Pioneer Cemetery

The Pioneer Cemetery is one of the three oldest in Eugene. Founded in 1872 by the Spencer Butte Lodge No. 9 of the Independent Order of the Odd Fellows, there are lots of tales that originate from the cemetery.  Originally the Pioneer Cemetery was not affiliated with UO, but the university paid $600 for the land in gold.  Since its purchase, and with the rapidly expanding campus, there have been several proposals to use to land for other purposes.  In at least three different sessions of the Oregon State Legislature, bills were introduced that would have allowed the University of Oregon to condemn the property, relocated the graves, and build on the land.  The last proposal was made in January 1963 and would have allowed a Springfield architecture firm to move ahead with their plan to disinter the plots, pave over the cemetery for additional campus parking, and add a multi-story garage above it.  Fortunately, this attempt failed, and in 1997 the cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Common reports by University of Oregon students include seeing strange fires burning in the cemetery or hearing shrieks emanate from within its depths. 

Several years ago the University of Oregon brought in a team of mediums to conduct an investigation into the cemetery.  They reported that sometimes a significant temperature drop could be felt near the Kincaid family burial site.  They reported having deduced that the spirit that caused this drop was both unrelated to the prominent Eugene family and female.

Not so long enough, the residents of the men's and women's dormitories of their partner.  As a result, the cemetery became a popular rendezvous site for couples.  This gave the cemetery a rather notorious reputation and former U.O. President O. Meredith Wilson once called it a "moral hazard."

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While Visiting the Cemetery Please observe proper Cemetery Etiquette:

• Please be respectful of the living, the dead, and the spirit that occupy these hallowed grounds.

• Please stay on the gravel paths that run through the cemetery, we don’t want to accidentally walk over someone’s grave. 

• Do not touch the grave markers or monuments.  Some of the markers are extremely old and may fall apart 

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Folklore In Action: 

Some tomb stones carry symbols such as a woman holding an anchor which symbolizes hope, a lamb a common 19th century marking for a child's grave and logs for free masons. 

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