Whitman College, Walla Walla Community College, and the Washington State Penitentiary are located in Walla Walla. Walla Walla University is located in nearby College Place, Washington. In addition, Baker Boyer Bank, the oldest bank in the state of Washington, was founded in Walla Walla in 1869.
Walla Walla is famous for its sweet onions. Many wineries are located in the area and it is a popular vacation spot for wine enthusiasts.
As of the census of 2000 , there are 29,686 people, 10,596 households, and 6,527 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,744.9 people per square mile (1,059.3/km²). According to the census there are 11,400 housing units at an average density of 1,054.1/sq mi (406.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 83.79% White, 2.58% African American, 1.05% Native American, 1.24% Asian, 0.23% Pacific Islander, 8.26% from other races, and 2.85% from two or more races. 17.42% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. These are not entirely accurate numbers as the local population has a large number of Hispanic migrant workers who work on asparagus and onion farms.
Of the 10,596 counted households, 30.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% are married couples living together, 11.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 38.4% are considered non-families by the U.S. government. 31.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 15.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.44 and the average family size is 3.08.
In the city the population is spread out with 21.8% under the age of 18, 14.2% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 17.5% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 women there are 108.4 men. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 109.1 males. About 89% of the population is Christian.
The median income for a household in the city is $31,855, and the median income for a family is $40,856. Men have a median income of $31,753 versus $23,889 for women. The per capita income for the city is $15,792. 18.0% of the population and 13.1% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 22.8% of those under the age of 18 and 10.5% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Transportation to Walla Walla includes service by air through Walla Walla Regional Airport and highway access primarily from U.S. Route 12. Washington State Department of Transportation is now engaged in a long-term process of widening this road into a four-lane divided highway between Pasco, Washington and Walla Walla. The city is also served by a local bus system.
Proud residents of the town often brag about it as "the town so nice they named it twice." Walla Walla is a Native American name that means "Place of Many Waters." The original name of the town was Steptoeville named after Colonel Edward Steptoe.
Legendary Lebanese poet, writer, philosopher Mikhail_Naimy [2]. He started his writing career in the city in 1919. He is the author of "Book of Mirdad"
Former AWA and UWF professional wrestler Colonel DeBeers resided in Walla Walla for a time, where he operated Divine Felines Kitten Farm. The business raised three prize winning cats.
Legendary NFL Quarterback Drew Bledsoe resided in Walla Walla until he went to Washington State University in 1990. Bledsoe went on to be drafter by the New England Patriots where he spent nearly a decade. His amazing quarterback skills led the Patriots to 2 Super Bowls, being victorious in one of the appearances.
Adam West attended Walla Walla High School during his freshman and sophomore years, and later enrolled in Lakeside School in Seattle. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Literature and a minor in Psychology from Whitman College[2] in Walla Walla.
Among references in popular culture, Walla Walla is mentioned in two different Warner Bros. cartoons. The city is said to be the location for the headquarters of the fictional Little Giant Vacuum Cleaner Company in the 1953 animated short film A Mouse Divided. In the Merrie Melodies short Transylvania 6-5000, which was released ten years later, the name of the city is used as a magic incantation by Bugs Bunny to change a vampire into a two-headed vulture.
American punk rock band The Offspring also wrote a song called Walla Walla about the nearby state penitentiary in Americana, their fifth album.
In The Simpsons episode Homie the Clown Krusty the Clown opens up a clown college and in his class gives his students some examples of funny place names including "Walla Walla, Keokuk, Cucamonga, Seattle".
In an episode of Whose line is it anyway, comedian Ryan Stiles mentioned Walla Walla as one of the unlikely cities to have a song written about them.
In the film Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Eddie Valliant suggests that Jessica look for Roger in "ever try Walla Walla?"
In Halo 2 a default name in multi-player games is Walla Walla.