West Richland, Washington — Enterprise Needed a Less Confusing Address

West Richland began as an agricultural community across the Yakima River from Richland.

World War II transformed the neighbor when the Manhattan Project turned Richland into a federal atomic city.

The smaller community eventually incorporated in 1955 under the name Enterprise.

That lasted two years.

Other Washington places already used the name, creating postal confusion, so residents adopted West Richland instead.

The practical choice permanently defined the city in relation to the much stranger place next door.

Subdivisions later spread across former agricultural ground, while nearby vineyards and Red Mountain tied the western side of the city to the region's wine economy.

Enterprise sounded ambitious.

West Richland delivered the mail.