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Past Activity

Pioneer Cemetery Walk

  • Start date: 11/15/2025

  • Start time: 1:00 PM

Description:

Historian/storyteller Randy Gudeika will lead a 2 mile walk through Pioneer Cemetery, Saturday, November 15, 1 to 3pm. At this historically invaluable site he will tell haunting stories of tragedies, forgotten wars, murder, as well as intriguing Eugeneans. This will be his 16th individual walking tour of old areas of Lane County since 2018. His walks are based on extensive research, are factually true, and entertaining. Meet at the cemetery side of E 18th & Potter, across from Central Lutheran Church

This walk is a saunter around the cemetery, not a conditioning hike, and there will be periods of standing and listening so feel free to bring layers to keep warm!

You may wish to offer Randy a voluntary honorarium of $0-20 which is what he customarily receives when leading tours for the public.

  • Event Leader: Sheridan Gates

  • Event Leader Phone: 202-253-3523

  • Event Leader Email: sheridangates01@gmail.com

  • Assistant Leader:

  • Event category: Trips

  • Area Type: Urban

  • Departure Location: See Trip Description

  • Rating: Easy

  • Roundtrip total drive miles:

  • Season: 2025

  • Permits Required:

  • Event Status: Passed

  • Supplies and Equipment Required: Could be rainy. Dress appropriately. Might want to bring an umbrella.

  • participant prerequisites:

  • Conditions:

  • Total Distance: 2

  • Member Fees: —

  • Elevation Gain: 20

  • Non-Member Fees: 5

  • Committee: Trips

  • Junior member fees: —

Trip Report

The Pioneer Cemetery Walk went well. We had a new member joining for his 1st activity, a walk-on member, and a full group of 15. The day was beautiful, and Randy was in rare entertaining mode. We had a special treat when the cemetery caretaker introduced us to the self-guided tour of the cemetery and asked one in our group to read about his aunt who was notorious in Oregon history. She was editor of a local paper and when threatened by longshoremen warned she would retaliate if harassed again,. She started a journalism scholarship at the university. We learned about a woman who was instrumental in the Oregon women’s suffrage movement and used her social connections to advocate for women’s right to vote. We learned about 2 soldiers who were friends in Eugene, travelled to Europe on a ship to war but never fought as they were taken by the Spanish flu. We learned about the civil war section of the cemetery and heard stories of battles and families impacted by the war. <br /><br />
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