Yelm, Washington Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Yelm, Washington
City
Nickname(s): Pride of the Prairie
Location of Yelm, Washington
Country	United States
State	Washington
County	Thurston
Government
• Type	Mayor-Council
Area
• Total	5.72 sq mi (14.81 km²)
• Land	5.71 sq mi (14.79 km²)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.02 km²)
Elevation	354 ft (108 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	6,848
• Estimate (2019)	9,456
• Density	1,655.75/sq mi (639.23/km²)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code	98597
Area code	360
FIPS code	53-80220
GNIS feature ID	1512817

Yelm is a city in Thurston County, Washington, United States. Its population was 6,848 at the 2010 census. At the beginning of the 21st century, Yelm was the 10th fastest growing city in the state in regard to population.

History
Geography
Demographics
- 2010 census
Parks and recreation
Economy
Education
Images for kids
See also

History

The word "Yelm" is said to come from the Coast Salish word shelm or chelm, meaning "heat waves from the sun", referring to heat mirages.

The Yelm Prairie was originally inhabited by the Nisqually and provided good pasture for their horses (there were no indigenous horses in North America). The first permanent non-indigenous settlers came in 1853 to join the Hudson's Bay Company sheep farmers who were already conducting business in the area.

James Longmire, one of the first American settlers had this to say upon arriving in Yelm:

Having received due notice from the Hudson Bay company not to settle on any lands north of the Nisqually River we crossed the river and went to Yelm prairie, a beautiful spot. I thought as it lay before us covered with tall waving grass, a pretty stream bordered with shrubs and tall trees, flowing through it, and the majestic mountain standing guard over all, in its snowy coat, it was a scene fit for an artist. Herds of deer wandered at leisure through the tall grass.

With the coming of the Northern Pacific Railway in 1873, Yelm began to prosper, having found an outlet for its agricultural and forestry products. Its economic base was further enhanced when an irrigation company was formed in 1916, making Yelm a center for commercial production of beans, cucumbers, and berries.

Yelm was officially incorporated on December 8, 1924.

During the Great Depression high maintenance costs and an unstructured water distribution plan bankrupted the Yelm Irrigation Company.

Geography

Yelm is located at 46°56′29″N 122°36′23″W / 46.94139°N 122.60639°W / 46.94139; -122.60639 (46.941515, −122.606305).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.69 square miles (14.74 km²), of which, 5.68 square miles (14.71 km²) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km²) is water.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1930	384	—
1940	378	−1.6%
1950	470	24.3%
1960	479	1.9%
1970	628	31.1%
1980	1,294	106.1%
1990	1,337	3.3%
2000	3,289	146.0%
2010	6,848	108.2%
2019 (est.)	9,456	38.1%
U.S. Decennial Census 2018 Estimate

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 6,848 people, 2,299 households, and 1,712 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,205.6 inhabitants per square mile (465.5/km²). There were 2,523 housing units at an average density of 444.2 per square mile (171.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 81.6% White, 3.3% African American, 1.8% Native American, 2.3% Asian, 0.9% Pacific Islander, 2.8% from other races, and 7.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.4% of the population.

There were 2,299 households, of which 53.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.7% were married couples living together, 17.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 25.5% were non-families. 20.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.40.

The median age in the city was 29 years. 36% of residents were under the age of 18; 8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 32.3% were from 25 to 44; 16.1% were from 45 to 64; and 7.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.9% male and 53.1% female.

Parks and recreation

The Yelm City Park was donated by Chuck and Wilma Demich, in 1950. Located at the corner of SR 507 and Mosman Avenue, the park is approximately one city block in size. It has a kitchen, covered facilities, a playground area, picnic tables, public restrooms, and a softball backstop. A number of community events are held at the Yelm City Park each year, including Prairie Days, Christmas in the Park, Family Fun Day, an annual car show, the Yelm Lions Easter Egg Hunt, and more.

Yelm is home of the first Class A Water Reclamation Facility and distribution system in Washington. This system reclaims all of its wastewater, using it in local irrigation and added to recharge streams. The water also is used in Cochrane Park, a 8-acre (32,000 m²) wetland park that includes a catch-and-release pond for rainbow trout.

Economy

To a large extent, Yelm acts as a bedroom community for residents working in the surrounding cities of Tacoma, Olympia and Centralia. It also hosts a large number of military families currently or formerly stationed at nearby Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Yelm experienced significant expansion in the decades surrounding the turn of the 21st century. On February 14, 2017, in consultation with city residents, the city council adopted the Yelm Comprehensive Plan update, which clarifies plans and policies for the city's physical, economic and community development over the next 20 years, including utilities, public transportation and parks.

Education

Public schools in Yelm belong to the Yelm School District. Its elementary schools are Fort Stevens, Lackamas, McKenna, Millpond, Southworth and Yelm Prairie. Its secondary school system includes Yelm Middle School, Ridgeline Middle School, Yelm High School, and Yelm Extension School. The private Eagle View Christian School is also in Yelm.