want.

[Tall Traveler]

Originally Posted by M3 Mitch

I can understand the sentiment, but, if push comes to shove, and you build a house that's not too off-beat or unusual, you should have no problems selling on, if you want.

Well....we bought a house 2 years ago that was new and wife wants to sell it partially to build a house suitable to my height of 6'6" so a custom house....which is why I want both of us to be sure this is where we want to retire and have the winter home in Phoenix.

After realtor fees, transaction costs, etc. we expect to break even on the house we bought 2 years ago but it hasn't sold yet so we'll see.

[MFij]

I lived in both Richland and Kennewick for several years while working for the Department of Energy. I personally witnessed black CITIZENS being hassled in Richland (e.g., ignored while trying to check out in a store, having the police called on them just because they asked someone to jump their car due to a dead battery). And Kennewick was worse. The street we lived on had one black family and one asian family. Their children were shunned by other children (it was a Mormon neighborhood), their houses were egged, and the black family had their mailbox bombed. I was more than happy when we left and would never go back to the Tri-Cities. And while I am on it, Walla Walla was not too welcoming either. At work, there were no problems.