Further Afield

White Center's Salvadorean Bakery on Roxbury Street	White Center & Burien Business Districts Off the beaten path for visitors, but just 15 minutes southwest of downtown, the communities of White Center and Burien boast numerous Latino businesses, including panaderias, carnicerias, mercados and taquerias. White Center is one of the most ethnically diverse communities in the region, with a gritty but vital commercial district centered around SW Roxbury Street and Sixteenth Avenue SW. Closer to Sea-Tac Airport, Burien's business district is centered along SW 152nd Street between Ambaum Boulevard SW and First Avenue S.
Fort Núñez Gaona monument, courtesy of Orca Creative	Fort Núñez Gaona, Neah Bay At the northwestern tip of Washington State, approximately four hours from Seattle via the Bainbridge ferry, is the community of Neah Bay on the Makah Indian Reservation. Spanish explorers first visited the region in 1774, and the first European settlement in the continental United States north of San Francisco and west of the Rocky Mountains was established at Neah Bay by Mexican, Peruvian and Spanish-born sailors in 1792. Following a treaty of reconciliation between the Makah Nation and the Spanish government, a monument was constructed in 2008 to mark the site of the Spanish fort, and to honor Makah veterans.
A farm worker picks Rainier cherries in the Yakima Valley. Photo by Peter Mumford	Yakima Valley Eastern Washington's major agricultural valley, located approximately two hours east of Seattle, has been home to a significant Spanish speaking population for decades. Though the region has few "visitor ready" attractions connected with Latino heritage, many communities in the valley have a majority Hispanic population which is reflected in the local culture. Best known as the gateway to Washington's wine country, the city of Yakima boasts the largest Cinco de Mayo celebration in the Pacific Northwest, and other events such as a Dia de los Muertos festival. The town of Wapato hosts an annual Tamale Festival, and the town of Granger hosts a Menudo Festival. Granger is also home to KDNA 91.9 La Voz del Campesino (the Voice of the Farmworker), the first full-time Spanish-language public radio station in the U.S., established in 1979. Historic business districts in Grandview and other valley towns are home to many Mexican and Chicano-owned businesses, and Latino farmers throughout the valley stock local farm stands and farm market stalls with orchard fruits and other fresh produce.

 

Lucy Lopez is recognized as the pioneer of the local Mexican restaurant industry. Originally from the town of Cuautla, in the state of Jalisco, she came to Seattle in 1957, and later opened her own restaurant. Since then, hundreds of Cuautla residents have come to the Seattle area and with Lucy's help established restaurants including Azteca, Las Margaritas, Mazatlan, Tacos Guaymas, El Tapatio and many others. The Lucy Lopez Community Center in Kent, which serves Hispanic families throughout the region, is named in her honor. www.lucylopez.org