Historic Review Board
Regular MeetingEugene, OR · August 23, 2018
Agenda
AGENDA
Meeting Location:
Phone: 541-682-5481 Atrium Building – Sloat Room
www.eugene-or.gov/hrb 99 West 10th Avenue
Eugene’s Historic Review Board welcomes your interest in these agenda items. Feel free to come
and go as you please at any of the meetings. This meeting location is wheelchair-accessible. For
the hearing impaired, FM assistive-listening devices are available or an interpreter can be provided
with 48 hours of notice prior to the meeting. Spanish-language interpretation can also be
provided. To arrange for these services, please contact the receptionist at (541) 682-5086.
Thursday, August 23, 2018 – 8:30-10:30 A.M. – Atrium Building, Sloat Room
I. PUBLIC HEARING ON APPEAL OF PLANNING DIRECTOR’S DECISION
EUGENE MASONIC CEMETERY (HA 18-2)
Decision: Appeal of a Planning Director’s approval of a Historic Alteration application
submitted by Eugene Masonic Cemetery Association.
Location: 2575 University Street
(Assessor’s Map/Tax Lot: 18-03-05-42-04700)
Appellant: Lucy Lynch
Lead City Staff:
Rodney Bohner, Assistant Planner
Telephone: 541-682-5437
Email: rodney.t.bohner@ci.eugene.or.us
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Public Hearing Format:
1. Staff introduction/presentation.
2. Public testimony from applicant and others in support of application
3. Comments or questions from neutral parties
4. Testimony from opponents.
5. Staff response to testimony.
6. Questions from Historic Review Board.
7. Rebuttal testimony from applicant.
8. Closing of public hearing.
Eugene Code requires that a written decision must be made within 15 days of close of the public
comment period. To be notified of the Historic Review Board’s decision, fill out a request form at the
public hearing or contact the lead City staff as noted above.
BOARD MEMBERS
Steven Baker, David Edrington, Luke Habberstad, Samantha Kalita, Daniel Lombardi, Sarah Shmigelsky
and Richard Steers.
Atrium Building
99 west 10th Avenue
Eugene, Oregon 97401
Phone: 541-682-5377
Fax: 541-682-5572
www.eugene-or.gov/planning
STAFF REPORT
Date: August 15, 2018
To: City of Eugene Historic Review Board
From: Rodney Bohner, Assistant Planner
Subject: Appeal of Eugene Masonic Cemetery Historic Alteration Approval (City File HA 18-2)
______________________________________________________________________________
ACTION REQUESTED:
To hold a public hearing on August 23, 2018 and take action on an appeal of the Eugene
Planning Director’s approval of a Historic Alteration for the Eugene Masonic Cemetery fence
project.
BACKGROUND:
On June 6, 2018, the Planning Director approved a Historic Alteration application for the
Eugene Masonic Cemetery fence project. The subject property is located eight blocks south of
the University of Oregon, northwest of the Laurelwood Golf Course, and within the Amazon
Neighbors Association. The cemetery is zoned PL Public Land.
The applicant proposes to construct a fence, configured with two sections, both approximately
6-feet high, running along the north property line.
On July 23, 2018, an appeal of the Historic Alteration approval was filed by Lucy Lynch.
Public notice of the August 23, 2018 appeal hearing was mailed on July 27, 2018. Since the
notice was sent written public testimony from one neighbor was submitted; this testimony has
been forwarded to the Historic Review Board and is available in the application record for
reference. If additional testimony is received after the publishing of this memo it will be
forwarded to the Historic Review Board and added to the record. Further background
information on this appeal, including the applicant’s Historic Alteration application, is included
in the full record of materials provided separately.
A vicinity map and site plan are included as Attachments A and B. The written appeal statement
with attachments is included as Attachment C. The Planning Director’s Historic Alteration
1
decision is included as Attachment D. Lastly, the Applicant’s initial application materials are
included as Attachment F.
EUGENE HISTORIC REVIEW BOARD’S ROLE:
The general duty of the Historic Review Board is to take necessary steps to preserve historic
properties pursuant to the Eugene Code and to support projects and programs which will help
make citizens of the City and its visitors aware of Eugene’s origin, development, and historic
significance. Related to land use decisions, the Board, under the authority of the Eugene Code,
serves our community in a “quasi-judicial” role to make decisions on historic property
applications. In this case, the Historic Review Board must decide to affirm, reverse or modify
the Planning Director’s decision based on the applicable approval criteria.
The first step will be a public hearing, during which the Historic Review Board will have an
opportunity to hear from any interested parties who wish to provide testimony, including new
evidence. Following the hearing, the Historic Review Board will consider the testimony
presented at the public hearing, written testimony provided to the Historic Review Board, and
the record of the Planning Director’s decision. The Historic Review Board’s decision will be
issued within 15 days of the close of the record, following the public hearing.
STAFF ROLE:
City of Eugene Planning staff will be present throughout the public hearing to assist the Historic
Review Board. Staff will advise the Historic Review Board with regard to process, location of
materials in the record, and interpretation of land use code requirements. Staff may provide
advice and recommendations based on their professional expertise and familiarity with the
application and record of materials to date; the Historic Review Board may choose whether or
not to follow staff recommendations at their discretion.
In addition to supporting the Historic Review Board, staff also serve as a contact for applicants,
neighbors and other interested parties. In this role, staff often hear from the people who may
be directly impacted by a particular project or decision. When concerns are raised, staff works
to help people better understand how to frame a concern in terms of the approval criteria.
Staff listens carefully to all concerns, seeks to fully understand the issues and impacts of land
use applications, and attempts to provide the best service possible to everyone involved. While
all issues are important, staff also make every effort to help our community understand that all
land use decisions must be made based on the approval criteria located in the Eugene Code and
our community’s adopted plans and policies.
APPEAL ISSUES AND STAFF RESPONSE:
The appeal statement raises one appeal issue, identified below. To assist the Historic Review
Board in determining whether to affirm, reverse, or modify the Planning Director’s decision,
staff has identified pertinent record information and considerations below. Excerpts from the
appeal statement are provided below (in bold), followed by staff comments.
2
Assignment of Error #1: Question of Pre-Existing Evidence of the Design
I want to contest this finding based on what I believe to be an incomplete review of
both historic documents and recent usage encouraged by EMCA engagement with their
surrounding neighbors. In your findings on page 3 you state:
“One trail, located about mid-point between University Street and Onyx Street,
at a point where Onyx Alley meets the cemetery property, appears well
traveled. The trail rises from the East 25th Avenue right-of-up to a gravel-
surface, carriage road. Staff inspected the trail and have no reason to believe the
access point was formally created with the initial cemetery plan [emphasis
added by appellant]. Although staff understand that this convenient access
provides a welcome neighborhood amenity, staff finds no reason to conclude
that the pedestrian access points are historic features exacting consideration
under this criterion.”
I believe that the trail in question was included in the original design of the site and that
open community access to the grid and to the public square are part of the historical
context which the EMCA itself seeks to protect and preserve.
The appellant asserts that staff erred in their review of all historic documents, particularly the
Amended Plat of Masonic Cemetery, which, according to the appellant, “clearly shows the
serpentine carriage path on the north edge with an opening on to what is now 25th St.”
Although not stated specifically, staff believe this appeal is focused on the Historic Alteration
approval criteria at EC 9.8175(1), which states:
The historic significance of the property is retained and preserved by minimizing the
removal of distinctive materials or alteration of features, spaces, and spatial
relationships that characterize the historic property.
The appellant relies on the Amended Plat to demonstrate that in the vicinity of the access trail,
the cemetery plots and carriage road configuration suggest that the original layout included a
primary entrance near the intersection of University Street and West 25th Avenue.
Staff points out that the version relied upon is from the photocopied National Register of
Historic Places Nomination Form. The quality of the copy plat makes deciphering difficult.
However, a more clear copy of the plat, included as Attachment E, does little to support this
appellant’s argument as the property line remains solid in the subject area while a more clearly
defined opening exists at the corner of University Street and 25 th Avenue, at the northwest
corner of the cemetery and site of the current entrance gate and interpretive facilities.
Regardless of the intent of the original cemetery surveyors, little present-day evidence supports
any entrance of historically significant value, much less a primary entrance, in the vicinity of the
access trail.
3
Assignment of Error #2: Community Use and the Historic Context of the Site
The EMCA themselves rely heavily on the historical ‘rural cemetery movement’
beginnings of the site to justify their current landscape management plan and practices.
The appellant relies on a graduate thesis by K.M. Tromp van Holst which analyzes EMCA
operations as a case study and provides a historic aerial photo of the cemetery. The appellant
also relies on ECMA documents celebrating both the community use and rural cemetery origins.
Although not stated specifically, staff again believe this appeal issue focuses on the Historic
Alteration approval criteria at EC 9.175(1), which states:
The historic significance of the property is retained and preserved by minimizing the
removal of distinctive materials or alteration of features, spaces, and spatial
relationships that characterize the historic property.
Staff agree with the appellant concerning the Rural Cemetery Movement origins of the Masonic
Cemetery, the history of community access to the cemetery, and the appellant’s assertion that
no fencing existed along the north property line as provided in the historic photo.
However, both the substance and even the title of the Tromp van Holst thesis—Transforming
Cemeteries: A Framework for Enhancing Ecosystem Processes and Human Uses in Formerly
Rural, Urban Cemeteries [emphasis added]—appear to acknowledge the changing setting of the
cemetery in relation to a growing urban vicinity as well as support the need for selective
enhancements related to accommodating human uses. The applicant has stated that the fence
is in response to negative human activity on the cemetery property and serves to relieve that
undesirable activity through the least impactful means. Further, open entry will remain along
nearly the entire west and south property lines, while the east is bordered primarily by
privately-owned property, continuing the tradition of community use and open access.
Other Issues on Appeal: Prescriptive Easement
Public testimony received on August 10, 2018 suggests that the continual use of the trails
create a prescriptive easement over the cemetery property that cannot be legally closed
through the proposed fence. The City does not enforce easements between private parties, and
a decision concerning the claim of a prescriptive easement and any subsequent applicability
should be decided by the appropriate court of law. See EC 9.1020 Applicability of Zoning
Regulations provided below.
Eugene Code 9.1020 Applicability of Zoning Regulations.
The city does not enforce any easement, covenant or other agreement
between private parties, nor is this land use code generally intended to
abrogate, annul, or impair such easements, covenants or agreements. In those
instances where zoning regulations impose a greater restriction or higher
standard than required by an easement, covenant or other agreement
4
between private parties, or where the zoning regulations otherwise conflict
with those private party agreements, the zoning regulations shall control.
Other Issues on Appeal: Alternatives
Public testimony also suggests alternative methods by which to alleviate the difficulties faced
by the applicant. Suggested alternatives include greater law enforcement in the subject vicinity
or alleviating access concerns by providing a restricted-access gate at the trail entrance. While
worthwhile considerations, the decision to approve, approve with conditions, or deny the
Historic Alteration must rely on the applicable approval criteria. Furthermore, conditions of
approval can only be applied to bring an application into compliance with approval criteria.
Alternative suggestions for improving safety and security of the cemetery property, while well-
intended, do not appear to rely on or apply specific approval criteria. As such, requiring an
alternative or modifying the proposal with a restricted-access gate remains outside the
authority granted through the land use code.
Staff Recommendation
Based on the available information and consideration of the appeal, staff recommends that the
Historic Review Board affirm the Planning Director’s decision granting Historic Alteration
approval. Staff finds no basis under which the appellant’s assertions could lead to reversal and
believes the evidence provided supports the applicant’s testimony and the Planning Director’s
decision.
ATTACHMENTS
A. Vicinity Map
B. Site Plan
C. Written Appeal Statement
D. Planning Director’s Decision (HA 18-2)
E. Original Plat & Amended Plat
F. Application Materials
The full record has already been provided to the Historic Review Board separately, and is also
available on the City’s website at: http://pdd.eugene-or.gov/LandUse/ApplicationSearch
A hardcopy of the complete record can also be made available for free inspection at the Atrium
Building, 99 West 10th Avenue, between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Copies may also be obtained at a reasonable cost.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Please contact Rodney Bohner, Assistant Planner, at 541-682-5437 or via email at
rodney.t.bohner@ci.eugene.or.us
5
VICINITY MAP ATTACHMENT A
E 24TH AVE
ONYX ALY
UNIVERSITY ST
ONYX ST
EMERALD ALY
MIAMI LN
POTTER ST
E 25TH AVE
E 25TH AVE
E 25TH AVE
EMERALD ST
E 25TH AVE
EMERALD ALY
UNIVERSITY ST
E
AL
IN AV
ST
POTTER ST
E 26TH AVE
E 26TH AVE
UNIVERSITY ST ELINOR ST BAKER BLVD
´
Legend Caution:
This map is based on imprecise
source data, subject to change,
Subject Property and for general reference only.
Ft
Taxlots 0 65 130 260 August, 2018
ATTACHMENT B
ATTACHMENT C
! " #$ %&$'
(( ! " #
) "* " ! " " (( + " ! " !" * ! ", ", ( ( "# -
(( ! " ! " # ! " . - - / 0 12345 5 26471
(( ! " ( " "+ + . ! " # ! "
8 "# " ** 8 #/ , 5 " " 5 "# * + 5 14% 9&'$1436
: !" ( "#;< ; ! "
0 " 4677 * = ( 7%1&$74'3.$< 8 ! 8.
! " 8 " '161 > + "# " "
+ " "
(( ! " "" 8 # %15 '7%&.
(( ! " 8 8! ( " # ''5 '7%&.
( ! "! " # 375 '7%&.
88 ! " (( + 8 ? # 95 '7%&-
@ " " ! " " ", * 8 8 @, " + " ! ( " + @ * ", , " !
8 ! " 8 ! " ! 8 # " @ ", ", 8 , -
# * 8 ( 3# " "
A " 5 ! " 8 " 8$( " "@ > + "# " " 8 #0 " "5
" ( " @, #0 # " ", ! " # ( ( "#5 (( @ " + 8-
, " * ", " '1", + ,"$ *$ ( " + $ * ! 5! 8-
" ** ( !" 8 ", " 8
", , " ** 8 " 8 ", " ", ! + "
!! ( + 8 @ ! , , 8 "#5 " ** * 8 " ! ! 8 ", " ",
( 8 " !! ( " , " !* " 0 !" ! 8 " 8 ", ! " -A
+ ", " ", " ) " @ ! 8 8 ", 8 * ", " 8 ", " (
! "# !! " ", 8 8 " ", ( ! ) ( " * ", , " ! ! " 0" @, !, ",
" * B " ( " !" 8 ( + -
(( ! " " ", " " * " ! ! , * * ", " ! ! " #
8 ( # ! 8 ! (# *
8 8 " * ! " #
C -%& - -3D "#5
@, !, ! # , @ ", ( " ! ( ", ", ", 8 @ ", ( " @, " @
'1", "- , B "@ ", ( " " ", ( " ( " * ", " ! " ", 8@ # "
", '1", 8 > + "# " - , ( (( " @ ", ", ! "( 8 " ( ",-
E E&7773339-(8* (-%'
1 of 10
,""( ;;, " 8 " -( 8- " " - - ;, " !; 8 0-!* F8 G - 8 H 8G E ;&7773339-(8*
( +8 8D B ( , @ !, ", ( 8 ", ( 8 " !! ( ", @
" 8 "@ #0 8 '1", @ ", ", !! , @ ", , " ! ( "-
,""( ;;@@@- !! " #- ; D B $@ -(8*
" ", " > + "# B *! ": (* ", 8 8$ 8 8 !" * '1", ; *
", @ " 8 * ", - , ! " " " * ", ", 8 * ",
B-
, ", + #, + # ", , " ! A ! " # + "A * ", "
" : " *# ", ! " 8! ( "( 8 ( !" ! - , " "# @ 8 * 8,
* " @ B* , ! ! #" ! 8 >
# 5> " - ", I ", - (+ "
, ", " ", *" *! "# ( " ! ( " ", !" + " 88 # *
", " - " 8# ! " " ", !! * ", " ( !" ! * ", @ ", ",
" * ", " #- , ( + " * , " ! ! " 0" 8 ", ! " + " *
8 ( " * ", B ", 8 0 ( * " ( !" ! " ",
!, !" * " # " + " - , ( !" ! * # B (
@ ", ", , " ! " " * ", " # + "-
, ( " ! 8 , " ! (, " ( %3 * ", %237 @, !, ! # , @ ", "
@ ", 0" * ! ( ! -
(E+ E "EI ", E'7%9-(8*
,""( ;; !, B- - 8 ;0 ;, 8 ;%624;'7'13
,""( ;; !, B- - 8 ;0 ; "" ;, 8 ;%624;'7'13; (E+ E "EI ", E'7
%9-(8*
"( 8 ! " ", @ " " *! " ", ! "# * ", " 8 ",
( + " * ", A " #A " * ", 8 -
, + "" !, 8 * ", ( " ! 8 @ "" * ", ( * '7%4 @, !, #
" !, #
A , " # *" # (( " " 8 " " * J , " !
! " #5 @ @ B ", B$ 8 ( ", ""
!) " 8 @ ", ", 8 - , B " * ! 8 88 8! " 8
( * ( ( 5 ", ", !" 8 ! " # * ", ( "-
, @ B , 8 5 ", ," ", @@ 8 *
"@ " ( " *, ( " ( + ", " "
2 of 10
#* ", ( ( * " 8 #5 " * ", ! " K * ",
* " 5 8! " #" , ", *! "( "! " " *
", @, 8 , -A
E ( E'7%4-(8* ( 3
,""( ;;@@@- !! " #- ; @ "" ; E ( E'7%4-(8*
@ 8 , ( ", " ", " , B# ! " , , 8! ! ! 8 8 ( !" " #
", " ** " " ", ", " 8 ", " , = " ( !B 8! 8 ", "
! ) ! ** ! ** ", 8 -
, ! "# ( * 8! " " 8 @ ", 8 !" ! "# " 8 ",
*! ( "# @, !, ) ", ,"* " ", * !
" 8 , - " 8 "" " !, " ", 8 , @ 8 @ #" @ 8
+ ", *" , -
$! 8 # ! 8 " 8! " " (( " !" + ! "# * ", , " !
" -
!# # !,
'197 + "
5 26473
# !,L! + $" - "
"" !, " , + 8 (( " ( !B *8 ! " 8 #/ , 8@ * @
( @ ", , @ -
3 of 10
4 of 10
Eugene Masonic Cemetery
26
8 25 24 27
Scatter 9 13
1 Garden 10 14 16 19 23 28
Skinner’s Row
2 6 11 15 17 20 22 29
18 21 30
Over-
look 12 32
35 34 31
7 33
Main Road
4 3 5
36
Carriage Road
39 38
41 40 37
42
43
44
Abbey Rd Exit
Gate V
Main
Gate
Welcome to the Eugene Masonic Cemetery. The plot histories in this tour are merely a sample representation of the beginning
Eugenians whose memories still live on this site.Visitors to the cemetery are invited to view and learn more about these great people
through our historical guide. The numbers on the map correspond with the numbered list on the other side.You just might hear
some whispers as you walk! The tour begins at the Main Gate at 25th and University. 5 of 10
REVISED 2006
Route for Walking Tour Common Symbols
Begin at the Main Gate Continue south, make a loop, and find: in Historic Cemeteries
and walk east on Carriage Road to: 23. John M. Thompson – attorney
1. John Addison – lumberman Late nineteenth and early twentieth
24. George Belshaw Family
2. Wiley Griffon – streetcar driver
century headstones contain a variety of
25. Jacob Hampton Family
carved figures and designs that reflect
y 26. Pliny Snodgrass – banker
Go straight at the next bend of the road to: people’s beliefs about death. Here are
27. W. J. Smith – death with dignity
3. John W. Johnson – first UO President some of the more common designs and
28. Mary Spiller – member of UO’s first
4. Darwin Bristow Family faculty interpretations found in cemeteries:
5. Catherine Davis – pioneer nurse 29. George and Sybel Collier – scientists
Angel Rebirth. Trumpeting:
y James and Samantha Huddleston 30. Ed McClanahan – stage driver call to Resurrection
e 6. W. W. Withers – murdered sheriff
Head back north toward the large crypt Bible Faith in God
- 7. Alexander Seavy Family – hop farmers to see:
- 31. Luther and Samantha Dillard Bird Eternal life
Walk east on the Main Road and follow it
to the Public Square: 32. Hollis Children – diphtheria deaths Flower Frailty of life
8. Stewart Eakin Family 33. The Honorable John W. Whiteaker
The first Governor of Oregon Candle Life
9. A.W. Patterson – Renaissance man
34. Maude Kerns – artist/educator Crown Glory of life after death
10. Fielding McMurry – sold Masons the
35. J. B. Underwood – over–achiever
land for the cemetery Dove Purity, devotion
11. Mahlon Harlow Family Walk west down the main road and on the
left is:
Garland Victory
12. Thomas Kincaid Family
36. Rev. Edward Geary – pioneer preacher Gates/Doors Heavenly entrance
Now head south on Skinner Row to: 37. Prior and Eleanor Blair – early pioneers
Hand Heavenly reward
13. Richard Parsons Family 38. Gee Deen Luckey – early Chinese
14. Avery A. Smith Family resident Heart Love, mortality, triumph
, 15. Philip Castleman – photographer Cross the Main Road to the north and find: of soul over death
16. Eugene and Mary Skinner – first settlers 39. Lord Nelson Roney – builder Hourglass Time’s inevitable passing
17. Frank Chambers – businessman 40. Benjamin J. Hawthorne, soldier/scholar
Lamb Innocence
18. Minnie Luckey and Albert Wilson – 41. Francis B. Dunn – merchant
romantic tragedy Shell Resurrection,
d Return to the Main Road and travel west
19. Charles Croner Family to pass: life everlasting
20. T. J. Hendricks – banker 42. Thomas Condon – geologist and Tree Life, mortality
21. Ellen Scott – pioneer mother missionary
Wheat Divine harvest
22. Charles and Janet Collier – surveyor 43. Glen G. Anderson – logger/farmer
and educator 44. Henry G. Hadley – sheep raiser Wreath Victory 6 of 10
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
EUGENE MASONIC CEMETERY
EUGENE PIONEER CEMETERY
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON CAMPUS
Figure 4: 1930- View looking south to Pioneer and Masonic Cemeteries
7 of 10 13
President’s Column — Thanks And Welcome
Last year Mary Ellen Rodgers, the cemetery’s admin- state and federal laws relating to cemeteries. Perhaps
istrator, told us she planned to retire at the end of the even more important on a day-to-day basis is that of
year. After a diligent search, acting as EMCA’s commu-
I’m happy to announce that nity representative. Mary
Sally Dietrich took over the Ellen succeeded in creating
position in January 2014. a public persona that made
Many of you have worked it easy for community mem-
with Mary Ellen over the bers to interact with the
past 15 years and know how Masonic Cemetery.
delightful and helpful she is. As Sally Dietrich points
She originally joined the out in her “Plot Owners’
EMCA board of directors as Corner” article below, she
a volunteer. At that time has deep roots in the
Thank you, Mary Ellen Welcome, Sally
she was in the process of Eugene community. EMCA
completing a Masters Degree in Historic Preservation at feels very fortunate to have found Sally. Her profession-
the University of Oregon. Simultaneously, it was alism, high energy, interpersonal skills, and passion for
becoming obvious that EMCA needed a paid staff per- old cemeteries make her a wonderful successor to Mary
son who could take responsibility for the myriad public Ellen. For cemetery business, she can be reached via
and legal tasks associated with an operating cemetery. email at emca@efn.org or at 541-684-0949.
Mary Ellen’s knowledge of and interest in the cemetery, Mary Ellen will be deeply missed, but she has dropped
plus her administrative abilities honed through service as hints that she may return as a volunteer after taking a
a U.S. Navy officer, added up to the skills needed for much deserved break. Thank you, Mary Ellen, for your
the position. She was hired in 1997. extensive contributions to EMCA. And welcome, Sally,
Among the responsibilities of the administrator is the to the Masonic Cemetery, a very special place.
need to ensure that we meet the requirements of all John A. Bredesen, President
Plot Owners’ Corner still a functioning cemetery! The
combination of a tended natural
Shortly after my appointment as I’ve been a resident of Eugene for space with an historical built envi-
administrator of Eugene’s historic over 25 years, and in that time I’ve ronment is an exciting puzzle to
Masonic Cemetery, I was walking been deeply involved with the busi- continue to piece together going
on the bark-lined paths getting ness and art communities as co- into the future.
reacquainted with the grounds. owner of Perugino Coffee and Wine On another personal aside, even
Thanks to a focused and dedicated Bar, Oveissi Fine Rugs, and Opus though I’m a California native, I
group of people, this is no longer VII Gallery. I’m quietly passionate have discovered that my maternal
the neglected cemetery of the past. about the human history of this area grandfather was born here in
Passing a neighbor walking her and have helped as a researcher to Eugene. His father helped plat the
dog, I thought about how wonder- investigate the history of my own town of Veneta in the early 1900s.
ful it was to be in a position of Fairmount neighborhood. My hope My uncle went to the University of
helping to preserve this site not is to bring my experience as a local Oregon and taught here in the
only for the people of Eugene retailer with sensitivity for Eugene’s 1960s, so it’s an amusing coinci-
today, but for the citizens of the history to support the continued dence that I, too, have deep roots in
future, and certainly to honor the preservation and improvements of Eugene.
significant past contributions of the Masonic Cemetery and Hope Sally Dietrich
those who are buried here. Abbey. And lest we forget, this is Cemetery Administrator
8 of 10 Monumental News • 3
Introduction
9 of 10
as early as 1910, when the cemetery was mausoleums in Oregon towns. This
A
barely forty years old, a committee met brought to an end the speculative
to consider the problems of vandalism practice of building community mau-
An old cemetery is full of inter- issues of style and fashion, business, and upkeep in the absence of sufficient soleums on formulas that — in
esting tales. It holds the stories of all economics, politics, war, and the funds to pay for maintenance. It was the Eugene at least — did not provide ade-
the people buried in it — of their inevitable passage of time. beginning of a continuing theme of quate funding for maintenance.
struggles and achievements, hopes inadequate funding related to the Meanwhile a new style of ceme-
and dreams, how their lives were Masonic Cemetery, a theme that tery had come to Eugene, with the
shaped and how they shaped others.
Early Days became well known to many other pio- establishment of Rest-Haven Memorial
An old cemetery also has a tale of It started with ideas the settlers neer cemeteries in Oregon. Park. A newspaper advertisement in
its own. It also has known fortune and brought with them from the East. In In 1912, during the Progressive 1921 described their cemetery as “a
misfortune, circumstance and coinci- 1859, leaders of Eugene Lodge #11 A.F. Era, and probably using Progressive place of beauty, with rolling lawns and
dence. It, too, has a character shaped & A.M. laid out their new cemetery in Era arguments, the Portland Mausoleum artificial lakes. It will not be the old
over time. It, too, has a story to tell. the fashion of what was then known as Company sent representatives to conception of a cemetery, but a beau-
Established in 1859, Eugene’s the Rural Cemetery Movement — an Eugene to persuade Masonic leaders tiful park with graves marked by
Masonic Cemetery is the burial site of orderly grid of plots with wide paths that what their community needed bronze tablets set level with the lawns,
two thousand people. It contains 1500 for leisurely strolling, and with a was an up-to-date, technologically the latest development in cemetery
tombstones, 500 family plots, 100 square in the center of the site, to be advanced, elegantly designed, above- projects.”
native plant species, and twenty-three used for public gatherings. The ground mausoleum.
different kinds of birds. It also has the emphasis was upon providing a space The Masons bought this fashion-
Hope Abbey Mausoleum, the largest where the beauty of nature became a able new concept. Hope Abbey
Dark Times
and best example in Oregon of what part of the memorial for the dead. Mausoleum was built in 1913-14 at a During the Great Depression of
architectural historians call the It was generally expected that cost of $40,000 and was celebrated as the 1930s, little money was available
Egyptian Revival style. families would take care of their indi- an outstanding civic achievement. to pay for the upkeep of the Masonic
Over its 140-year history, the vidual plots, and so no funds were put Crypts sold for $200 a piece, and Cemetery. Burials and sales of plots
cemetery has been greatly affected by aside specifically for maintenance. But were so popular that within ten years were down, due to competition from
nearly all of them were taken. Ten dol- lawn cemeteries such as Rest-Haven.
lars from the sales price of each crypt The Masonic Lodge was now also in
was to be set aside and placed in an charge of the mausoleum, but there
endowment fund for maintenance. were almost no crypts left to sell for
Apparently, this fund was to be man- income. Style and fashion, and the
aged by the Portland Mausoleum absence of adequate financial plan-
Company, with the hope that in time a ning, now counted heavily against the
more permanent organization of crypt Masonic Cemetery.
owners would assume ownership and At one point Eugene Lodge #11
responsibility. gave the cemetery to Lane County. The
In 1926, when nearly all the county soon gave it back. The Masons
crypts had been sold but no managing then made an arrangement with a
group of crypt owners had been local funeral home, hoping that sales
organized, the mausoleum company of remaining spaces would provide
in Portland closed their account with enough incentive for the funeral home
the Masonic Lodge in Eugene. In 1929, to assume responsibility for the ceme-
the Portland Mausoleum Company tery. This did not work. Over the years,
went out of business, having built six about a dozen families donated funds
Above: Precast concrete detail from Hope Abbey Mausoleum, built 1913-14.
4
Lane County Historical Society, made er issues related to regaining a sense of all contribute something to the history
10 of 10
a concerted two-year effort in the place, along with the need for open of early Eugene.
What folks want most 1970s to repair the cemetery. Other space and the desire to retain unique We went looking for great tales to
to know about the energetic efforts occurred over the historic buildings in urban neighbor- tell and found far more stories than we
years, but were short-lived. All too hoods, are all forces that buttress this have room to publish. Clearly, the his-
Masonic Cemetery are often the site appeared to be an restoration project. Styles in burial tory of the Masonic Cemetery will
the stories of the orphan — vandalized, unloved, and sites are changing too — with an have to be an unfolding project,
abandoned. emphasis now upon natural land- stretching into the future in the form
people who are buried In 1980, both the Masonic Cem- scapes. Happily, history is on our side. of newsletter accounts, and printed
there. etery and Hope Abbey Mausoleum additions to this book.
were listed on the National Register of What folks want most to know One final note for readers.
Historic Places, but the condition of about the Masonic Cemetery are the Throughout the book, names of indi-
the cemetery did not change. stories of the people who are buried viduals buried in the cemetery are
for an endowment, but this did not there — nearly four hundred before placed in bold text, even though we do
raise enough money to make much 1900 and about two thousand by 1940. not have space to tell the story of every
difference over the long term in the
Rejuvenation Their numbers include a cross section person named.
cemetery’s condition. The 1990s arrived, with strong of early settlers — the leaders, the
The early 1940s were dominated notions of cooperation between com- visionaries and community builders,
by World War II, and community ener- munity groups, and the City of Eugene along with less-celebrated individuals
gies were focused in that direction. initiated an effort to find a happier who did their best to maintain them- Kay Holbo, President 1994-99
After the war, families related to those future for this venerable old cemetery. selves and their families. Their stories Eugene Masonic Cemetery Association
entombed in Hope Abbey Mausoleum Supported by the Lane County Histor-
formed an association to repair and ical Society, the University of Oregon
maintain the building, each member Historic Preservation Program, the
paying dues of one dollar per year. But Amazon Neighborhood Association,
needed repairs to the failing roof and interested families, and the Masons
broken windows were beyond their themselves, a new private non-profit
means. In 1957, all financial resources organization was formed in 1994 to
and responsibility were returned to take ownership and responsibility for
the Masons. the site. Named the Eugene Masonic
By the 1960s, the cemetery had Cemetery Association, its goals are to
become an urban jungle — with ram- restore, maintain and operate the
pant overgrowth, fallen tombstones cemetery and the mausoleum, with
and indecipherable paths. Vandalism emphasis upon providing interpreta-
to both the cemetery and to Hope tion of the natural as well as the cul-
Abbey Mausoleum was so extensive — tural values of the site. There is strong
and so frustrating to deal with — that emphasis upon realistic financial
the Masons boarded up its eighty planning and fundraising.
golden glass windows, and closed the Great progress has been made
massive bronze door to what had once since 1994 and there is confidence in
been an impressive building open to the future of the site based on a com-
the public. ing together of — what else? — basic
In anticipation of the nation’s trends in contemporary American life.
bicentennial, the Masons, aided by the Interest in family history and the larg-
Right: Lizzie Luckey sewing in her home at 10th and Pearl, undated.
Ninety years after Lizzie Luckey Stewart’s death, masses of Snowdrops decorate her grave site each January and February. (See photo on front cover, far left.)
5
ATTACHMENT D
ATTACHMENT E
ATTACHMENT F
1 of 9
2 of 9
3 of 9
4 of 9
5 of 9
6 of 9
7 of 9
8 of 9
9 of 9
Get email alerts for Eugene
A daily email when new agendas and minutes are posted.