Welcome To The Pendleton Mill Store
Mill History
In 1909, with family and town backing, the Bishop sons started up an idle mill in
Pendleton, Oregon.
The town of Pendleton, a major railhead serving the Columbia Plateau, was a
wool shipping center for sheep growers of the region. The mill, originally built in
1893, began as a wool scouring plant, which washed the raw wool before
shipping. Due to increased freight tariffs on the shipment of scoured wool, the
business soon became unprofitable.
In 1895, the scouring plant was enlarged and converted into a woolen mill which
made bed blankets and robes for Native Americans. This venture also failed and
the mill went idle. In 1909, the Bishops opened the facility and constructed a
new, more efficient mill building with aid of a local bond issue. In September of
that year, the first products emerged from the new finishing department and the
tradition of Pendleton Woolen Mills began.
Today the mill stands on the same foundation as it did in
1909, but has added a retail operation along with investments in state-of-the-art
technology.
Mill Tour Information
Visitors to the Pendleton Mill store are invited to take a free tour of the mill.
Here you can see and learn about the renown Pendleton weaving process.
When you're finished you can visit our Mill Store where you can select from
Pendleton's array of menswear, womenswear, blankets and fabrics.
Public tours for individuals and small groups (under 10 persons) are held
weekdays, at 9 am, 11 am, 1:30 pm, and 3 pm. Reservations are not required,
however tour spaces are filled on a first come basis. When necessary, extra
tours may be added to the existing tour schedule if sufficient tour staff is
available. Tours take about 20 minutes.
To place a tour reservation call the Pendleton Mill store 541-276-6911
How to Find Us
1307 SE Court Pl, Pendleton Oregon 97801
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