The Arizona Centennial Commission, the organization planning Arizona’s year-long statewide Centennial celebration in 2012, announces today that Pendleton Woolen
Mills was selected to design, weave and market the official Arizona Centennial commemorative blanket. These historic, limited edition custom blankets were woven in the company’s Pacific NW mill located in Pendleton, Oregon.
The custom blanket will be issued in a limited 150 “Governor’s Edition”, with each one numbered and individually signed by Arizona Governor Jan Brewer. An unnumbered open edition will also be available. A portion of the proceeds will go to support Arizona’s Centennial celebration.
Inspired by the Arizona flag, this custom blanket features a central copper star on a deep blue background. The five points of the star recall the five “C’s” of Arizona’s economy: copper, cotton, cattle, citrus and climate. The borders of the blanket are inspired by designs from Arizona’s rich and diverse Native American and Hispanic cultures and incorporate fifteen diamond shaped elements which symbolize the state’s fifteen counties: Apache, Cochise, Coconino, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Navajo, Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Yavapai and Yuma. The red and yellow pointed elements of the borders evoke the rays of the setting sun on the Arizona state flag.
Babbitt’s Wholesale, Inc. of Flagstaff, which has been a wholesale distributor of Pendleton blankets for more than 100 years, assisted with the project. Babbitt’s and Pendleton have a long history of collaboration on custom blanket design and production. The staff at Babbitt’s consulted with elected officials, historians, Native American tribal members, Hispanic community members as well as Arizona Centennial Commission members and staff in developing the official Centennial blanket design.“We are extremely proud to have been chosen to weave this blanket to help celebrate and raise funds for the Arizona Centennial Commission,” says Robert Christnacht of Pendleton Woolen Mills. “Partnering with our long standing friends and wholesalers, the Babbitt family, makes this celebratory blanket even more special for us.”
The Arizona Centennial blanket will be available in February at Old Town Scottsdale Pendleton, 7237 E. 1st Avenue, Scottsdale, AZ 85251, (480) 874-2655.
