We Celebrate National Park Week with a Contribution Milestone!

April 26, 2023 / pendletonwoolenmills / 2 Comments

Now, that’s a celebration.

Pendleton National Park blankets on a wooden fence in front of glaciers

We are celebrating National Park Week 2023 with a donation milestone of over $1.5 million in contributions to the National Park Foundation since 2016. Through sales of the National Park Collection, Pendleton is proud to support the National Park Foundation, the nonprofit dedicated to protecting and preserving America’s more than 400 national parks.

Our Projects

Pendleton’s partnership has supported two landmark park preservation projects. Our first project was in Glacier National Park, at the beautiful Many Glacier Hotel. Restoration of the historic lobby included rebuilding the iconic helical staircase, which had been displaced by a gift shop.

Committed to the Future

“The national parks have been an important part of Pendleton’s heritage from the very early days,” said Pendleton CEO John Bishop. “Our National Parks Collection dates back to 1916. It is an honor to be able to continue to partner with the National Park Foundation to help support the inspiring work they do across our treasured national parks.”

We couldn’t do it without you. Thank you all for your support.

Pendleton on CBS Sunday Morning

April 5, 2023April 5, 2023 / pendletonwoolenmills / Leave a comment

Sunday Morning

You may have seen Pendleton Woolen Mills recently on CBS Sunday Morning. You can watch it here:

Thank you to everyone who participated, especially Bobbie Conner, and the entire CBS crew who traveled to Pendleton to talk to us, learn about our history, and film at the mill.

Last Chance Blankets for January, 2023

January 26, 2023March 9, 2023 / pendletonwoolenmills / Leave a comment

Now is the time!

Our USA mills in Oregon and Washington run three shifts a day to keep up with the demand for our wool blankets. Each year, we have to retire blankets to make room on the loom for our newest designs. Stock is low on the following blankets, so if you have been considering one, now is the time!

Child-sized Blankets

Moon Dance

The Menominee tribe of the Great Lakes region tells a tale of Brother Sun and Sister Moon. Brother Sun set out on a long hunt and did not return, causing Sister Moon to worry. She searched far and wide for her brother, waxing and waning for twenty days until she, too, disappeared. But Sister Moon always returns after four nights of darkness to light the night with her soft beams. Sister Moon’s search for Brother Sun is portrayed in this pattern of a cloud-obscured moon dancing gently over water.

This peaceful child-sized blanket was introduced in Fall 2020. It is 32″ x 44″, and napped for cozy story times. It also looks beautiful draped over the back of a chair. See it here: Moon Dance

Star Guardian

Crossed arrows stand for brotherhood and the setting aside of conflicts. A peaceful evening has come to the prairie. It is time to light the fires and draw together in the warmth of the fire circle. As logs crackle and flames flicker, stories rise on the night air. Stories of bravery and victory in battle. Stories of stealth and bounty in the hunt. Stories of tricksters and their clever magic. As they share their legends, the People are safe and warm in their tepees. Above it all shines Bear, the great guardian of the night skies.

This charming child-sized blanket was introduced in Fall of 2017. It is 32″ x 44″, and softly napped for soft snuggles, cuddles, and naps. It also makes a fine wall-hanging. See it here: Star Guardian

Robe-sized Blankets

Alamosa

“Of a time long ago, these things are said.” The Navajo language is spoken like a poem, and tells of the first beings, the Air-Spirit People, who emerged in the First World. There, a red island held the Insect People; ants, dragonflies, beetles, and a dwelling called House of Red Rock. To the east, a stepped pattern shows the Place Where the Waters Crossed, home to the sunrise. In the center, blue streams converge, then flow toward each of the sacred Four Directions.

This spectacular robe-sized blanket (twin) was introduced in Fall of 2020. It is unnapped, so the smooth beauty of the pattern shines through, and is finished with a whipstitch binding. See it here: Alamosa

Crescent Bay

Crescent Bay, near Laguna Beach in southern California, is part of the California’s 810 miles of ocean coastline. Waves of diamonds represent the waters of the bay, where divers can see an array of sea life; kelp gardens, fish, seals, sea lions–even sharks. Above the bay floats the marine layer, an inversion created when the cool ocean meets warm air. Sometimes clear, sometimes foggy, the marine layer lingers along the coast, gently dispelling inland heat with the cooling power of the Pacific Ocean.

This California-themed robe-sized blanket was introduced in the Spring of 2020. It is unnapped, so the pattern definition is excellent, and it’s finished with a wool binding. See it here: Crescent Bay

Bedding Collection (multiple sizes)

Alta Lakes

In the high, clear air of the San Juan Mountains, three alpine lakes nestle against Palmyra Peak. This is Southwestern Colorado’s Alta Lakes recreation area, home to hiking, fishing, boating and paddle boarding. Nearby is a tiny ghost town named Alta, a mining center in the 1800s and early 1900s. The evening sky is lit by glowing bands of sunset colors that touch the peaks of the San Juan Mountains, surrounding the three glowing Alta Lakes.

This vibrant blanket design was introduced as a bedding collection in Fall of 2021. The photo above shows the Queen size. It is unnapped for vibrant pattern definition, and is finished with a whipstitch binding. See the collection here: Alta Lakes

Blankets that Give Back to Nature

January 20, 2023 / pendletonwoolenmills / Leave a comment

Blankets with a cause

At Pendleton, we believe in giving back. We have created beautiful blankets that benefit many philanthropic partnerships, and today’s post is focused on blankets that give back to causes near and dear to Nature.

Oregon Blankets

Pacific Wonderland

From the pristine shores of Wallowa Lake to the ocean overlooks of Ecola Point, Oregon’s state park system includes 256 places to hike, picnic, camp, and recharge. It all began one hundred years ago with five acres of donated land that set aside a special place for everyone. In shades of moody indigo, a moonlit landscape celebrates the centennial of the Oregon state parks and our commitment to preserve our Pacific Wonderland for the next 100 years.

The Pacific Wonderland blanket helps support the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department’s “Park Explorer Series”, which aims to remove barriers to outdoor recreation. Projects include building trails that everybody can use, showcasing parks digitally, and making camping possible for folks who may otherwise never get to try it.

See it here: Pacific Wonderland

Forever Oregon

This limited-edition wool blanket honors our home state’s park system. In this design, Mt. Hood watches over a reflective lake flanked by forests, with geometric patterns honoring Oregon’s original inhabitants. Medallions for 12 beloved state parks are bordered by stripes in colors that echo their landscapes.

Purchase of this blanket also helps support the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department’s “Park Explorer Series.” If you’d like to know more about the twelve parks selected for this blanket, you can read a little about wach of them here: Forever Oregon

See the blanket here: Forever Oregon

More Nature Blankets that Give Back

Wildland Heroes

The scent of smoke fills the air. An orange glow lights the horizon. Mother Nature is on alert, and Wildland Firefighters stand ready to defend her. These brave men and women hold the line against fire’s destruction with team effort; digging lines, running hoses, saving structures when they can. In Pendleton’s tribute to Wildland Firefighting, bands of deep forest alternate with lines of flame, lighting trees endangered by flame. A portion of this blanket’s sales help the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, which supports families and injured firefighters in times of need.

Supporting Wildfire-relted Casues

This blanket supports the Wildland Firefighter Foundation. We have also used it to support other causes in times of great need. You can read about one of those here: Thank You for Helping the Red Cross. We also held a special sale of this blanket to generate a substantial donation to relief for the Australian Bushfires of 2019-2020.

See it here: Wildland Heroes

National Park Blankets

Every Pendleton National Park blanket (as well as throws, apparel, accessories and bags, footwear, mugs, everything!) generates a donation to the National Park Foundation. Funds from our donations have been used to restore the Helical Stairs at Many Glaciers Lodge in Glacier National Park (read about it here: Your Gift to the National Parks: Helical Stairs Project). We are also helping to fund the restoration of the Depot at Grand Canyon National Park, which is still ongoing (read about that here: The Depot Project is Underway!). And, a new project is coming! Watch for an exciting announcement soon.

You can see our current selection of Park blankets (some blankets in the above photo are retired) and Parks-related merchandise at http://www.pendleton-usa.com. And thank you for supporting these important causes.

Bedding Groups – Something Special from Pendleton

October 21, 2022October 11, 2022 / pendletonwoolenmills / Leave a comment

Dress up your bed

Each year, we choose a select group of blankets to offer as bedding groups. This means we will offer multiple sizes in these blankets, usually including Queen, and sometimes up to King. We also weave special fabrics for coordinating pillow shams that are (usually) reversible. This gives customers the opportunity to fully dress a bed in Pendleton fabrics.

New patterns

This year, we added some new patterns to our bedding collection offering.

Smith Rock

Smith Rock – The towering face of Smith Rock overlooks a bend in Oregon’s Crooked River, challenging climbers from around the world to scale its heights. Considered by many to be the birthplace of American sport climbing, Smith Rock State Park offers several thousand climbs, many of them bolted, in its 650 acres of high peaks, deep river canyons, and hiking trails like Misery Ridge. This pattern, based on a traditional nine-element blanket, alternates the park’s peaks with the many paths traveled by hikers and climbers.

Lost Trail

Lost Trail – In September of 1805, the Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery struggled to find a trail through the Bitterroot Mountains. Their travails gave name to Lost Trail Pass, crossing the Idaho/Montana border. Two peaked bands represent the Columbia River Basin drainages divided by Lost Trail: Bitterroot Clark-Fork to the north, and Salmon to the south. The middle band represents the Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge, which provides crucial winter habitat to fish, fowl, and mammals large and small.

And customer favorite Wyeth Trail, now offered in a Slate colorway.

Wyeth Trail – In 1834, stories of the Western frontier drew a Massachusetts inventor named Nathaniel Wyeth to the Oregon territories. The Wyeth Trail did not lead its namesake to fame and fortune, but his path endured to become part of the Oregon Trail’s 2,170 miles. With a balanced pattern of peaks, this pattern shows a perilous trail passing through dry plains, fertile valleys, and pristine rivers, surrounded on both sides by the beautiful mountain ranges of Oregon.

These join other bedding group favorites like Los Ojos, White Sands, San Miguel, and more. See them here: Bedding Groups

Another option

If your favorite blanket isn’t part of this group, check out our Pendleton Eco-Wise® Wool shams in solid colors. See them here: Solid Shams

Pendleton Eco-Wise Wool shams, arranged with Eco-Wise Wool blankets.

These solid color shams coordinate beautifully with our Eco-Wise blankets, and the colors work with many of our jacquard patterns. If you have questions about exact matching, call the Pendleton Home Store in Portland’s Pearl District. We have swatches, blankets, and are happy to help you over the phone or in person.

Colder weather is finally on the way. It’s the perfect season to warm up with wool. Visit Pendleton-usa.com to see all the possibilities.

New Child-size/Crib-size Pendleton blankets for 2019

July 1, 2019February 7, 2022 / pendletonwoolenmills / Leave a comment

Perfect for Cribs and Cuddles

Enjoy a look at Pendleton’s newest child-sized blankets! These soft wool blankets are made in the USA, and are perfect for crib or cuddle. They also make wonderful wall hanging (click the name of each blanket to see more information at pwndleton-usa.com ).

Shared Paths

This beautiful blanket celebrates the path walked in life, from the helpless dependence of a newborn to the self-sufficiency that comes with growing up.

SharedpathsF&B

Shared Paths legend:

The Navajo word for animals, Naaldlooshii, translates as “the-ones-who-trot-people.” The Navajo study an animal’s behavior to understand and learn from it, knowing that appearances say less than actions. Buffalo is mighty and fearsome, but lives gently by grazing on plants. Fox is supple and small, but lives fiercely by hunting. From Deer to Dove, all Earth’s animals move together on Earth’s shared paths in hózhó, the Navajo state of balance and order.

Butterfly

This blanket originated as a robe-sized blanket in the American Indian College Fund collection. In the larger version, the pecan-brown side is the face of the blanket. For the child-sized version, we used the more colorful ombred side as the face of the blanket. Sales of both versions support the work of The College Fund, which provides scholarships to tribal colleges for deserving Native American scholars.

ButterflyF&B

Butterfly legend:

Lakota leader Sitting Bull worked tirelessly for Native American rights. Sitting Bull College on Standing Rock Reservation memorializes his efforts, and demonstrates the American Indian College Fund’s belief that education can transform the future. Sitting Bull’s legacy is honored with flower and butterfly designs similar to those on his regalia. A caterpillar’s transition to butterfly mirrors the transformative impact of education, a fitting remembrance of a man who lived life bravely for his people.

See the full-sized version of this blanket here: Butterfly

Morning Cradleboard by Wendy Ponca: Weavers Series

This blanket was designed by Wendy Ponca, a gifted designer and artist who has designed several blankets for Pendleton over the years. It is part of the Weavers Series, which celebrates the artistry of contemporary weavers by incorporating their one-of-a-kind designs into Pendleton blanket designs.

MorningCradleboardF&B

Morning Cradleboard legend:

This child-sized blanket uses a pattern inspired by finger-woven straps used to secure a baby in a traditional Osage cradleboard. Ponca often creates designs that are tactical by intent, offering Nature’s protection. In Osage, the cradleboard is called o-olo-psha, or “follow-trail-of-animals.” The cradleboard was the beginning of the Road of Life as followed by animals to water and food. People take this same path, beginning life as completely dependent, and working step-by-step to self-sufficiency. As the cradleboard protects the baby, this blanket surrounds a child with warmth and safety on the path to growing up.

Big Medicine

Like the Butterfly blanket above, this blanket began its Pendleton history as a robe-sized blanket. The original Big Medicine blanket was a limited-edition custom run, and each blanket contained hair from a rare white buffalo named…Big Medicine. We wove more of the original coloration using only wool, in both the green version and this new re-color with a charcoal ground.

BiGMedicineF&B

Big Medicine legend:

The rare white bison occurs only once in every 10 million births. In 1933, a white buffalo was born in the wild on Flathead tribal lands. He was named “Big Medicine” to reflect his sacred power. Many Native American tribes consider the return of the white buffalo as the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy. Tradition spoke of the coming of a herd of white buffalo. The seven bison on this blanket represent the seven directions: North, South, East, West, Above, Below, and Within. Together, they symbolize wholeness for mankind and the earth. Prayer pipes signify mankind’s communication with the Creator. In the center of the blanket, four hands join within the Circle of Life, representing the joining together of the diverse people of the world and a new beginning.

See the full-sized versions of this blanket here: Big Medicine

See all our child-sized blankets here: For Crib and Child Pendleton Blankets

PWM_USA_label

Greg Hatten guest post – Buell Blankets and the St. Joseph Museum

July 23, 2018May 21, 2020 / pendletonwoolenmills / Leave a comment

A guest post!

Today’s post is from our friend Greg Hatten, of WoodenBoat adventure fame. Greg has always been interested in our Buell blankets (all retired, but one is still available), which were part of our Mill Tribute Series. Greg decided to find out some information on the original Buell blankets at the source; his hometown of St. Joseph, Missouri. Enjoy this visit, and if you’re interested in our Mill Tribute series blankets, links to our previous posts are below.

Buell-2-table

Buell Blankets Headed West

St. Joseph, Missouri is my hometown. It’s a dreamy little river town that started out as a trading post on the banks of the Missouri and quickly became a launching pad for pioneers headed west to Oregon and California in the mid 1800’s. Some historians estimate that 250,000 settlers made the trek by wagon and on foot between 1850 and 1900. Most of those trips started in St. Joseph or Independence – where final provisions for the 5 month journey were acquired before embarking on the grand westward adventure that started by crossing the Midwestern prairie. Many were leaving for the rest of their lives.

Provisions and Provender

Wool blankets were on the provisions list of every trip – for sleeping and trading with Native Americans along the way. In St. Joseph, the Buell Woolen Mill was the primary source for blankets headed west. Known for quality over quantity, the blankets were strikingly colorful and many designs were based on patterns used by different Native tribes in paintings and beadwork out west. They were prized by the pioneers and Native Americans alike.

Buell-2-slide

As stated in the 1910 Buell Catalog:

Missouri ranks up with the first in the production of good staple wools, and the surrounding states produce a quality almost equal. We buy the choicest lots, have first pick, and train our buyers to get the best… We obtain the best dyes possible that we may produce the required fastness of color, and many beautiful shades and combinations which have made Buell…Blankets the handsomest, most desirable line in the world.

A Visit to the Buell Museum

As I packed for my most recent trip west to run Wild and Scenic Rivers in a wooden boat, a friend of mine asked if I had seen the small collection of Buell blankets at the St. Joseph museum. I hadn’t – so I made a call to Sara Wilson, Director of the Museum, who is as enthusiastic about blankets as I am about wooden boats and canvas and wool camping.

The next day I visited Sara and watched as she put on cotton gloves, opened a box, carefully lifted out two colorful Buell blankets from the early 1900’s and spread them on the wooden table. Her reverence for these artifacts was touching as she pointed out the tri-colors , the double weave, and the attention to detail that made these blankets so special. I immediately enlisted in her small band of “blanket historians” trying to preserve, protect, and expand the Buell collection in St. Joseph.

Buell-1-table

Setting Out Again

Back home on Lovers Lane, I readied my wooden boat and packed my Land Cruiser for the trip to Idaho across the plains of Nebraska. Among other things, my provisions list included wool blankets from Pendleton Woolen Mills. For my river adventure on the Middle Fork of the Salmon in the Frank Church Wilderness, I chose two blankets to take – a utilitarian camp blanket in slate gray and a colorful Chief Joseph blanket for more dramatic photos of canvas and wool sleeping beside the “River of No Return.”

Greg_hatten_packed_rig

Pendleton Blankets

My friends at Pendleton have always spoken of the Buell blankets with the utmost admiration. Pendleton’s wool blankets have been a part of every adventure I’ve undertaken in the past 15 years. It was pretty amazing to learn about this little thread of blanket history running through the backyard of my home town as I prepared for the first in a series of adventures featuring wood boats and wool blankets on Wild and Scenic Rivers.

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If you have a Buell Blanket, images of a Buell Blanket, or a personal story about Buell Blankets, please contact my friend and blanket enthusiast, Sara Wilson, Director of the St. Joseph Museum. You can email her at sara@stjosephmuseum.org

Thanks, Greg! We hope some beautiful Buells make their way to the museum. And for those of you who would like to read more about the Pendleton series that pays tribute to these blankets, here are the links:

Mill Tribute Series: Buell

Mill Tribute Series: Capp

Mill Tribute Series: Oregon City

Mill Tribute Series: Racine

A storied pattern – Tucson

July 18, 2018June 9, 2020 / pendletonwoolenmills / Leave a comment

A 2018 Re-introduction

One of our new robe-size blankets for 2018 is the Tucson blanket. We especially love how the red version came off the loom.

Tucson_www.pendleton-usa.com-red

The Legend Behind the Pattern

The Tucson area was originally home to the Akimel O’odham people, who simply call themselves O’odham, which means ‘The People.” Their creation story inspired this pattern. We have a short version on the hangtag, but the longer version is really quite beautiful.

In the beginning, there was only darkness and water. The darkness congealed, gathering here and there. From these dark deposits, the Creator was made.

Creator wandered above the water, with no destination and no path. As he wandered, he began to think. He became fully conscious of who he was and what he was to do. He reached into his heart and pulled out a magic creation stick.

Creator was unsure of the stick’s use at first. He used it as a walking stick as he strode over the waters. He noticed that resin was beginning to form on the tip of the stick. He took it in his hands, and created ants. So Creator took a large ball of the resin and used his feet to form it into a perfect ball. As he molded the resin, he chanted a song.

Chuhwuht tuh maka-i

Chuhwuht tuhtuh nato

Chuhwuht tuh maka-i

Chuhwuht tuh nato

Himalo, Himalo

Himal, Himicho!

I make the world, and see,

the world is finished.

I make the world, and see,

the world is finished.

Let it go, let it go,

let it go, start it forth!

As he chanted, the ball grew larger and larger, growing until it became the Earth. Then, the Creator took a great rock and broke it into countless pieces. He threw it into the heavens, and the scattered pieces became the stars. He took another rock and made the Moon. But neither the moon or the stars cast enough light.

The Creator reached into his flesh and took out two bowls of water. He thought his thoughts of light. He pulled the bowls away from each other, causing the Sun to appear in the sky. But the sun needed to move. Creator bounced it like a ball to the east, and it bounced back to the west, even as it does today during sunrise and sunset.

Opening Ceremony Memories

Back in 2009, Tucson was one of the most popular patterns in our first collaboration with Opening Ceremony. Remember this? We do!

opening-ceremony-x-pendleton---fall-2009---0

The Tucson pattern is available in blankets, bath and beach, bags, scarves and even a mug. Go see them all here: Tucson by Pendleton

And here’s a look at the tan version–just beautiful. Tucson-www.pendleton-usa.com-tan

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

The History of Pendleton at Seaside, Oregon – From 1910 to 2018

June 4, 2018July 16, 2020 / pendletonwoolenmills / Leave a comment

Pendleton in Seaside

Seaside_store

Circa 1915 – A bunting-draped storefront celebrates the Fourth of July.

We’re excited about the Grand Re-Opening of our Seaside, Oregon Pendleton store this June–June 15th to be exact. But did you know that Pendleton Woolen Mills opened its first retail operation in Seaside, Oregon, in June of 1910?

The store, our very first, was open for “the season”: June through August. Young Chauncey Bishop oversaw the bustling operation that featured an array of products from the mill. From 1912 – 1918, The Pendleton Store continued under the supervision of D. E. Bowman. In 1919, management passed to Walter Jackson, an ailing office manager at the Pendleton Mill. Jackson and his wife ran the store for only one season before he passed away. His wife, Effie Jackson, ran the store ably through the summer of 1920, but elected to stay home with her son when it was time to open the store for business in 1921.

The Seaside Pendleton Store continued to prosper throughout the Roaring Twenties. It closed in 1928. In 2007, Pendleton opened again at Seaside. The current store is located at 1111 N. Roosevelt Drive, #410, Seaside, Oregon, 97138. You can call 503-717-1692 for hours. We’ve just given the interior a new look. Visit us soon to see it all, and to enjoy Seaside the town, the last stop of the Lewis and Clark Trail.

A Little More History

Trips to the Pendleton Archives always yield something of interest, as far as company history. This letter from Fannie Kay Bishop to her sons Clarence and Roy showed her keen interest in Pendleton Woolen Mill’s new retail operation in Seaside, Oregon.

Fannie-Kay-n.d

Fannie Kay Bishop and her son Roy

Fannie Kay was her father’s protégé, and learned about the wool business by his side while he ran the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill in Salem, Oregon. Of her siblings, she was by far the most interested and knowledgeable about the wool trade, but upon her father’s death, the business was left to her brothers. She turned her considerable energies to the raising of her sons. But it was Fannie Kay who saw the possibilities in a shuttered mill in Pendleton, Oregon, and who urged her sons to re-open it to found Pendleton Woolen Mills. Without her, there would be no Pendleton Woolen Mills!

In the following letter, Fannie Kay was discussing the Seaside operation with her sons, Roy and Clarence. The “exhibitions” she referred to were exhibitions at the coming 1911 centennial of Astoria, Oregon. The “Bowman” to whom she referred was D.E. Bowman, a PWM salesman who oversaw the store opening.

To quote, “Bowman has the goods arranged very nicely. The front windows are not in yet. I suppose they they (sic) will arrive from Portland today. I hope he will do a good business.” She needn’t have worried. The store, open each summer between 1910 and 1928, did a booming trade in Pendleton goods.

Gearhart Park, Oregon

July 12, 1911

My dears Clarence and Roy,

I came up here today to attend the Chattaqua and meet your father on the 10:45 train. I received a letter from him yesterday stating he would be in Portland on the 12:30 pm train. I wrote for him to come down this evening. He could leave Portland at 6:15. I hope he will come. I want to see him so much.

Bowman* has the goods arranged very nicely. The front windows are not in yet. I suppose they they (sic) will arrive from Portland today. I hope he will do a good business. But the season is very late. Yesterday and today have been bright and warm.

I want to see you so very very much. And hear all about your trip and what you think of conditions. Write to Grandmother Kay – she is quite feeble and often speaks of you boys and wants you to write. I am real well here. Your father and I will go to Astoria next week and make what arrangements are necessary for the exhibitions**.

I received a nice letter from Ruth today and will send it.

I hope that you boys are well – be careful to not get overheated. Take things reasonable easy.

With much love to both –

Affectionately,

Mother

Today in Seaside

We hope you’ll come visit the new Seaside store, where graphics and a timeline go into the shared history of Pendleton and Seaside in more depth. The town sits at the end of the Lewis and Clark Trail. You can feel the history all around you, and since Seaside began as a resort, what you feel is the history of fun. The Natatorium is no more–the waters of the Oregon coast are so cold that an indoor swimming pool was a huge draw–but the town is full of things to do, like the Seaside Aquarium, the Carousel Mall, Bumper Cars, and the historic Funland Arcade.

Historic Photos of Seaside, Oregon Pendleton

Here are a few images of the old Seaside–come see the new one for yourself!

Circa 1911 –A cozy counter display of Pendleton blankets, steamer rugs (fringed throws), wool socks and men’s hunting jacket.

Circa 1911 –A cozy counter display of Pendleton blankets, steamer rugs (fringed throws), wool socks and men’s hunting jacket.

Seaside_b&w_2

Circa 1911 – Serape-draped tables hold stacks of colorful trade blankets. At rear of store, note the rack of blanket-weight lounging robes for cool coastal evenings.

Seaside_1911

Circa 1911 – An interior view of the store features blanket-draped daybeds. The blanket in the center of the photo was brought back as the Saguaro Blanket in our Heritage Collection, and again as a Muchacho blanket in three colors. All are currently retired.

Circa 1911 – Note the rack of wool skeins and basket of knitting needles and crochet hooks. All floor rugs and fringed rugs are Native American weavings.

Seaside_pc_rv

Seaside postcard – A hand-tinted version of the photo above was transformed into a postcard that helped tourists commemorate their visit to the Seaside Pendleton Store.

Five Favorite Pendleton Wedding Gifts

May 31, 2018July 16, 2020 / pendletonwoolenmills / Leave a comment

Wedding Gifts for Everyone

Summer is wedding season, and June is here. Are you looking for the perfect wedding gift? We have some suggestions to send your newlyweds off in style! Here are our top five Pendleton wedding gift suggestions.

5. Towel for Two

A Pendleton geometric spa towel hangs on a piece of driftwood on the seashore.

The beach is a perfect place to lie side-by-side on the Pendleton Towel for Two. This big, blanket-sized towel is extra plush and soft—perfect for wrapping up together. Pure cotton terry is sheared on one side for softness, looped on the other for superior absorption. Just roll it up and take it along, thanks to the nylon carrying strap (included).

Shown above: Serrado Below: Tucson and Point Reyes

Two Pendleton spa towels, side by side.

4. Motor Robe

Originally called steamer rugs during the early 20th century, these blankets were a warm, welcome companion for those who traveled by horse-drawn carriage, train or boat. We haven’t been able to verify this, but company lore says that one was included with every new Model T sold by Henry Ford! With roots like that, you can see why this is a perfect blanket for a beginning, including a new marriage. Sturdy, warm, a fantastic indoor/outdoor throw. Each fringed motor robe is still woven in our America mills and comes with a convenient leather carrier.

See them here: Motor Robes by Pendleton

3. Bright Mesa Tabletop Linens

A table set with Pendleton Bright Mesa table linens.

Sharing meals each day is thought to be one of the keys to family happiness. Welcome the new couple to this idea with Pendleton’s Bright Mesa table linens collection. Starting the day with breakfast, sharing the day’s happenings over dinner, or taking a leisurely weekend lunch with friends is even more fun when you’re using these bright linens. The design combines iconic Pendleton motifs in a cheerful pattern that brightens up a tabletop with Placemats, Tea Towels, Table Runner and Napkins.

See the collection here: Bright Mesa

2. Fifth Avenue Throw

A row of Pendleton Fifthe Avenue throws hang on pegs.

Pendleton’s Fifth Avenue Throw feels like cashmere, but it’s woven from superfine pure merino, then softly brushed to a velvety softness. This top-of-the-line, featherweight throw is our USA mills’ most luxurious. It’s offered in plaids and stripes to match any décor, including the ever-popular Glacier Park Stripe. This throw will last for a lifetime of snuggling on the couch, reading books or watching TV together.

See them here: 5th Avenue Throw

1. Heirloom Classic Blanket

A monogrammed Pendleton bed blanket and two striped throws.

Simple, chic and timeless, the Heirloom Blanket is the ultimate gift. This warm, fleecy bed blanket is woven from merino wool, and finished with a soft satin binding that’s perfectly dyed to match. Personalize it with embroidery (in any color–including ivory for a subtle tone-on-tone effect) for an incomparable wedding gift that’s made in the USA. The lucky couple that receives this blanket as a wedding gift will use it for the rest of their lives together, and pass it down to their children.

See it here: Heirloom Classic Blanket

And if you’re wondering, it’s hanging with striped Fifth Avenue Throws.

And you can see the rest of our ideas here: Wedding Gifts from Pendleton Woolen Mills