PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pendleton Woolen Mills headquartered in Portland, Oregon, a globally acclaimed lifestyle brand, announces a new, year-long campaign, America’s Treasures; a celebration of our national parks, beginning in fall 2015.
When Glacier National Park was established in 1910, James J. Hill, founder of the Great Northern Railroad, commissioned Pendleton to create an iconic, one-of-a-kind blanket for guests at the park’s lodges. The Glacier Stripe National Park blanket debuted in 1916 and has been in production ever since. That same year, President Woodrow Wilson signed into law the Organic Act, creating the National Park Service. The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.
These two concurrent, centennial anniversaries in 2016 inspired Pendleton to develop a National Park Collection of lifestyle products, apparel and home, with a portion of the sales to be donated to the National Park Foundation in support of two landmark national park projects. The National Park Foundation, in partnership with the National Park Service, enriches America’s national parks and programs through private support, safeguarding our heritage and inspiring generations of national park enthusiasts.
Pendleton’s contribution will support the restoration of the historic lobby of the Many Glacier Hotel in Glacier National Park including rebuilding of the Many Glacier Helical Stairway and restoration of the historic lighting fixtures that featured the Orient Express theme. The historic double helix staircase, leading from the lobby to the lake level, a primary focal point of the hotel, was removed in the 1950s along with the historic lighting fixtures.
The removal of the staircase and lighting fixtures led to the gradual degradation of the historic character of this renowned national historic landmark property. The Glacier National Park Conservancy, Glacier’s official fundraising partner, and the National Park Foundation expressed their gratitude to be working with Pendleton to preserve this part of our uniquely American story. The project will be restoring these historic features, returning an essential part of its historic integrity and appearance for the next century of park visitors.
Additional funding raised through the collection will support preservation and accessibility of the Historic Grand Canyon Train Depot at Grand Canyon National Park. The Grand Canyon Depot is a National Historic Landmark. Constructed in 1910, this is one of three remaining structural log railroad depots in America, and the only one in which logs were used as the primary structural material and which still serves an operating railroad. The Depot is a major arrival point for thousands of visitors each year; it’s one of the park’s “front doors” and has served as a gathering place for over 100 years. Today it’s threatened by physical deterioration. Pendleton’s contribution will help preserve and restore this popular landmark for future visitors.
Support through Pendleton’s National Park Collection will help revive this historic architecture, allowing visitors today and tomorrow to enjoy the original, spectacular features of two of the country’s iconic national park structures.
Beginning July 2015, the National Park Collection arrives to national retail stores and catalogs, specialty retailers, national park concessionaires, Pendleton Retail stores and Outlets nationwide including the Portland Home Store and Woolen Mill Store, Pendleton Catalog, and website at pendleton-usa.com. New items will be added each season. Ten national parks are honored in the assortment with a blanket dedicated to select parks ─ Acadia, Badlands, Crater Lake, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Great Smoky Mountains, Mount Rainier, Rocky Mountain, Yellowstone and Yosemite ─ each with a vintage-inspired label representing the character of the park. Every piece in the collection features a special National Park Collection logo signifying that the proceeds will support the National Park Foundation.
Pendleton-owned retail and outlet stores nationwide will celebrate America’s Treasures with an exclusive in-store party at each location, July 15-19, 2015; receive a gift for stopping by ─ while supplies last, enter to win National Park Collection giveaways, and more.
National park fans everywhere are encouraged to tell their national park story at Pendleton’s website; nationalparks-100.com. In addition, the public is invited to be part of the National Park Foundation’s Find Your Park movement, a public awareness and engagement campaign to inspire people to connect with, celebrate, and support America’s national parks, at www.findyourpark.com and by using #FindYourPark and #EncuentraTuParque on social media.
The title America’s Treasures reflects the profound value of the national parks as wholly public assets, to be faithfully preserved and safeguarded for the enjoyment of all. As President Theodore Roosevelt wrote, “We have fallen heirs to the most glorious heritage a people ever received, and each one must do his part if we wish to show that the nation is worthy of this good fortune.”
Pendleton is proud to support the work of the National Park Foundation to preserve and protect America’s greatest treasures.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION
The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation raises private funds to help PROTECT more than 84 million acres of national parks through critical conservation and preservation efforts, CONNECT all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture and rich history, and INSPIRE the next generation of park stewards. Find out more and become a part of the national park community at www.nationalparks.org.
ABOUT PENDLETON
Setting the standard for classic American style, Pendleton is a lifestyle brand recognized as a symbol of American heritage, authenticity and craftsmanship. With six generations of family ownership since 1863, the company recently celebrated 152 years of weaving fabrics in the Pacific Northwest. Known for fabric innovation, Pendleton owns and operates two of America’s remaining woolen mills, constantly updating them with state-of-the-art looms and eco-friendly technology. Inspired by its heritage, the company designs and produces apparel for men and women, blankets, home décor, and gifts. Pendleton is available through select retailers in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan, Korea and Australia; Pendleton stores; company catalogs; and direct-to-consumer channels including the Pendleton website, http://www.pendleton-usa.com.
