Irrigation and iron rails brought white settlers to the Redmond area in the early years of the 20th century, first as speculators that water and the railroad would arrive and later as farmers and entrepreneurs drawn by their existence.

One family enticed by the prospects was Frank and Josephine Redmond, two North Dakota schoolteachers who moved to Central Oregon with their daughter Lucile in 1904.

At the suggestion of then-Deschutes Irrigation and Power Co. officials, the family pitched their tent next to the right of way for the company’s under-construction irrigation canal and near a projected rail line. They bought property just northeast of today’s downtown. A couple of years later, water began flowing through the canal, a town site was platted and Col. W.A. Belcher began selling real estate centered around what is now the heart of downtown, SW Sixth Street and Evergreen Avenue.

By July 6, 1910, the little community boasted 216 residents and became an incorporated city. The much-anticipated railroad came through town in 1911, assuring the town’s commercial viability.

Equipped with the basics for development — irrigation water, the railroad and the dirt roads that later would become U.S. Highways 97 and 126 — the High Desert community grew in fits and starts over the decades.

At times in its history, Redmond has been a potato production and shipping center, a hub for turkey farming and home to several wood product mills.

Today, resorts and festivals in the area draw tourists and an abundance of industrial land has lured a variety of businesses, big and small. Foresight by early residents made Redmond home to Central Oregon’s regional airport and the Deschutes County Fair, as well as built a modern fairgrounds and exposition center.

Historical Society

The Greater Redmond Historical Society, established in 2011, is dedicated to preserving local history as Redmond continues to grow and change.

The group, comprised mostly of longtime native residents, labor meticulously to unearth and restore photographs, artifacts and missing fragments of local history. They work to preserve the rich tapestry of Redmond’s past and with each archival discovery, they breathe life into forgotten stories to ensure that the legacy of Redmond endures.

Currently, there is no brick and mortar location for the historical society, but you can still find exhibits dedicated to Redmond history at the Redmond Coffee Company (3716 SW 21st Place) and downtown at Harcourts Realty (444 SW 6th Street).