The City Of Puyallup, Washington

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What light? Honestly, officer, I was just following the crowd. Horses travel down Meridian St. during the yearly Puyallup Gallop. Not many cities throw a 17-day long party every year, and even fewer throw such a party that brings over a million people every time. Puyallup does it every year, though. The Western Washington Fair (or Puyallup Fair) brings in 3 times the number of people that live in this quiet community. The fair isn't the only thing Puyallup is known for, though. They grow flower bulbs, rhubarb, berries and football players in Puyallup, also. In fact, Paul Sulkosky, Chuck Bond, Billy Joe Hobart and Damon and Brock Huard are just a few who have achieved fame on the Husky gridiron. Although Cul-de-sacs and blacktop have come to the valley, Puyallup residents still try to live up to the name of their city, which comes from an Indian word meaning "generous people." But is this really a "quiet community"? Puyallup is the second largest city in Pierce County, and ranks 24th. in the state of Washington. Steady growth has brought a seemingly inevitable increase in crime as well. The city has had its share of drug problems and non-violent offenses in recent years. There has been an occasional homicide, as well. One crime that shook the community was in 1935, when Orting bank robber Roy Jacobs shot and killed Puyallup Police Chief Frank Chadwick and Officer Harry Storem while trying to escape. Jacobs was convicted and was hanged in 1943. But the startling statistics of Puyallup are the burglary, larceny, and vehicle theft reports, which rank Puyallup as #1 in Pierce County, beating out even Tacoma per capita. Puyallup only has about 1.5 police officers to take care of every one thousand residents, though, and that doesn't leave much room for the department to be proactive (the average in Pierce County is 2.2 police officers per 1000 people, based on a 2003 report). Even so, the rest of the city is trying to maintain an atmosphere where people feel safe and secure, despite the loss of farmland and the growth of suburbia. Residents and officials say they're convinced they'll succeed. Community Phone Numbers Bullpen Batting Cages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .841-1234 Chamber of Commerce . . . . . . . . . . . . . .845-6755 City Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .841-4321 DSHS (Puyallup) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .840-4600 Puyallup Football Roughriders . . . . . . . . .848-1548 Mainstreet Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .840-2631 Soccer South Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .845-4848 Senior Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .841-5555 Sparks Stadium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .841-8785 Washington State Dept. of Parks . . . (360) 902-8593 Christmas Tree Permits . . . . . . . . . . . . . .494-5515 Tenant/Landlord Information . . . . . . . . . .591-7240 or 1-800-752-9993 Puyallup Fair Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .845-1771 General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . .841-5045 Senior Referral Numbers SENIOR INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE City of Tacoma and Pierce County. . . . . . . . . . . . . 253-591-5090 or 1-800-562-0332 Home & Community Services Long Term Care Services (DSHS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253-593-6164 or 593-6165 or 1-800-442-5129 Pierce County Human Services Aging & Long Term Care . . . . . . . .253-798-7236 or 1-800-642-5769 Food Stamp Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .840-4600 Energy Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .840-4600 Prescription Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .840-4600 Low Income Housing Pierce County Community Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .798-7240 or 1-800-562-0336 Pierce Co Housing Authority . . . . . . . . . . . .535-4400 Meals on Wheels Lutheran Social Services . . . .(Ext. 225) 474-1300

See what's going on around town today! Click here for Puyallup Fair Information Puyallup TRAFFIC ADVISORY 2003 Puyallup Fair: How to Spend $80 in one minute and three seconds Click here for pictures of the 2003 Meeker Days Festival. Puyallup Quick Facts (from 2002) Incorporated in Washington State: 1890 Area in Limits: 11.6 square miles Elevation: 48 ft Congressional District: 9 Legislative District: 25 Population: 33,011 (up app. 38 percent since 1990). Median age: 34.1 (state average: 35.3). Race: 87.9 percent white; 3.3 percent Asian; 1.5 percent black; 3.4 percent Hispanic; 1 percent American Indian/Alaska native. Median home value: $155,100 (state average: $168,300). Industry employing the most people: Education, health and social services. Median household income: $47,300 (state average: $45,776). Percent of families in poverty: 9 percent (state average: 7.3 percent). Mean travel time to work: 26.9 minutes. Bachelor's degree or higher: 22.8 percent. Married: 54.5 percent. In the armed forces: 0.7 percent. School districts: Puyallup School District.