Chief Joseph Patchwork Buck Love Bomber

First woven in the 1920s, the Chief Joseph blanket is the oldest design in continuous production at Pendleton Woolen Mills. It honors Chief Joseph — Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt, “Thunder Rolling Down the Mountain” — the Nez Perce leader admired for his courage and eloquence.

In 1877, ordered onto a reservation, he led his people more than 1,400 miles toward Canada, outmaneuvering pursuing troops across brutal terrain for over three months before surrendering to spare them a winter of suffering. Bold arrowheads pointing in every direction symbolize his bravery, strength, and endurance.