Yellowstone Park Blankets – An Illustrated History by Fred Coldwell

April 6, 2022April 7, 2022 / pendletonwoolenmills / Leave a comment

Guest Blogger

Editor’s note: We are excited to bring you a guest post by our Park Blanket expert, Fred Coldwell. As we unveil our newest version of this design, Fred agreed to share his research into the rich history of the Yellowstone National Park blanket. Many of the blankets shown are part of his extensive collection, which he displays at talks and lectures around the country. Enjoy!

Some Park Blanket Background

Yellowstone National Park became our country’s first national park on March 1, 1872. Pendleton Woolen Mills began designing its first Yellowstone Park blanket during Yellowstone’s 50^th Anniversary and issued it the following year, in May 1923. Today, during Yellowstone Park’s 150^th Anniversary year, Pendleton Woolen Mills is again honoring our first national park with a new Yellowstone Park Blanket. But before unveiling it, we will look at some earlier Yellowstone Park blankets manufactured during its first 100 years.

Pendleton’s first national park blanket was the Glacier Park blanket, introduced in September 1916. By early 1923, four different Glacier Park blankets were offered in two sizes and in two lengths, single or double. A double length was two uncut single blankets sold as a double. The official Glacier Park blanket had 4 bars of black, yellow, red and green (going from the ends to the center) on a white body. The Glacier Park has always been 100% virgin wool in both warp (vertical threads) and weft (horizontal threads).

The Yellowstone Park blanket was introduced in 1923. No description was given but the first one had the same colors and design as the Glacier Park but with a cotton warp instead of wool, making it slightly less expensive. To simplify the Glacier Park line, by 1924 nearly all the different versions of the Glacier Park blanket were shifted to the Yellowstone Park line and the Glacier Park line was reduced to just two blankets, the official one and pure white.

*The similarities between the earliest Yellowstone blanket and the Glacier blanket are clear in this photo.*

The first Yellowstone Park blankets came in only one size, 66” x 80”, but in both a 4 pound single length and an 8 pound double (160”) length. Early Yellowstones had felt binding on each end and had 4 points of the same color as the outermost bar sewn in the lower left hand corner of the center field. Four or five points indicating the blanket’s size were sewn in them from the beginning of production in 1923.

Early Yellowstones had two labels, a permanent sewn blue Pendleton copyright 1921 label and a temporary 5-1/2 inch square cardboard label stapled to the blanket. The cardboard label contained an image of a buffalo based on 1920’s season pass auto decals for Yellowstone National Park.

Two early cardboard lables for the Yellowstone blanket, showing buffalo — First Buffalo card label (right): This rare surviving cardboard label was the first Yellowstone Park Blanket label used from May, 1923 to 1925-1926. It includes the blanket weight, 4 pounds, size, 66 x 80 inches, and color 27, which is the black, yellow, red and green bars of the Glacier Park blanket. Stapled to the blanket, it usually was quickly removed after purchase, leaving only the Pendleton copyright 1921 blanket label as identification.

Changes over the Years

In 1924, the official Yellowstone Park Blanket was white with blue, orange, green and yellow bars at each end, similar to the Glacier Park in appearance.

Two early Pendletn National Park blankets, Yellowstone and Glacier — *Two 1920s blankets: Yellowstone on left, Glacier Park on right.*

All the other Yellowstone Park blankets were either white, light grey, or camel. The first two had 2 bars at each end of old rose, lavender, delft blue, or black. The camel had 2 bars of brown, black, orange or delft blue at each end.

Very simple Yellowstone blankets from 1924 to 1928 — 1924-28 Yellowstone blankets: These Yellowstone delft blue and old rose 2 bar blankets were woven between 1924 and 1928 and have only their Pendleton copyright 1921 blanket labels remaining. Their Yellowstone cardboard labels were removed decades ago.

In mid-1927, the two lavender bars on Yellowstone Park white and light gray blankets were replaced by two orchid bars on each end. In early 1928, the number of Yellowstone Park blankets was reduced. Orchid and black bars were discontinued on white blankets; orchid and old rose bars were discontinued on light grey blankets; and black bars were discontinued on camel blankets. Yet many other colorful Yellowstone Park blankets continued to be produced.

By the mid-1920s the cardboard label was replaced with a silk sewn buffalo label.

1920s sewn-on buffalo labels — *1929 Park pass and sewn-on Buffalo labels, early and late*

These first buffalo labels had nothing written outside the octagon. Sometime after the Yellowstone Park label was registered as a trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in April 1926, and the cotton warp threads were replaced with wool, the phrases “Trademark Reg. U.S. Pat. Office” and “100% Virgin Wool” were added to the buffalo label outside the octagon. No firm date for this label change has been documented, but it likely happened in the late 1920s.

Further changes occurred in 1929. The white Yellowstone blankets with 2 bars at each end were retired and replaced by green and peach blankets with black, orange, green and yellow bars at each end. The camel blanket with two delft blue bars was also retired.

By 1934 the length of the Yellowstone Park blanket had increased to 84” and it was now available in two widths, 66” wide weighing 4 pounds having 4 points and 72” wide weighing 5 pounds having 5 points. Double length Yellowstone blankets were discontinued.

Three early Yellowstone blankets with buffalo labels — *3 Buffalos with 4 points each: An early official Yellowstone on the left lost its yellow top bar to red in the* *later two Yellowstones on the right, whose colors also lost some intensity.*

The 1934 Yellowstone Park blankets had 3” bars of blue, orange, green and red at each end, with red replacing the earlier yellow. These 4 color bars were available on 5 body colors: white (the official Yellowstone Park blanket), light green, tan, peach, and blue, as shown in the fan of fabric samples. A desert tan Yellowstone blanket had 2 brown bars at each end.

Early Pendleton catalog illustration showing all colors available in teh Yellowstone blanket — *Catalog illustration showing all the Yellowstone variations in 1934*

*Catalog illustration showing the light green version, a popular color in the 1930s. Note the four points.*

These Buffalo label Yellowstones were all made before 1938, including one with Black, Yellow, Red and Green bars. — *These Buffalo label Yellowstones were all made before 1938, including one with Black, Yellow, Red and Green bars*.

A New Look

A new Yellowstone Park Blanket appeared by 1938 and replaced all the former 4 color bar Yellowstones, which were shifted to the Yosemite Blanket line. This new Official Yellowstone Park blanket had 3 bars of black, red, and black at each end on a cream body.

Catalog photo of the bold new Yellowstone blanket of 1938 — *Catalog illustration of the bold new Yellowstone blanket of 1938*

It came in two sizes, 66” x 84” weighing 4 pounds and 72” x 90” weighing 5 pounds. The smaller 4 pound blanket had 4 points sewn across each red bar while the larger 5 pound Yellowstone had 5 points sewn across its red bars. This new Yellowstone also received a new label, a bear inside a circle based on then current Yellowstone Park Hotel luggage labels that replaced the old buffalo label.

Bear blanket label at left, and luggage sticker that inspired it on right — *Blanket label with bear (left), and luggage sticker that inspired it (right*)

All national park blankets lost their points sometime between 1935 and 1938, so any Pendleton national park blanket with points was woven earlier than 1938. The only exception was the new Official Yellowstone Park that had 4 or 5 points sewn into its red bar.

*1938 Yellowstone Park Official blankets: A 4 point 66 x 84 inch Yellowstone rests on top of a 5 point 72 x 90 inch Yellowstone, each with a bear label.*

Finally, in 1938 the length of the wider 72” national park blankets had increased by another 6” to 90” long.

Wartime Disruption

National Park blanket civilian production was limited during WW II to supply only Pendleton’s existing customers. They became available again to new customers when full civilian production resumed in August 1945. The number and variety of Yellowstone Park Blankets was greatly reduced after WW II to just a single design in two or more sizes.

After the war Pendleton produced a special commemorative branded cedar box with leather hinges to hold its black-red-black bar Yellowstone Park blanket. Though I cannot confirm it, I imagine this unusual combination celebrated Yellowstone Park’s 75^th Anniversary in 1947.

Photo of blanket and a cedar box — *This photo shows the artfully charred cedar box at lower right, of special interest to collectors.*

The Thin Line Version

At an unknown later date, the bold and beautiful 3 bar Yellowstone Park blanket was replaced by a new Yellowstone Park Blanket having 7 thin stripes of black/red/green/black/green/red/black at each end.

Early production 7 thin stripe Yellowstone blankets continued to use the bear label, but at some later unknown date Pendleton renamed its national park blankets as National Park Series blankets with the park name preceding that new designation. New arched labels were issued with this new designation and were used on all national park blankets. A line drawing of an animal or feature associated with the park was placed within the arch on each label.

Yellowstone Park arched label with bear — *Yellowstone Arched label: The Yellowstone Park arched label retained the bear as representative of Yellowstone.*

These label were used from at least 1992, and very likely earlier, through 2008 in combination with a current Pendleton blue blanket label. This 7 thin stripe is the most commonly found Yellowstone Park blanket in online auction sites.

The Yellowstone Park 7 thin stripe blanket appears in a 1993 Pendleton blanket catalog but not in a 2002 catalog, so it was discontinued sometime between 1993 and 2002.

A Bold Return

The Yellowstone Park did not return to production until mid-2008 for 2009, Pendleton’s 100^th Anniversary year, when a new version appeared in Pendleton catalogs. It remains in production through 2021.

2008 - 2021 Yellowstone Park blanket — *2009 Yellowstone blanket*

This 2009 Yellowstone Park Blanket has two thick and thin bars of blue and red at each end on a marigold body, which echoes the golden hue of quaking aspen trees in autumn. It received a new commemorative label as did all other Pendleton national park blankets in 2009.

Close up of label, which has returned to buffalo — *Sewn-on labels for the Yellowstone Park blanket*

These new labels contain a park animal or scene inside a circle within an octagon, harking back to the very first national park labels used by Pendleton in the 1920s. They also include the year that park was established along with Pendleton Woolen Mills, Pendleton, Oregon, the location of its factory weaving all national park blankets. The Yellowstone Park label returns to a buffalo within a circle inside an octagon, honoring the very first Yellowstone Park blanket cardboard labels. All of these new national park blanket labels are accompanied by a Pendleton Home Collection label with the trademarked Indian tepee on top, in celebration of Pendleton’s 100^th Anniversary of Bishop family ownership.

Today’s New Yellowstone

This year’s new Yellowstone Park 150^th Anniversary blanket is a stunner, with thin stripes of the 1920s Yellowstone bar colors blue, green, orange and red contained within thicker navy blue bands with red trim. The two outermost bars are a recoloring of the thick and thin bar design from the most recent marigold Yellowstone blanket.

new Yellowstone National Park blanket for 2022 — *The new Yellowstone Park blanket for 2022*

These bright colors are also grounded in the Park itself, capturing the bright bands of orange, yellow, and green ringing the deep blue waters found in Yellowstone’s Grand Prismatic Spring.

closeup of new Yellowstone National Park blanket for 2022 — *A close look at the stripes, which echo the colors of the Grand Prismatic Spring*

These new Yellowstone blankets on a taupe body come in two sizes, an 80” x 90” twin and a 90” x 90” queen. They are joined by a 54” x 72” throw for picnics, games, and other outdoor events.

New Yellowstone throw with leather carrier — *Yellowstone throw with leather carrier*

A century long celebration in virgin wool of our oldest national park continues in 2022 with bright new colors in a traditional Pendleton banded park design. These freshest Yellowstone Park Blankets will be available soon. Celebrate Yellowstone’s sesquicentennial with some new threads!

See it here: Yellowstone National Park Blanket

A Brief History of the Zion Park Blanket.

April 24, 2020May 8, 2020 / pendletonwoolenmills / Leave a comment

A Guest Post

Today’s post is a guest post from Fred Coldwell, a traveler, collector and lecturer who is the unchallenged expert on Pendleton’s National Park blankets. Please enjoy his informative essay on the origins of the Zion Park blanket, which we reintroduced in a new coloration this year after a long hiatus from the line. All photos of the vintage versions are courtesy Fred Coldwell, taken from his personal collection.

The introduction

The Zion Park blanket was introduced on September 1, 1926 in six body colors: straw, drab, white, camel hair, rose, and delft blue. Three rows of three character stripes appear at each end. Only one size was produced, 66” x 80”, using pure virgin wool filling on a cotton warp. Felt binding was sewn across both ends, and the Zion Park used the standard Pendleton blanket label for its time.

Here is a stunning example in Delft blue:

The 1926 debut version of the Pendleton Zion National Park blanket.

The colorful character stripes are, from the top down: white, rose, and drab; white, straw, and red; and white, rose and drab. Except for red, Zion Park blankets were available in all these other body colors.

A closer view of the stripes on the 1926 debut of the Pendleton Zion National Park blanket.

embroidered label on 1926 version of the Pendleton National Park blanket.

The redesign

In 1929, the Zion Park blanket was redesigned to feature a thunderbird with a Hopi border top and bottom. Seven color combinations were available. Here’s a terra cotta bird on a brown body with a 1921-1930 Pendleton label:

The 1929 version of the Zion Park blanket, a thunderbird on a rust red background.

Back to stripes

The Zion Park disappeared in the 1930s but reappeared postwar with a new design, 5 color bands at each end with three very thin lines of body color at the outer edge of the outer bands. Here’s one in stone with a black center band that emulates a solar eclipse:

The 1940s stripe version of the Pendleton Zion National Park blanket.

The remnants of satin binding appear original to the blanket. The three thin lines of stone body color can barely be seen migrating into the outer straw band:

The corner of the 1940s version shows a blue and gold embroidered Pendleton label.

While retaining its stone body color, the Zion Park soon changed its 5 color bands to lighter pastels popular in the 1950s:

Shot of blanket with Pendleton cardboard tag still attached.

It was identified by its stapled card and wore a new gold label that did not otherwise distinguish it. Both the card and gold label now proclaim the Zion Park was made from 100% virgin wool. The color being given only as Zion National Park suggests the Zion Park came only in this one official color.

The pastel colors became slightly stronger over time, but once the card was removed the gold Pendleton label by itself makes the Zion Park difficult to identify, so one must memorize its color scheme.

1950s Pendleton Zion National Park blanket with satin binding.

In the 1960’s the Zion Park was also available in a small 64” x 43” throw with fringe along each side:

A Pendleton Zion National Park Zion blanket throw with a fringed edge from the 1960s.

The Woolmark logo (lower left) on the throw blanket’s label identifies it as made in around 1965 or later, when Pendleton began using the Woolmark to identify its 100% virgin wool blankets:

A closeup of the Pendleton blue and gold embroidered label on the 1960s Zion National Park throw.

Also in the 1960s overstitched binding replaced the satin. The three thin lines of the body color, which were always present but nearly impossible to see due to the faint colors, now became slightly more visible due to the mildly stronger colors:

A folded shot of the 1960s version, with stitched binding.

2020 release

The Zion Park was discontinued in 1966 and the name remained dormant until 2020. This year, the Zion Park rejoins the National Park blanket family with richer and deeper colors and, finally, its own National Park Blanket label featuring a mountain lion:

The label of the Zion National Park blanket by Pendleton.

The new 2020 Zion Park layout was inspired directly by the 1950s pastel version, but its colors were updated to reflect the landscape of the park itself. The three thin line design feature is now even more visible because of the contrasting brick red body and navy band colors. Why be subtle when you can be bold!

Thank you, Fred! The 2020 version of the Pendleton Zion National Park blanket can be seen here: Zion National Park, by Pendleton

Pendleton label with bald eagle: "Pendleton since 1863 Highest Quality Made in the USA."

Introducing the Zion National Park Blanket

March 31, 2020May 8, 2020 / pendletonwoolenmills / 1 Comment

The Zion National Park Blanket

A woman wih a Husky dog sits in Zion National Park wrapped in a Zion blanket.

It is always exciting to introduce our new blankets each year. Pendleton is especially excited to introduce the Zion National Park blanket, just in time for National Park Week.

Pendleton Zion National park blanket in deep rusty red.

Blanket Stripes: The rich hues of Zion’s red rock formations in rusty red, ochre, and tan are lit by the clear brilliant blue of the afternoon sky in Utah’s desert wonderland.

Zion’s Wonders

Zion Park is a geographical wonderland full of formations and features, all part of a super-sequence of rock units called The Grand Staircase. According to Wikipedia, in the park you’ll find:

…the Temple of Sinawava, which is named for the coyote god of the Paiute Indians…and the Zion–Mount Carmel Tunnel [which] ends at Mount Carmel. On the east side of the park, notable park features include Checkerboard Mesa and the East Temple.

The Kolob Terrace area, northwest of Zion Canyon, features a slot canyon called The Subway, and a panoramic view of the entire area from Lava Point. The Kolob Canyons section, further to the northwest near Cedar City, features Tucupit Point and one of the world’s longest natural arches, Kolob Arch.

Other notable geographic features of Zion Canyon include Angels Landing, The Great White Throne, the Court of the Patriarchs, The West Temple, Towers of the Virgin, the Altar of Sacrifice, the Watchman, Weeping Rock, and the Emerald Pools.

With 4.3 million visitors per year, this is a park to celebrate!

A girl stands in Zion National Park with the Zion blanket around her shoulders.

Inspiration

The Zion National Park Pendleton blanket features navy, ochre and goldenrod stripes on a brick red background. “We were really inspired by the bold stripe design of a version of the blanket from the 1950s,” says Amanda Coppa, senior merchandise manager of the home division at Pendleton. “The colors were drawn from the beauty and landscape of the park! We had to emphasize the deep red that Utah and Zion are known and loved for.”

Our label features a mountain lion, also known as a cougar, part of the wildlife that lives in Zion’s varied life zones (desert, riparian, woodland, and coniferous forest). Animals range from the petite kangaroo rat (which is adorable, and resembles a very leggy gerbil) to enormous yet agile bighorn sheep. Mule deer, foxes, bats, and rock squirrels are often seen by the park’s visitors, and close to the ground, the amazing variety of rodents draw the park’s birds of prey, which include the California Condor, the Mexican Spotted Owl, and the Peregrine Falcon. All told, Zion is home to over 78 species of mammals, 291 species of birds, 37 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 8 species of fish.

The label of the Zion National Park blanket by Pendleton.

Label: As the sun sets, a solitary mountain lion pauses before the towering sandstone of the Great White Throne.

Our friend and brand ambassador, photographer Kristen Frasca, was able to take the Zion blanket home to its park for the photos in this post.

A husky dog stares at the camera in Zion National Park.

Thanks to her for these gorgeous photos, especially this last one, where her Husky dog is almost more commanding than the scenery! If you’d like to see more of Kristen’s work, please visit her Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/kristenfrasca/

You can see the blanket and more at our website: Zion National Park by Pendleton

Pendleton label with bald eagle: "Pendleton since 1863 Highest Quality Made in the USA."

Happy 100th to the Grand Canyon – free admission on August 25th 2019!

August 7, 2019April 27, 2020 / pendletonwoolenmills / Leave a comment

I don’t believe that anyone can see the Grand Canyon area for themselves and not know that we have to do everything we can to protect it for future generations.

–Nolan Gould

woman with ponytail wrapped in Pendleton Grand Canyon blanket stands on the rim of the Grand Canyon

A Momentous Birthday

On August 25, 2019, the Grand Canyon celebrates its centennial with free admission to one of the seven wonders of the natural world.

A young woman wrapped in a Pendleton Grand Canyon National Park blanket sits on the Grand Canyon's rim, looking into the distance.

Yes, that’s right, on August 25th, you can experience these wonders for free.

The wonders of the Grand Canyon cannot be adequately represented in symbols of speech, nor by speech itself. The resources of the graphic art are taxed beyond their powers in attempting to portray its features. Language and illustration combined must fail.

– John Wesley Powell

Pendleton Pitches In

This marvel of geology is just one of the recipients of Pendleton’s national park fundraising efforts. Through sales of our own and collaborative projects, we have been raising money to help restore the Grand Canyon’s train depot.

69391241

(source)

The Grand Canyon Depot in Grand Canyon Village is the Park’s “front door,” used as a meeting place for adventurers for over 100 years. This National Historic Landmark is the Park’s most-photographed man-made structure. Pendleton’s contributions will help improve accessibility and preserve the character of this National Historic Landmark.

According to the National Park Service, “Nearly 230,000 visitors per year arrive at the Depot via the Grand Canyon Railway, which is an important component of the park’s transportation system. Currently the Grand Canyon Railway, owned and operated by Xanterra Parks and Resorts, runs up to two trains per day to the park from Williams, Arizona – saving approximately 300 daily vehicle trips during the peak visitor season.” That is approximately 50,000 cars, trucks and campers that will not add wear, tear and crowding to roads leading in and out of the park, thanks to the train.

woman with ponytail seated on a Pendleton Grand Canyon park blanket overlooking the rim of the Grand Canyon

Before the railroad opened in 1901, tourists had to fork over $15.00 for a three-day stagecoach ride to see the Grand Canyon. Upon arrival, they were accommodated in tent camps, a situation that didn’t change until the Santa Fe Railroad hired architect Mary Elizabeth Jane Coulter to design six iconic buildings for the park, mostly on the South Rim.

Hopi House, 1905
Hermit’s Rest, 1914
Lookout Studio, 1914
Phantom Ranch, 1922
The Watchtower at Desert View, 1932
Bright Angel Lodge, 1935

Her work still stands today, having become an integral part of this vast, commanding landscape.

Summer rainstorm over the Grand Canyon

(source)

So put on your boots, hop on the train, and go. The Grand Canyon is waiting.

seated woman at rim of Grand Canyon, wearing hiking boots and Pendleton socks.

Grand Canyon Park Series: SHOP

Grand Canyon #pendle10park explorer: Kristian Irey Instagram: @kristianirey

Why We Do This – Running the Grand Canyon with Greg Hatten

July 19, 2019April 2, 2020 / pendletonwoolenmills / Leave a comment

Greg Hatten, river guide extraordinaire, in his wooden boat. Greg is also wearing a Pendleton shirt.

Hello from Greg Hatten

In honor of the Grand Canyon‘s 100th anniversary, we are rerunning some guest posts from our friend and favorite guest blogger, Greg Hatten. He has experienced the Canyon as few others have; from within his wooden drift boat, a replica of one of the boats that took to the Colorado River in 1964 to save the Grand Canyon from being turned into a reservoir. Enjoy.

March of 2014 was a deadly month in the Grand Canyon for river runners. The water level was well below average and even the most experienced boatmen saw water dynamics they had never seen before. Low water created new hazards – holes were deeper, drops were sharper, jagged rocks that rarely see sunlight punched holes in our boats and holes in our confidence.

An accomplished group of nine kayakers just a few miles ahead of us lost one of their team mates to the river below Lava Falls. There was a another serious accident in the group two days behind us midway through the trip.

Some of our wood boats were damaged, a few of our rubber rafts flipped, oars and ribs and teeth were broken, a helicopter rescue was required for a member of our team on Day 4. After 280 miles and 24 days on the water, we reached the end of the Grand Canyon and all agreed we were ready to do it again…as soon as possible.

A rough and ready group of "River Rats," five men wearing Pendleton shirts, holding broken oars from their river running adventures.

Who are we and why do we do this???

Greg Hatten maneuvers his way though churning rapids in his wooden boat, the "Portola."

We are a band of wood boat enthusiasts who came to the Grand Canyon in March to re-run a famous trip from 1964 with our wood dory replicas, our canvas tents and bedrolls, our Pendleton wool blankets, and a couple of great photographers to capture the adventure.

Relaxing at the river's edge: Greg Hatten and eight more river runners relax after a day on the river.

Fifty years ago, that trip played a crucial role in saving the Grand Canyon from two proposed dams that were already under construction. If THAT trip had not happened, THIS trip would not have been possible and our campsites would be at the bottom of a reservoir instead of beside the river. River running on the Colorado through the Grand Canyon would’ve been replaced by “Reservoir Running in Pontoons,” as most of the Grand Canyon would’ve been hundreds of feet under water.

Three beautiful wooden drift boats want in the shallows next to the Colorado RIver, in the shadow of the walls of the Grand Canyon.

We are celebrating the success of the trip of ‘64 and paying tribute to those men who left a legacy for future river runners like us to run the big water of the Colorado through the Grand Canyon in river boats. We are brought together by Dave Mortenson, whose dad was one of those pioneers.

The “Why”…

“Who we are” is easier to answer than “Why we do this.” There are moments on trips like these, when we are at the crossroads of chaos – where adventure and wonder intersect with danger and consequence – and the outcome is uncertain. THAT’s what makes it an adventure. I can only speak for myself – but here’s my shot at answering “why…”

I do this because the Grand Canyon takes my breath away. The first time I saw it from the bottom looking up, I fell in love with this place and was absolutely amazed by the size and beauty of the canyon. Everything is bigger, deeper, taller, more colorful, more powerful, more everything than anyplace I have ever been.

Greg Hatten in the Portola, on still green waters of the Colorado River.

I do this because the Colorado River tests my physical ability as a boatman like no other river I have ever boated. This is one of the most powerful rivers in North America and when that strong current bends the oars I’m rowing and I feel the raw force shooting up my aching arms and across my tired back, I’m electrified and anxious at the same time.

I do this because the rapids on this river test my mental ability as a boatman. My friend and veteran Canyoneer Craig Wolfson calls it “Nerve.” Scouting severe rapids and seeing the safest “line” to run is one thing – having the nerve to put your boat on that line is another. Most of the difficult rapids require a run that puts your boat inches from disaster at the entry point in order to avoid calamity at the bottom. Everything in your “experience” tells you to avoid the danger at the top – but you mustn’t. Overriding those instincts and pulling off a successful run is a mental tug of war that is challenging beyond belief.

I do this because of the bonds we form as a team of 16 individuals working and cooking and rowing and eating and drinking and laughing together for 280 miles. We problem-solve together, we celebrate together, we look out for each other, and we find a way to get along when every once-in-awhile the stress of the trip makes “some” of us a little “cranky.” Sometimes, we experience the most vulnerable moments of our lives together. These people are lifetime friends as a result of this adventure.

And finally – I do this because it brings out the best in me. My senses are better, my mind is clearer, my body is stronger and I like to think I’m friendlier, funnier, more generous, and more helpful down in the Canyon. It makes me want to be this open with people up on Rim when I get back to my regular routine. It’s hard to articulate but for me, the place is magic.

Greg Hatten

Greg Hatten and five friends relax on and around two wooden boats on the banks of the Colorado River.

The Pendleton Grand Canyon blanket

See the Grand Canyon Pendleton blanket and throw here: PARK BLANKETS

PWM_USA_label

Introducing the Olympic National Park Blanket!

April 26, 2019April 7, 2020 / pendletonwoolenmills / 3 Comments

Editor’s note:

For National Park Week, we are reposting some of our favorite national park posts! We hope you get out there and enjoy your parks this week, but if you can’t, we will take you to the wilderness as best as we can.

Pendleton is proud to unveil our latest national park blanket, celebrating Washington state’s Olympic National Park.

A bed made up with the Olympic national Park blanket by Pendleton sits in a mountain meadow.

The colors of this blanket pay homage to the Olympic National Park in our neighboring Washington State. This unique region is famous for its varied ecosystems—from rugged coastlines and dense old-growth forests to glacier-capped alpine peaks and lush rainforests.

THe Olympic National Park blanket, by Pendleton, next to a closeup of the blanket's lable, which features a drawing of a Roosevelt elk silhouetted by Ruby Beach, with wildflowers in the foreground.

This very special design uses a ground of heather grey with two bands of stripes in muted, natural tones. Fans of our national park blankets can attest to the fact that we don’t usually use heathered yarns in this group, making this blanket uniquely beautiful, just like the park for which it’s named.

A photo of Cedar Creek emptying into the Pacific Ocean in Olympic National Park.

…Diversity is the hallmark of Olympic National Park. Encompassing nearly a million acres, the park protects a vast wilderness, thousands of years of human history, and several distinctly different ecosystems, including glacier-capped mountains, old-growth temperate rain forests, and over 70 miles of wild coastline. https://www.nps.gov/olym/index.htm

Rainforests

Visitors to the Pacific Northwest are often surprised to learn about our rainforests. The entire area was once home to a huge rainforest that stretched from Oregon’s southern coast to southeastern Alaska. Why? Because of our bountiful, wonderful (and sometimes depressing) level of rainfall.

The Olympic National Forest receives 12 to 14 feet of rain per year, with temperatures that rarely dip below freezing or rise above 80 degrees. These temperate, damp conditions allow rain forests to thrive, nourishing an array of vegetation: mosses, ferns, Douglas fir, red alders, Western hemlocks and Sitka spruce. As in all rain forests, downed trees become “nurse logs,” fertile places where seeds grow, animals nest and insects burrow.

A photo of the Hoh rainforest in Olympic National Park, with soft green grass overhung by moss-laden tree branches.

Olympic National Park is home to four rain forests; Hoh, Quinault, Queets and Bogchiel. Quinault Rain Forest is home to the world’s largest Sitka spruce. This tree is more than 1,000 years old, 191-feet-high with a 96-foot spread. Aside from the Redwoods of California, Quinalt holds the largest trees in America—and, a gorgeous lake! Read more about a wooden boat trip to Lake Quinalt by our friend Greg Hatten here: Lake Quinalt.

Mountains

The Olympic Mountains are part of the Pacific Coast Ranges. They’re not especially high – Mount Olympus is the highest at 7,962 ft (2,427 m)–but its eastern slopes rise out of Puget Sound from sea level, making for a towering ascent. The range’s western slopes are the wettest place in the 48 states thanks to—you guessed it—rain! That 12 to 14 feet of rain we mentioned earlier.

Hurricane Ridge, a scenic spot in Olympic National Park.

Hurricane Ridge, at a mile above sea level, offers an unmatched view of the Olympic Mountains. You can observe right there, or take off on hiking trails. You can even take an off-road ready rig up two narrow dirt roads–Obstruction Point or Deer Park—to take in some incredible views of snow-capped mountains.

Beaches

As part of its varied landscape, Olympic NP contains a 73-mile long stretch of wilderness coast. The rocky headlands, beaches, tidepools and sea stacks are wild and undeveloped. Ruby Beach—named for ruby-like crystals that are found in deposits of the beach’s sand–has been attracting artists and photographers for decades, thanks to its unique sea stacks.

Interesting "sea stack" rock formations on Ruby Beach, in Olympic National Park.

By Adbar – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27301905

Wildlife

We love our animals out here, and Olympic NP is full of them. Old growth preserves provide unique and safe habitat for several endangered species, including the northern spotted owl. Birdwatching in the park is popular, with over 250 species of birds. The mountain meadows draw blue grouse, woodpeckers, gray jays, and more. At the coast, keep your eyes peeled for bald eagles.

On land, several species are found only in the Olympic forests: The Olympic marmot, Olympic snow mole and Olympic torrent salamander. Cougars, bobcats and bears are just a few of the carnivores that roam and hunt these forests. For a full list, see here: https://www.nps.gov/olym/learn/nature/mammal-species-list.htmAnd don’t forget the ocean. Offshore, the waters that wash the beaches of Olympic NP are home to whales, dolphins, sea lions, seals, and sea otters.

A bobcat in Olympic National Park.

But that’s not all!

Other things to remember about visiting the area:

The Olympic peninsula was once one of the PNW’s best-kept secrets until a certain book series ignited interest in the area. If that’s your jam, Forks is VERY close to the park, as are La Push and Port Angeles.
If you would like to set foot on the westernmost point of the contiguous 48 states, you can do it at Cape Alava, Washington (48.16974° N, 124.73004° W) during low tide, by walking out to the west side of Tskawahyah Island. Cape Alava is accessible via a 3-mile boardwalk hike from a ranger station in the park.
Dogs are not allowed in most of our national parks. But Olympic has dog-friendly trails where you can hike with your pooch, as long as you follow a few rules. Read more here: pets in Olympic National Park

So snuggle up in the made-in-the-USA warmth of the Olympic National Park blanketand start planning your visit. The Pacific Northwest wonderland awaits.

The Olympic National Park blanket by Pendleton. The main part of the blanket is heathered grey with stripes of goldenrod, teal, white and rust at each end.

Pendleton logo label that shows a drawing of a bald eagle, and the words: "Pendleton since 1863 Highest Quality Made in the USA." This blanket is sewn onto all Pendleton's traditional wool blankets, which are still 00% made in the USA.

Spider Rock and the Canyon de Chelly: Canyon Song

April 25, 2019April 7, 2020 / pendletonwoolenmills / Leave a comment

Editor’s note:

Two young Dine girls, Tonisha and Tonielle Draper.

Canyon Song

Pendleton Woolen Mills is proud to be part of the National Park Experience series with a new short film, “Canyon Song.”

Canyon de Chelly

Canyon Song follows the Draper family as they practice traditional indigenous farming methods in the Canyon de Chelly Wilderness.

A wondow in a red clay brick home reflects the Canyon de Chelly.

As a portrait of two young Dine girls, Tonisha and Tonielle Draper, “Canyon Song” artfully positions the historic with the modern. The girls sing songs about social media (you should watch the closing credits to enjoy this) and visit the carnival. Tonisha participates in competitions that showcase understanding and reverence for Navajo culture.

Tonisha Draper stands in her family's corn plot, ed rock behind her. She is wearing a bright green traditional Navajo gown, a crown, and she is holding a fringed Pendleton robe in the Chief Joseph pattern.

These girls are the heart of the film, and their smiles, voices and joy will haunt you.

Canyon de Chelly

Canyon de Chelly sits in the heart of the Navajo nation. Spider Rock, with spires that tower 800 feet above the canyon floor, is one of the canyon’s most important landmarks.

NGS Picture ID:403617

Spider Woman, one of the major Navajo deities, is traditionally said to live at the top of Spider Rock. In our research, we came across this description of her from an older book of legends:

The people gazed wide-eyed upon her shining beauty. Her woven upper garment of soft white wool hung tunic-wise over a blue skirt. On its left side was woven a band bearing the Butterfly and Squash Blossom, in designs of red and yellow and green with bands of black appearing in between. Her neck was hung with heavy necklaces of turquoise, shell and coral, and pendants of the same hung from her ears. Her face was fair, with warm eyes and tender lips, and her form most graceful. Upon her feet were skin boots of gleaming white, and they now turned toward where the sand spun about in whirlpool fashion. She held up her right hand and smiled upon them, then stepped upon the whirling sand. Wonder of wonders, before their eyes the sands seemed to suck her swiftly down until she disappeared entirely from their sight. (source)

Spider Woman is the original weaver, who wove the web of the Universe. She also played a key role in Earth’s creation as Tawa, the Sun God, sang the world into existence. Spider Woman made a gift of her weaving skills to her people as part of the “Beauty Way,” a Navajo tradition of balance in mind, body and spirit. She also has a fierce aspect. Parents would threaten their children with her wrath:

As children growing up at Spider Rock, Canyon De Chelly and Canyon Del Muerto, our grandmother would tell us of mischievous and disobedient children that were taken to Spider Woman and woven up in her tight weaving, after Talking God had spoken through the wind spirits to instruct Spider Woman on how to find and identify the bad little kids. Spider Woman would boil and eat the bad little kids, that is why there are white banded streaks at the top of Spider Rock, where the bones of the bad children still bleach the rocks to this day. (source)

Now, if that isn’t enough to make you behave…

The Film

It is a privilege to be part of a film that celebrates this harsh and beautiful country, and the people who live there. Please enjoy “Canyon Song.”

Photos courtesy of The National Park Experience.

See Pendleton’s Spider Rock pattern here: Spider Rock

A Pendleton Adventure with the Grey Wolves of Yellowstone

April 24, 2019April 8, 2020 / pendletonwoolenmills / Leave a comment

Editor’s note:

A wolf pauses in a snowy forest.

The Grey Wolves

The grey wolves of Yellowstone are heard more often than seen. Their eerie howls can echo up to fifty miles, summoning the pack before or after a hunt. Yellowstone’s wolves are efficient predators, able to take down animals many times their weight by hunting in packs. Through strategic harrowing, you can watch them bring down a buffalo here: Hunting Wolves. They are strategic, efficient and effective predators. They are also protected within the park, but this was not always the case.

Extirpation

When Yellowstone National Park was created in 1872, the goal to “conserve and protect” didn’t extend to the park’s wildlife. Visitors were free to hunt and kill any game in Yellowstone. The grey wolf was especially vulnerable, even after the Secretary of the Interior regulated hunting in 1873. As an “undesirable predator,” the grey wolf was subject to a massive kill-off by the US Army in 1907 (1,800 wolves and 23,000 coyotes). The 1916 legislation that created the National Park Service included language that authorized the “…destruction of such animals and of such plant life as may be detrimental to the use of said parks, monument and reservations.” This is known as “extirpation,” and the consequences are devastating.

By 1926, the gray wolf of Yellowstone was eradicated. This allowed the elk population to grow, contributing to the overgrazing of Yellowstone’s deciduous trees, which affected the small animals and birds that rely on the aspen and cottonwood groves for their habitat, and the fish in the streams churned by more hooves. Without competition from the grey wolf, the coyote population rose dramatically, and those able predators over-thinned the pronghorn antelope population. Park managers, biologists, conservationists and environmentalists were in agreement; the wolf was a necessary part of Yellowstone’s ecosystem.

Two young wolves on a grassy forest floor.

The Wolves Return

The campaign to re-introduce the grey wolf to Yellowstone National Park began in the 1940s. By the 1960s, there was an explosion of awareness concerning ecosystems. Scientist, conservationist and hunter all agreed that there was a need to restore Nature’s balance. When the Endangered Species Act was passed in 1966, it paved the way for identification and preservation of fragile species. The gray wolf was one of the first animals to be declared endangered.

The program to reintroduce wolves to Yellowstone began with 14 wolves trapped in Canada, near Jasper National Park. Seventeen more Canadian grey wolves were captured the next year, and added to the program. The wolves were initially placed in “acclimation pens.” They were released fully into the wild in April of 1996. By the late 1990s, the wolves were making their comeback.

A Pendleton Employee Shares her Story

This sighting comes from Pendleton’s own Katie Roberts, who shared a Pendleton employee park memory with us.

I took a Science class in high school where we got to take trips to both Yellowstone and Glacier. We were allowed access to the parks in the offseason, so we were basically the only ones there. On the Yellowstone trip, we were tracking wolves for our class. They’re pretty elusive creatures, so we didn’t see any until the very end of the day, right before sunset. Not only did we see the biggest Wolf Pack in Yellowstone (at the time), we saw it chase down an elk and kill it! It was pretty crazy, the “Nature Channel” in front of our eyes. I spent a lot of times in both parks growing up, but that was probably the wildest thing I’ve ever witnessed!

Wolves in Ecosystems

Wolves are magnificent and eerie, and absolutely vital to Yellowstone’s ecosystem.Today, there are around 100 living in 10 packs in Yellowstone. The effect on the park’s ecosystem has been extensive, thanks to the “trophic cascade” that falls from an apex predator at the top of the food chain to all the animals, birds, insects and plants that make up the food chain of its prey. Wolves actually help to transform their physical environment. Here’s a fascinating video that talks about how the wolves of Yellowstone have changed the rivers of Yellowstone. It is well-worth watching, and explains trophic cascade. Enjoy.

And you can support the National Park Foundation with Pendleton’s Yellowstone collection here: SHOP Yellowstone by Pendleton

Images courtesy Pixabay

A round logo for the Pendleton National Park Collection.

Every Blanket Tells a Story: Louise Kelly

April 23, 2019April 8, 2020 / pendletonwoolenmills / Leave a comment

Editor’s note:

A long lost blanket pattern

We first saw this blanket when Judy Goodman of Joseph, Oregon, contacted us for information on a blanket that belonged to her grandmother, Louise Kelly.

Front and back views of an unusual vintage Rainier National Park blanket, which has bands of wildflowers instead of stripes.

The label identified it as a Rainier National Park blanket, but it’s so very different from our current version that we knew it was a special treasure.

Photo of a blanket label for a Rainier National Park blanket from the 1940s.

A Blanket Expert

We reached out to our National Park blanket expert, Fred Coldwell of Denver, Colorado. He identified the blanket right away. Here is his information:

The blanket is Pendleton’s very first Rainier National Park Blanket, No. 18, introduced on February 1, 1928. It had overstitched ends and a border design of flowers (lupine, paint brush and daisy) on one of three color bodies (white, light blue or moss green).

Photo of the blanket border with three flowers are found on Mt. Rainier in these subspecies: Broadleaf Lupine, Dwarf Lupine, Magenta Paintbrush, Scarlet Paintbrush, Subalpine Daisy.

These three flowers are found on Mt. Rainier in these subspecies: Broadleaf Lupine, Dwarf Lupine, Magenta Paintbrush, Scarlet Paintbrush, Subalpine Daisy. They can be seen here under Subalpine flowers in the Blue/Purple Pink/Red folders.

Back to the blanket. Four points (indicating the 66″ x 80″ size) were sewn into the lower left hand corner of the blanket’s large center field. This blanket came in only one size, 66″ x 80″, and was made with virgin wool on a cotton warp. It was wrapped in paper for packing. The wholesale price was $9.00 in 1928 and 1929. This Rainier Park Blanket is listed in Pendleton’s February 1, 1928 Wholesale Price List No. 6 and in the March 1, 1929 Wholesale Price List No. 8. But it had disappeared by 1934-35 when retail Catalog No. 11 was issued. I have no information about it from late 1929 to 1933, but I imagine it was a casualty of the early 1930s Depression.

Ms. Goodman was thrilled to have Fred Coldwell’s information. When we asked her if she’d like to share the blanket on our blog, it spurred her to do some serious family research; not just the names, dates, family tree kind of research, but research into her grandmother’s story. How did she come to the Northwest? How did this blanket tie into her life? The story of a blanket is also the story of the person who owned it.

Louise Kelly

We would like to share Louise’s story, as told by her granddaughter.

My grandmother, Louise Kelly, was born on October 26, 1906 to John and Mattie (Landreth) Evans in Taberville, MO. Like many families of this era, Louise had eleven brothers and sisters. She rode a horse to school and purchased school supplies by exchanging farm eggs at the store. Once she’d finished eighth grade, Louise (at age 12 or 13) had to stay home to care for all the other small children in the family. Some of her brothers were never able to attend school. They stayed to work the farm with their father.

Louise married at the age of 24 and gave birth to her first child (my mother, Wilma) in 1931. My uncle was born a few years later. The family farmed, raised chickens, made their own blankets and clothes, and preserved fruits and vegetables. They managed to survive the Great Depression and were looking at a new future when this photo was taken of Louise in 1941 near Mt. Rainier on a trip to Yakima, Washington.

A vintage photo of Louise Kelly standing in front of Mt. Rainier.

(Louise Kelly, 1941)

The family was taken with the West. Eight years later, the family finally saved enough to move there, settling in Zillah, Washington. My mother was a senior in high school when her father suffered a heart attack. My grandmother Louise found herself widowed with two teenagers. She worked two jobs to support her family, running her own morning café and cooking at another restaurant at night.

Wearing their waitress uniforms, Louise [left] and her daughter Wilma [right] in front of Louise’s café.

(Louise [left] and her daughter Wilma [right] in front of Louise’s café [obviously the dog didn’t want to be in the photo])

Percy Kelly was a business man who enjoyed breakfast every morning at my grandmother’s café. He was a potato dealer – buying potatoes right from the field, sorting and bagging them in a warehouse in Toppenish, WA, then shipping by rail using “ice” stops along the way to keep the potatoes cool. He had also lost his wife in 1949. Percy asked Louise out on a date, but she was too busy with work and family. One day at the café, Percy took off his suit jacket, rolled up his shirt sleeves and started to wash dishes with Louise just so he could spend time with her. That was the beginning of their love story, and how this beautiful Pendleton Mt. Rainier Blanket came into my possession.

Percy (who I knew as Papa) and Louise were married in 1951 and moved to the Columbia Basin in 1952. They grew potatoes near Winchester, Washington. Papa was a member of the Washington State Potato Commission. They built their own potato storage and started to ship potatoes. This was the beginning of their potato empire, and their life together. Percy had two daughters who were still in high school at the time. My mother started college and her brother enlisted in the Army.

Louise always loved Mt. Rainier. This photo of the mountain and a CCC camp at its base hung on the wall of her home for most of her life.

Louise always loved Mt. Rainier. This photo of the mountain and a CCC camp at its base hung on the wall of her home for most of her life.

It is possible that the Mt. Rainier Park blanket was a wedding gift to Louise and Percy, but more than likely it was a wedding gift for Percy and his first wife in 1929. The blanket remained in the family all of these years. It was often stored in a cedar trunk that came into my possession in 1999 when Louise passed away. “Percy loved beautiful handcrafted things,” his daughter, Jeanette Burk, recently told me in a phone conversation. “He liked well-crafted items made of leather and wool, and he definitely would have wanted this blanket for his family.”

A Story Lives On

So that is the story of one National Park Blanket and the person (and family) it belonged to. The blanket spends most of its time displayed in Judy’s Oregon home. Currently, the blanket is on display at Wallowology (www.wallowology.org) where Judy works. Above it is Louise’s Pendleton 49’er jacket, a beauty that appears to have all its original shell buttons—a rarity. You can pay both of these treasures a visit if you’re in the neighborhood.

Louise Kelly's Rainier National park blanket and her Pendleton '49er on display.

Our thanks to Judy for sharing her grandmother’s story and her photos.

Grand Canyon Historic Train Depot Project is Underway!

December 13, 2018April 21, 2020 / pendletonwoolenmills / 4 Comments

Editor’s note:

We have been working with the National Park Foundation for years to protect and preserve America’s national parks through donations generated by purchase of select products. You’ve already read about the restoration of the Grand Helical Stairway at Many Glacier Lodge (now complete); this report concerns our second project, a major restoration of the Grand Canyon Train Depot. Here’s an update from the National Park Foundation.

An old black and white photo of the Grand Canyon depot.

With support from Pendleton and their licensed collaboration partners, the National Park Service facilitated the kick-off of a multi-year project to restore the Historic Grand Canyon Train Depot at Grand Canyon National Park. The full scope of the project will allow future generations to experience and enjoy this popular landmark for many years to come.

Background

The Grand Canyon Depot is a National Historic Landmark constructed in 1910, nine years prior to the Grand Canyon’s official national park designation. The depot is one of three remaining structural log railroad depots in America and still serves an operating railroad. Originally built for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, it helped establish the rustic western sense of place for the Grand Canyon. The depot is one of the park’s “front doors,” serving not only as a major arrival point for thousands of visitors each year but a gathering site for over 100 years. Today, it is threatened by serious physical deterioration and fails to meet accessibility standards and adequate function for visitor enjoyment. The restoration project is an attempt to ensure this iconic structure remains accessible and intact in preserving the history of the park.

A color photo of the exterior of the Grand Canyon Train Depot. A historic log building with the words "Grand Canyon" on the front gable.

Project Update

Initial work began in late 2017 to produce a scope of work for updating the Historic Structure Report and completion of structural analysis on certain sections of the depot to create an informed treatment plan. The National Park Service secured professionals for contract services to complete both tasks and entered into agreements to begin these assessments. In May of 2018, a structural engineer, architectural preservationist and wood scientist began visual analysis, condition assessment, and structural integrity testing – all necessary steps to evaluate the current building condition in preparation for restoration and preservation.

A man works on the exterior of the Grand Canyon Depot building.
Using information gathered during the on-site analysis, the team began to determine building decay patterns and draft a treatment plan. At the same time, an architect has continued to update the depot’s existing Historic Structure Report. This report now includes current structural condition assessment and treatment recommendations, with a special focus on the exterior building envelope which includes the roof, siding, log structure, doors and windows.

A man works on the exterior of the Grand Canyon Depot building.

Through these efforts, the National Park Service will have a comprehensive report on the status and integrity of the depot and will have expert recommendations for restoration and repair. Once the information collection and planning pieces are complete, the project will move into the repair phase. Depending on the extent of the treatment recommendations and funding, structural repairs are expected to begin in late 2018 or early 2019.

A man works on the exterior of the Grand Canyon Depot building.

The depot is currently open and in use for railway passenger services under the operation of Grand Canyon Railway. The hope is that the depot will remain open for the duration of repairs. The efforts underway will result in a restored and sustainable train depot, poised to educate visitors about the rich history of the Grand Canyon for decades to come. With over 6 million visits to the Grand Canyon each year, it’s a gift that will have a resounding positive impact on the park and visitor experience.

We appreciate the generous support of Pendleton and their licensed collaboration partners on this critical project. Additional status updates will be provided in 2019 as implementation begins.

We are excited to watch the progress of this much-needed restoration in 2019, and will keep you all posted. Thank you for your support!

You can see our National Parks products here: Pendleton for the National Parks

National-Park-Collection-100_Color-Logo