Name: Pioneer Cemetery Walk
Start: 2022-10-27T00:00:00-07:00
End: 2022-10-27T23:59:59-07:00

Past Activity

Canceled: Pioneer Cemetery Walk

Start date: 10/27/2022
Start time: 12:00 AM
End date: 10/27/2022
End time: 11:59 PM

Description:

Meet at E 18th & Potter before start time. WALKING TOUR of Eugene Pioneer Cemetery: HALLOWEEN WALK ON THE DARKSIDE, Historian Randy Gudeika tells New true tales of death, life and inspiration. Walk scheduled to end at 2:45 PM. For more info: passion4histry@gmail.com

NOTE: since we will be often standing still at a grave, and there may be a breeze, bring extra layers for warmth.

Also, not at all a requirement: if you are so moved an able, a suggested donation of $5 to Randy's project of digging into many historical records to make a contribution to our community would be a lovely gestrure.

Event Leader: Joanna Alexander
Event Leader Phone: 541-513-9624
Event Leader Email: joalexgypsy@gmail.com
Assistant Leader:
Event category: Trips
Area Type: Urban
Departure Location: See Trip Description
Rating: Easy
Roundtrip total drive miles:
Season: 2022
Permits Required:
Event Status: Passed
Supplies and Equipment Required:
participant prerequisites:
Conditions:
Total Distance: 2
Member Fees: —
Elevation Gain:
Non-Member Fees: 2
Committee: Trips
Junior member fees: —

Trip Report

Twelve brave pilgrims left warm sunshine to enter dark shadows of the Pioneer Cemetery to meet several spirits from Eugene’s 19th and 20th centuries. Randy Gudeika, historian-performer, brought these shadows to life, human beings who lived and loved (well sometimes hated) but have become forgotten. Some succumbed in World War I, one to disease after returning from war, another who saw the Spanish-American war theater in the Phillipines marrying his true love on his death bed, a twin who dreamed how his brother would die at the end of World War I as they fought together (and of their living descendants who take all dreams seriously); a pair of friends from the lumber camp now ghost town of Wendling who, while removing his illegal still, were shot by a farmer who thought they had insulted his wife. There was a young woman, caught on the wrong side of the Willamette after the ferry stopped running, who, determined to get home that night, crossed the deep river while on her horse, long dress notwithstanding. Randy’s presentations were extremely thoughtful and entertaining. Everyone expressed high satisfaction with their experience.