Hamley & Co. is entwined like braided leather with America’s Western heritage – past, present and future. And the same goes for anyone who trades with us. You’re helping a beloved tradition thrive and supporting a forward-looking business owned and operated by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Northeastern Oregon (CTUIR). Without the CTUIR, and your patronage, Hamley’s may have gone the way of the tumbleweed. Instead, we proudly stand as a Native American-owned company that not only preserves a century-old legacy of quality and craftsmanship, but also celebrates our extraordinary native artistry alongside products built for and inspired by the American cowboy.

A purchase from Hamley & Co. is an investment in superior workmanship, including the time-honored craft of Native American artisans whose skills have been passed down through generations. Every Hamley’s customer contributes to the well-being of the local tribal community. We consider you part of our family, part of a storied legacy, forever woven into the rich and colorful tapestry of the West.

Icon of the West

For more than 100 years, Hamley & Co. has stood as an iconic outpost of the enduring Western lifestyle. As a premium retailer of handcrafted saddles, horse tack, leather goods, hats, boots, art, apparel and accessories, including handwrought Native American silver jewelry, our brand signals quality that is unsurpassed. Hamley’s master craftsmen have earned a reputation for producing the finest saddles and tack that money can buy. That promise is kept today by saddle and leathercraft artisans who carry forward a long and proud tradition. As indelible as a canyon sunset, our landmark location in downtown Pendleton, Oregon, is a destination experience that continues to embody the signature style, authenticity and frontier spirit of the American West.

History

The history of Hamley & Co. is a story born of America’s westward expansion. A tale of English immigrant saddle and harness makers, brothers J.J. and Henry Hamley, chasing fortune in the 1880s from the Dakota and Idaho territories to the Northwest boomtown of Pendleton, Oregon. From the local farmers, cattle ranchers, horsemen and working cowboys to the Umatilla, Cayuse and Walla Walla tribal natives, Pendleton was a rugged and diverse community stamped from a tintype of the Old West.

In the heart of Pendleton, Hamley & Co., saddle makers and leathercraft purveyors, opened for business in 1905, in the same three-story building it still occupies. In 1909, the Hamley Cowboy Catalog, now part of the Smithsonian collection, made their genuine Western gear and supply available for mail order. The following year, J.J. Hamley helped organize the Pendleton Round-Up, a new festival competition celebrating the wildly popular sport of rodeo. Hamley saddles became known for their trademark craftsmanship and quality, both as ceremonial trophies and as essential equipment. By the 1920s, Hamley-branded Western goods were carried by some of the most prestigious retailers in America, including Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Owned and operated by four generations of the Hamley family up until 1980, the business has changed hands on three occasions. Under the ownership of Pendleton businessmen Parley Pierce and Blair Woodfield, Hamley’s underwent an extensive restoration in 2005, including the addition of Hamley’s Steakhouse, Saloon and Café, offering superb dining and hospitality in a vintage Old West setting unlike any other.

Native Destiny

A trip to Hamley’s has always been special for visitors and locals alike, including the members of the CTUIR, comprised of the Umatilla, Cayuse and Walla Walla tribal people. Since 1905, tribal members have been welcomed at Hamley’s — a welcome not always experienced elsewhere. Hamley’s was, and continues to be, a trusted resource for the Native American community, forming a bond and mutual respect that has grown for over a century.

In 2019, surely as seasons turn on the Columbia Plateau, the Hamley’s story came full circle. The Western Store, Steakhouse and Café came into the custody, care and ownership — lock, stock and barrel — of the region’s native people. The CTUIR oversee a diverse business portfolio that includes the Wildhorse Resort & Casino, which now manages Hamley’s day-to-day operations.

The ongoing success of Hamley’s benefits the entire tribal community, helping to fund education and essential services while preserving traditional arts, craft and culture. The extensive resources and expertise of the CTUIR, and its special regard for the Hamley name, ensure that the brand will long prosper, and that the legacy of J.J. and Henry Hamley will live on, here in Pendleton, and in the timeless lore of the West.