Kenric was pretty excited about taking me to McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale, outside Portland. The best way I can describe McMenamins is that it’s a food and beverage company that buys up different vacant buildings and repurposes them into entertainment venues that serve food, beer and wine. Every McMenamins location is different because each establishment is made to fit the existing buildings.

The huge McMenamins Edgefield property we visited yesterday was once The Multnomah County Poor Farm. Established in 1911, the poor farm (aka pauper farm) was where Multnomah County took care of its poor by providing housing. In return, the paupers worked in the farm and took care of animals. Kenric thinks it was also a debtors’ prison where people were sent to work off their debts. The place later became a nursing home before being abandoned in the 80s. Some years later, McMenamins bought it.

We raised our glasses to Corey

The facility was so big it even had its own power station. When the place was a nursing home, the power station building was a laundry where prisoner workers came to wash the nursing home residents’ laundry. Today, it is a whimsically decorated restaurant and bar. Kenric loved his porter and his burger. I liked my cocktail but not my sandwich. We raised our glasses to my friend with whom we were going to meet up, but passed away two weeks ago.

Right outside the restaurant, the little theater was showing Aladdin, a current release. One of the boards showed, among others, Ziggy Marley and Lyle Lovett’s concert dates. An older gentleman was trying to recall to which famous actress Lyle Lovett was married. His wife said, “Julia Roberts”.

On the facility map, Kenric showed me the building where he had his first sip of Knob Creek Bourbon more than 20 years ago when he visited with his friend Chuck; The Little Red Shed which is a tiny (now non-smoking) bar. He also showed me the room he thinks they shared. It’s room number 20, named Bell Tower.

It was a very low-key afternoon

There were people strolling in the flower and vegetable gardens; some were enjoying their beers outdoors, some crammed into The Little Red Shed bar, a lady in a white robe was returning from the spa, and a man in a white robe was headed for the pool. The glass workshop closed a few minutes before we got there but they invited us in to look around. It was a nice low-key afternoon. I saw asparagus growing, and blueberries while they’re still green. If we ever come back to Portland, I would try to convince Kenric to stay here with me. I’ll probably forget how to pronounce McMenamins by then.

Portland used to be a special place to me; I came here for a work conference, I had quite a few good clients here and even looked for career opportunities here. Multnomah Falls was great, but with my friend’s passing within just a few months of his cancer diagnosis, this beautiful, vibrant, eco-friendly city with a thousand great local beers seems grey.

After McMenamins, we went to Timberline Lodge. We raised our glasses once again to Corey, a well-read history buff who cared too much; hated all politicians, many people and some music; a big fan of the series Vikings; whose life was abruptly ended.

Map of Places Visited