Not many universities have a cemetery on campus, and neither does the University of Oregon, technically.
But Pioneer Cemetery, while not on the UO campus, is adjacent to it, being a part of the campus even though it isn’t actually a part of the campus.
A recent poll conducted by Choice Mutual, a life insurance agency that specializes in final expense insurance, ranked Pioneer Cemetery as the third scariest in Oregon. And with all due respect to the voters in Choice Mutual’s poll, I couldn’t disagree more, so much so that Pioneer Cemetery, and its proximity and juxtaposition to all the youthful energy on campus, is one of my favorite things about Eugene.
One of the oldest cemeteries in town, established in 1872, Pioneer Cemetery has been a place of tranquility for me and so many others. Especially now, while most of the country experiences the yellowing of fall, the increased precipitation only makes the cemetery more verdant. Headstones more than a century old, sprawling evergreens and gravel walking paths, attract running college students, elders out for a walk and those looking for somewhere to reflect. The oddity of Pioneer Cemetery is how much life it welcomes.
Eugene Pioneer Cemetery is at 1001 East 18th Avenue, EugenePioneerCemetery.org.
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