New McMenamins has the spirit

Cornelius Pass Roadhouse
4045 NW Cornelius Pass Road, Hillsboro
(503) 640-6174
Sun.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-midnight
Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-1 a.m.

The McMenamin brothers have created yet another wonderful entertainment venue. The new addition, Imbrie Hall, is located at the historic site of the Imbrie pioneer homestead at McMenamin’s Cornelius Pass Roadhouse.

The new pub has been fashioned from a wide array of vintage pieces that reflect the history of the property. The building features weathered siding, tin roof and old style ventilators, all combining to give the illusion of age. The structure, rather than replacing an existing building on the property or contrasting with the style of the other buildings, complements them nicely. Other properties on the old farmstead include the Granary, the White Shed and the Octagonal Barn.

Cornelius Pass Roadhouse was the first historic location Mike and Brian opened with their unique style of restoration and rejuvenation. It was followed by the ’20s-built Bagdad Theatre on Hawthorne, former church and longshoreman’s hall the Mission Street Theatre & Pub, and Edgefield – the old Multnomah Poor House, among others.

The grand opening celebration has ended at the Roadhouse property but that doesn’t mean the party is over. Great music is coming up at the Octagonal Barn with Say Uncle performing on June 2 at 6 p.m. and many others throughout June.For a complete listing of upcoming music scheduled, look online at www.mcmenamins.com. The Web site says that all shows are all ages unless specified otherwise. Also, a non-alcoholic brew of “Farmstead Rootbeer,” filled with sassafras, licorice and vanilla flavors, is available.

Special events are also coming up at the Roadhouse itself. A buffet style Father’s Day Brunch will be held on Sunday, June 17 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. The cost is $19.75 for adults, $9.95 for children 6 to 12 and free for children 5 and under. Then in August a special Jack Daniel’s dinner will be held complete with cigars from Rich’s Cigars.

The Cornelius Pass Roadhouse has been converted from a two-story farmhouse that was built in 1866. The house, built with an Italian villa design, was home to family patriarch James Imbrie, Jr. his wife, mother and 12 children. The Granary is one of the oldest structures in the area, built in the mid-1850s. The tiny White Shed was a former milk-storage shed. Now it is a hideaway in the tradition of an Irish snug.

One of the most unique structures on the property is the Octagonal Barn. The barn was built in 1913 as a dairy and hay barn. Round and octagonal barns were popularized at this time in the Midwest particularly due to the space-saving abilities and economic construction. Also, the design was a work saver for the dairy farmer with the cows all gathered around a central point where he could feed and care for them. Because of the innovations of the design several state colleges used the eight-sided barns on their campuses. Oregon State had one campus, however it was destroyed by fire in 1922.

Not only was the design great for cows and farmers but it also served the other important function of a country barn – kickin’ up your heels. While the Imbries no doubt used this barn as a community social space from time to time, the McMenamin’s have fully realized its purpose as a spot for dancing and socializing. Bands a “little bit country and a little bit rock ‘n’ roll,” like Say Uncle and The Countrypolitans are well-suited to the venue.

Cornelius Pass Roadhouse is located at 4045 N.W. Cornelius Pass Road in Hillsboro. From PSU campus, take Highway 26 to Cornelius Pass Road (exit 62), turn right onto Cornelius Pass Road and travel one half mile. If that seems too far from campus, or if you prefer to travel in style with and not worry about driving yourself home, look into the Cosmic Bus Tours. A McMenamin guide leads a Westside tour that includes The Grand Lodge in Forest Grove, Rock Creek Tavern’s turn of the century back bar and Cornelius Pass Roadhouse. For information about the Cosmic Tour Bus schedule, call Edgefield at (503) 492-2777 or 1-877-492-2777.