Pendleton, Oregon

Pendleton is a city in and the county seat<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> of Umatilla County, Oregon, United States. The population was 17,107 at the time of the 2020 census, which includes approximately 1,600 people who are incarcerated at Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Pendleton is the smaller of the two principal cities of the Hermiston–Pendleton Micropolitan Statistical Area. This micropolitan area covers Morrow and Umatilla counties<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and had a combined population of 92,261 at the 2020 census.<ref name="wwwcensusgov"/>

History

File:US-OR(1891) p704 PENDLETON.jpg

Pendleton in 1891

File:Oregon - Pendleton - NARA - 68147464 (cropped).jpg

Aerial view of Pendleton in 1923

A European-American commercial center began to develop here in 1851, when William C. McKay established a trading post at the mouth of McKay Creek. A United States Post Office named Marshall (for the owner, and sometime gambler, of another local store) was established April 21, 1865, and later renamed Pendleton, after politician and diplomat George H. Pendleton (1825–1889), who served as a U.S. Representative and Senator from Ohio.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The city was incorporated by the Oregon Legislative Assembly on October 25, 1880.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

By 1900, Pendleton had a population of 4,406 and was the fourth-largest city in Oregon. The Pendleton Woolen Mills and Pendleton Round Up became features of the city captured in early paintings by Walter S. Bowman. Like many cities in Eastern Oregon, where thousands of Chinese immigrant workers built the transcontinental railroad, it had a flourishing Chinatown that developed as the workers settled here. The sector is supposed to have been underlain by a network of tunnels, which are now a tourist attraction. The authenticity as a Chinese tunnel system has been questioned.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The town is the cultural center of Eastern Oregon.<ref name=encyc/> Pendleton's "Old town" is listed as a Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.<ref name ="historic district">Template:Cite web</ref>

The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) have their property nearby. They have established the Wildhorse Resort & Casino and golf course on the reservation to generate revenue for development and welfare. They have also built the Tamástslikt Cultural Institute, for education and interpretation of their cultures.<ref name=encyc>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>

Economy

File:Grain Elevators (Pendleton, Oregon).jpg

Grain elevators in Pendleton

Pendleton Woolen Mills is a maker of wool blankets, shirts, and an assortment of other woolen goods. Founded in 1909 by Clarence, Roy and Chauncey Bishop, the company built upon earlier businesses related to the many sheep ranches in the region. A wool-scouring plant opened in Pendleton in 1893 to wash raw wool for shipping. In 1895, the scouring mill was converted into a mill that made wool blankets and robes for Native Americans. Both businesses failed to survive, but the Bishops, with the help of a local bond issue, enlarged the mill and improved its efficiency. They developed a successful line of garments and blankets with "vivid colors and intricate patterns."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

St. Anthony Hospital in Pendleton is a 25-bed medical center.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution (EOCI) in Pendleton is the only place in Oregon where inmates make "Prison Blues" denim clothing. The prison also operates a commercial laundry serving customers that include EOCI, the Snake River Correctional Institution, Pendleton High School, a local flour mill, and other entities. In addition, some EOCI inmates work as clerks or have jobs in food service or maintenance.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of Template:Convert, all land.<ref name="Quick facts">Template:Cite web</ref>

The city was built on both sides of the Umatilla River, which has periodically flooded and caused some damage. In the beginning, the river was vital as a transportation and trading route for settlers, as well as a water and power source. It connected the city to the Columbia River.

Climate

Pendleton has a cool semi-arid climate (Köppen: BSk) with short, cool winters and hot summers. Pendleton had the highest temperature recorded in Oregon at Template:Convert on August 10, 1898,<ref name="temperature records">Template:Cite web</ref> which was later tied on June 29, 2021, at the Pelton Dam COOP weather station in Jefferson County, and the Moody Farms Agrimet weather station in Wasco County.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The highest temperature recorded in Pendleton in recent times was Template:Convert on June 29, 2021. Template:Weather box

Demographics

As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $36,800, and the median income for a family was $47,410. Males had a median income of $31,763 versus $23,858 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,551. About 8.7% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.4% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="wwwcensusgov"/>

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 16,612 people, 6,220 households, and 3,789 families residing in the city. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 6,800 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the city was 87.3% White, 1.4% African American, 3.2% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 3.6% from other races, and 3.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.7% of the population.<ref name="wwwcensusgov"/>

There were 6,220 households, of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.1% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.96.<ref name="wwwcensusgov"/>

The median age in the city was 36.9 years. 21.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28% were from 25 to 44; 26.3% were from 45 to 64; and 12.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 53.4% male and 46.6% female.<ref name="wwwcensusgov"/>

File:Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution2.jpg

The EOCI prison is one of the largest employers in Pendleton.

Arts and culture

Annual events

In addition to the woolen mills, Pendleton is also famous for its annual rodeo, the Pendleton Round-Up.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> First held in 1910, it is part of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA)-sanctioned rodeo circuit.<ref name="pro rodeo">Template:Cite web</ref> It is among the top ten PRCA venues in terms of prize money.<ref name="pro rodeo"/>

Pendleton is also home to the annual Pendleton Whiskey Music Festival [1]. This annual event is held in the historic Pendleton Round-up Arena in July. Past performers have included Maroon 5, Toby Keith, Zac Brown Band, Pitbull, Blake Shelton, and Post Malone.

The Festival of Trees is held in early December each year. It is a fundraising event produced by the St. Anthony Hospital Foundation.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Museums and other points of interest

File:Rainbow Cafe exterior in downtown Pendleton, OR.jpg

Historic Rainbow Cafe in downtown Pendleton (before 2006 façade restoration)

Local arts institutions include the Pendleton Center for the Arts (in the town's old Carnegie Library building)<ref name ="registration form">Template:Cite web</ref> and Crow's Shadow Institute of the Arts on the nearby Umatilla Indian Reservation.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Heritage Station Museum operated by the Umatilla County Historical Society is located in the historic 1909 Pendleton Train Depot. The museum offers two galleries covering regional and local history as well as a one-room schoolhouse, family cabin, caboose, barn, and signal house.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Pendleton Farmers' Market operates on Friday evenings from May through October on South Main Street.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Pendleton Underground Tours features the history of Pendleton and a tour through the tunnels and the brothels. It is open year-round.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Sports and recreation

The city hosts the annual Oregon School Activities Association 2A basketball tournament at the Pendleton Convention Center. Eight teams of boys and eight of girls compete for their respective championships during a four-day tournament. Civic leaders regard the influx of family and other fans the second-most important boost to the local economy, behind the Round-Up. Total attendance at the tournament in 2010 exceeded 13,000.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The Pendleton Aquatic Center, managed by Pendleton Parks & Recreation, features two tower water slides as well tubes and smaller slides, three pools, a diving well, and picnic areas. The aquatic center is adjacent to the high school.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Transportation

Highways serving Pendleton include Interstate 84 and U.S. Route 30 running east–west and U.S. Route 395 running north–south. The city is also served by Oregon Route 37 and Oregon Route 11.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Pendleton lies along the Union Pacific Railroad (UP), constructed originally through the area in the 1880s by the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company (OR&N). In 1880, the OR&N began construction of a rail line from Portland through the Columbia Gorge to eastern Oregon. It reached Umatilla and Wallula in 1881, Pendleton in 1882, and then La Grande, Baker City, and Huntington, where by 1884 it met the UP line from Utah. Since Pendleton was also connected by rail to the Northern Pacific line at Wallula and Walla Walla, by 1885 it was a stop on two transcontinental lines. The UP absorbed the OR&N line in 1889.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Between 1977 and 1997, the city was a regular stop along the former route of Amtrak's Pioneer between Chicago and Seattle via Salt Lake City and Portland.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Regional public aviation service is through Eastern Oregon Regional Airport, Template:Convert outside Pendleton. The airport is owned by the City of Pendleton.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Boutique Air offers daily flights between Pendleton and Portland, which began in 2016.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Media

Two newspapers are published in Pendleton. The East Oregonian is a daily with a circulation of about 6,800. The Pendleton Record is a weekly with a circulation of about 900.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

KFFX-TV (Fox 11), a television station based in Pendleton, serves a market that also includes the Washington cities of Yakima, Pasco, Richland, and Kennewick.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Oregon radio stations based in or near Pendleton include: KTIX (Template:Frequency); KUMA (Template:Frequency); OPB station KRBM (Template:Frequency); KLKY (Template:Frequency) with translator K237DS (Template:Frequency); KNHK-FM (101.9) with translator K262CJ (Template:Frequency); KWHT (Template:Frequency); and KWVN-FM (107.7).<ref name="radio stations">Template:Cite web</ref>

Notable people

• Tracy Baker – Major League Baseball player; born in Pendleton<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Walter S. Bowman, professional photographer; based in Pendleton from the late 1880s to mid-1930s<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• John Bunnell – hosted World's Wildest Police Videos; born in Pendleton<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Dave Cockrum – comic book artist; born in Pendleton<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Dave Kingman – Major League Baseball player, three-time All-Star; born in Pendleton<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Michael J. Kopetski – former representative for Oregon's 5th congressional district; born in Pendleton<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• James Lavadour – painter; lifelong resident of Umatilla Reservation<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Bob Lilly – Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive tackle; graduated from Pendleton High School in 1957<ref name=boblly>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Donald McKay – scout and leader of the Warm Springs Indians during the Modoc War
• William Cameron McKay, Oregon pioneer physician, scout
• Elaine Miles – actress who played Marilyn Whirlwind on Northern Exposure; early childhood on Umatilla Reservation<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
• Frances Moore Lappé – author and activist; born in Pendleton<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Lee Moorhouse - Indian agent in Pendleton and amateur photographer
• Charles Sams - Director of the National Park Service; native of Pendleton<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Roy Schuening – football player, Oregon State and NFL; born in Pendleton<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Gordon Smith – 1997–2009 U.S. Senator (R) from Oregon, born in Pendleton<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Milan Smith – judge on United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit; born in Pendleton<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Kenneth Snelson – sculptor and photographer; childhood in Pendleton<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Dan Straily – Major League Baseball player; grew up in Pendleton<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Archie R. Twitchell - test pilot and actor <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Quade Winter, opera singer

Sister cities

Pendleton has a sister city relationship with Marikina, a municipality-turned-city in the Philippines. The relationship was established in 1971 when then mayor Eddie O. Knopp and Marikina mayor Osmundo de Guzman had their daughters temporarily switch schools in their respective towns. By 1974, Knopp visited Marikina after Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos declared a nationwide martial law two years prior, and expressed that based on the "excellent peace and order situation" he saw while in the country, the United States could try implementing martial law in towns rampant with violence and crime.<ref name="DelRosario">Template:Cite book</ref>

Another sister city of Pendleton is the town of Minamisōma, in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Minamisoma is Template:Convert north of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, which was damaged by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. Since then, Japanese exchange students from Minamisoma have continued to visit Pendleton, though students from Pendleton have stopped visiting Minamisoma over growing radiation concerns.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

See also

• McKay, Oregon
• McKay Creek National Wildlife Refuge
• McKay Reservoir

External links

• Template:Official website
• Pendleton listing in the Oregon Blue Book
• Template:Oregon Encyclopedia
• Pendleton Chamber of Commerce