Pendleton Woolen Mills

Pendleton Woolen Mills
Company type	Private
Industry	Textile
Founded	1863
Founder	Thomas Lister Kay
Headquarters	Portland, Oregon, United States
Area served	United States, Canada, Australia, Europe, Japan, Korea
Key people	John Bishop (President and CEO), Peter Bishop (Executive Vice President of Merchandising and Design)
Products	Wool blankets, wool apparel, wool fabrics, non-wool garments

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Pendleton Woolen Mills, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 24 July 2025

Pendleton Woolen Mills is a U.S.-based textile company located in Portland, Oregon, renowned for its production of wool blankets and apparel.

Company origins

The enterprise was established in 1863 by Thomas Lister Kay, an English immigrant and skilled weaver, who founded the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill in Salem, Oregon. Drawing on his experience with textile mills along the eastern United States, Kay shaped his manufacturing methods accordingly. His daughter, Martha Ann "Fannie" Kay, became involved in the family business and later married retail entrepreneur C.P. Bishop, effectively combining manufacturing with retail acumen. Their three sons—Clarence, Roy, and Chauncey—carried forward this family tradition.

In 1909, the family resurrected the dormant Pendleton Woolen Mills situated in Pendleton, Oregon, taking advantage of its location in eastern Oregon’s sheep-raising region to lower production expenses through local wool sourcing. The community supported this initiative by issuing bonds to finance the mill’s construction. Positioned on the Columbia River Plateau, Pendleton offered crucial rail connections facilitating distribution. Photographic records from the early 1900s capture the mill’s operational activities.

Initially constructed in 1893 as a facility for wool scouring, by 1896 the mill had been repurposed to manufacture Native American trade blankets for tribes such as the Umatilla and Nez Perce. After facing early difficulties and a period of inactivity, the Bishop family’s takeover led to modernization efforts and expansion underpinned by local financial backing.

To differentiate products, Pendleton developed distinct labeling: men’s apparel featured blue tags while women’s used white labels. Beginning in 1964, the Woolmark logo was incorporated into their branding.

Blankets

The family reinstated production of Jacquard blankets, unveiling fresh designs, hues, and patterns while altering blanket shapes from rounded to square corners with their Bishop series. Collectors today highly prize vintage Pendleton blankets with round corners.

The company broadened its customer base beyond indigenous groups near the Columbia River to include Southwestern tribes such as the Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni. Designer Joe Rawnsley was engaged to research tribal traditions and color preferences to enhance product relevance. Pendleton also replicated multicolored candy-stripe motifs akin to Hudson's Bay point blankets for its Glacier National Park collection. These blankets served both as essential clothing and ceremonial trade goods.

Expansion

Pendleton diversified into producing various wool textiles and garments. In 1912, it established a weaving facility in Washougal, Washington to manufacture wool fabrics intended for suits and clothing.

Clarence Morton Bishop (C.M.), one of the founding Bishop siblings, introduced a line of men's wool sport shirts in vivid colors by 1929—redefining wool shirts from plain workwear into stylish sports apparel.

Roy Bishop departed in 1918 to create the Oregon Worsted Company; following Chauncey’s passing in 1927, C.M. assumed sole management of both mills.

During World War II (1941–45), Pendleton concentrated on supplying blankets and military uniforms to support U.S. armed forces efforts.

Market research after the war prompted a 1949 introduction of women’s wool sportswear items such as the well-known '49er jacket and reversible "Turnabout Skirt," broadening Pendleton’s product range.

In 1960, a band originally named the Pendletones took their name from Pendleton plaid shirts, enhancing brand visibility among American youth culture.

By 1972, responding to consumer demand for lighter seasonal apparel, Pendleton launched non-wool garments suitable for spring and summer wear—a strategic expansion that contributed to continued growth.

Retail Distribution

Originally, Pendleton merchandise was available through specialty shops and select department stores, such as C. P. Bishop's inaugural Salem location. During the 1980s, the company broadened its retail presence by opening both company-operated and affiliated outlets that showcased the complete product range. Additionally, Pendleton introduced a direct mail catalog and established an online sales platform throughout the 1990s.

Current Company Overview

By 2019, Pendleton continued as a privately owned entity, overseen by the fifth generation of descendants from founder Thomas Kay. John Bishop, his great-great-grandson, holds the roles of president and CEO, while Peter Bishop serves as Executive Vice President of Merchandising and Design. The organization manages seven manufacturing sites and 41 retail locations, distributing its products throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, Europe, Japan, and Korea.

Based in Portland, Oregon, Pendleton preserves its historic woolen mills located in Pendleton, Oregon, and Washougal, Washington—among the last remaining woolen mills operating in the United States—sustaining domestic production of wool fabrics and blankets.

Mission Mill Museum

The original Thomas Kay Woolen Mill in Salem remained under Kay family ownership until 1962. Subsequently, it was purchased by the Mission Mill Museum Association, a nonprofit founded in 1964. This museum is distinguished as the sole woolen mill museum west of Missouri and houses one of the Pacific Northwest’s rare water-powered turbines that still generates electricity from a millrace. It currently forms part of the Willamette Heritage Center.