The somber peace of the Eugene Pioneer Cemetery is nestled in the heart of our busting campus. We walk by it every day to and from class and feel the eerie, historical presence that exudes a mysterious beauty.
The historic Eugene Pioneer Cemetery contains over 5,000 burial spots and is spread out over a whopping 16 acres. (Nate Barrett/Emerald)
When the sunshine is gleaming from the tree tops onto the weathered headstones, the cemetery provides a unique shortcut through campus or a refreshing place to go for a run. But avoid it at night when it’s dark and ominous. Here are some things you might not know about this eerie corner of campus:
Familiar names
Encompassing 16 acres, the cemetery has 5,000 burials, including Louis Renninger (1841-1908), a Union soldier who received the Medal of Honor for gallantry in the American Civil War, and James Henry Dickey Henderson (1810–1885), a U.S. Representative from Oregon. You’ll also find many of the names that adorn street signs all around town. Just try and find all the Kincaid tombstones.
Stay safe
It may be a beautiful place during the day, but don’t forget to be careful of the dark and isolated area at night. Students often cut through the cemetery late at night on the weekends going from one party to the next. Due to the reports of sexual assaults and robberies late at night, it would be wise to take an alternate route and never travel alone.
Spirits abound
The Eugene Pioneer Cemetery is rumored to be home to many ghosts. According to Kent Goodman, author of “Haunts of Western Oregon,” there has been a sighting of a floating woman in a wedding dress in the cemetery and a more recent sighting of a transparent man in a black cloak.
Go on a hunt
University of Oregon Housing department offers a Ghost Hunting 101 workshop for freshmen. Grab a voice recorder and video camera to go out into the field with real-life ghost hunters and see if you can detect an apparitional presence.
Run for fun
It’s not unusual to see a pair of Nikes flying through the cemetery at lightning speeds as its wearer runs past tombstones during a regular exercise. In fact, Pioneer Cemetery is one of the quickest ways to make it from University Street to the south lawn behind the Knight Library. It’s also one of the more scenic places to go for a quick run.
DuckLife is the Emerald’s magazine for incoming freshmen, made available during IntroDucktion. This story has been reprinted from the magazine in its original form.