trip planner Smith Rock is a short drive and a must-see state park.
Redmond, Reborn
Caleb Thomas
Central Oregon’s oft-overlooked city is getting cool before our eyes written by Sheila G. Miller
NOT SO LONG AGO, downtown Redmond was crowded— but not in a good way. Thousands of vehicles traveling north and south on U.S. Highway 97 drove right through the middle of downtown on Fifth and Sixth streets. Semi trucks coughed plumes of diesel and horns honked all day—downtown Redmond a decade ago was not a place you lingered. But ten years can mean a lot of change, and Redmond has made great strides. Today, this is a city center that has been reborn. There are vestiges of the old city—a Sears Hometown store still holds a prominent place in the downtown core and the Historic New Redmond Hotel is undergoing what may seem like never-ending renovations. But around the corner is a cityoperated ice rink, Centennial Park with its green space at 88 1859 OREGON’S MAGAZINE
the center of downtown, and Evergreen Elementary reborn as a stately city hall. You could come looking for the Redmond that was famous for having a polar bear at the gas station (the glass case is now empty), but why not explore the new version? Look closer—you’ll see the boom all around you as new businesses open, small shops thrive and downtown gets crowded again, this time with people.
MARCH | APRIL 2019
Day BEER • WAFFLES • MOVIES One of the great benefits of Redmond is that the airport is here, which means you can get off a plane and have a locally crafted beer in your hand within fifteen (maybe ten) minutes. Bend may get the attention when it comes to beer, but Redmond has a burgeoning scene of its own. Cascade Lakes Brewing, which started in 1994 and is among the oldest breweries in Central Oregon, got its start in Redmond and still has a brewpub and its production facility here. Since then, Silver Moon Brewing has moved its production facility to Redmond, and other breweries have popped up all over. Start at Wild Ride Brewing on Fifth Street, which opened in 2014 and immediately became a vital part of the community. The tap room has a relaxed vibe, with garage doors that open up to a huge patio area. Instead of serving its own
