Wapato is a unique thriving community with a diverse culture and heritage. Our mission is to maintain and improve the quality of life and to provide superior services and public facilities for the residents and businesses in the city. Our vision is to strive to grow Wapato into the best town it can possibly be for all who currently live and work here but also for future generations to come.

The name Wapato is of Yakama origin, “Wa pa too”, which is an edible root of great value to native Yakamas and settlers alike. Settlers have been in the area since as early as 1885. In 1903, the Postal Service changed the name of the town from Simcoe to Wapato, because Simcoe was too much like Fort Simcoe. It was August 1908 before the town's people voted to incorporate their reservation community with JF Douglas as the first Mayor. This fourth class town was landlocked by Yakama Nation property but was progressive enough to have a newspaper, Wapato Independent, and postal and telephone service.