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History of the Area

Pendleton had its beginning in the early 1860s, when Moses Goodwin purchased land from a squatter for one span of horses. Goodwin deeded 2.5 acres of land to the county from which the original town was platted and which became the county seat in 1868. Pendleton was named after George Hunt Pendleton, a prominent Ohio Senator, who ran for vice president of the United States in 1864 against Abraham Lincoln and his running mate. The city incorporated in 1880 with 730 registered citizens.

In its early days, Pendleton was a Wild West frontier town, and with 32 saloons and 18 bordellos, earned a reputation as the entertainment capital of the region. The first ordinance of the city dealt directly with public drunkenness, fights and discharging of guns within city limits.

The famous Pendleton Round-Up was born in 1910. The traditional event celebrates the skills that every cowboy had to have to be considered a “top hand” and is held the second full week every September.

Today, much of the community’s colorful history comes alive when walking through downtown streets lined with original historic buildings that are being restored, entering establishments that have been there for 100 years or more, taking guided tours, and rubbing shoulders with cowboys, Native Americans, and farmers whose families trace their lineage here at least 100 years.

But don’t let appearances fool you. Behind the scenes is a thoroughly modern city, with coffee and wine shops, wireless connections and a multitude of shopping, dining and entertainment choices. Pendleton... What a kick!

INTERESTING FACTS

• Pendleton shares its eastern city limit boundary with the Confederated Tribes. The treaty of 1855 was signed with the Umatilla, Cayuse and Walla Walla Tribes.

• Pendleton’s population of nearly 17,000 makes it the largest city in Eastern Oregon.

• Pendleton is home to the state’s first arts council.

• Pendleton was the 2nd city in the state to have paved streets.

• The airport was built as a training base in World War II. All of Doolittle’s Raiders trained at the Pendleton Air Base.

• Pendleton has been home to world-renowned leather workers for over 100 years. One saddler’s hand-tooled saddles have been exhibited in the Smithsonian.

• Pendleton’s rich heritage and western tradition have made it legendary. Pendleton is home to the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Night Show, Pendleton Woolen Mills and the Pendleton Underground Tours.