Eugene in Lane County, Oregon — The American West (Northwest)
Genesis of a City
Photographed By Douglass Halvorsen, April 20, 2018
1. Genesis of a City Marker
Inscription.
Genesis of a City. . (The following two of four interpretive displays located in this park highlight Eugene Skinner):, (First Display), Eugene and Mary Skinner emigrated in 1845 to California, and then moved north to settle temporarily in Polk County. The Skinners selected a Donation Land Claim here at the head of the Willamette Valley in 1846 and Eugene, together with hired hands, built a small, one-room cabin. The Skinners moved into their “new home in the far off west” in May 1847, and “for 4 months less 3 days,” Eugene recalled, “Mary never saw the face of a White woman, or child excep[t] our own....”, Like many pioneers, the Skinner were industrious. They hired men to till the prairie and plant wheat, established an orchard, and in April 1851, Eugene Skinner began platting a town. From modest beginnings at Skinner’s Butte, the city of Eugene emerged as the largest town in the upper Willamette Valley.,
(Second Display), Skinner's Cabin , A Place of Refuge. , ...Oct 1846 moved into the House…. On the 8th day of November/46 I left the House for Rickreall where I had left my wife at which place I wintered and on the 26th day of May 1847 moved into this House with my family and all of my effects…. As to the house J.Q. Thornton Esqr with all the Emigration of /46 that came the Southern or Applegate route can testify…. One Mr. Collins of that emigration wintered in my house and many of them leaving their things and cattle here all winter...., Eugene Skinner , Letter to the Surveyor General of Oregon (1851), A small pole cabin… the first sign of civilization we had seen in traveling 2,000 miles. The little cabin, without door or window, looked homelike, indeed. Here several families, whose teams had become exhausted, were going to abandon their wagons and were making canoes to make the rest of the journey by water., Tolbert Carter , Recollection of 1846, ...we left our cattle on Eugene Skinner’s donation land claim, where the city of Eugene is now located. Our oxen were so weak we had to leave them there, packing in what goods we could carry. As well as the women and children, on our mules and going on to Luckiamute…. My brother Jim, better know in later years as Judge Collins, with a man named Turnidge, stayed that winter in Eugene Skinner’s unfinished cabin to look after their cattle., Frank M. Collins , Recollections of 1846
(The following two of four interpretive displays located in this park highlight Eugene Skinner):
(First Display)
Eugene and Mary Skinner emigrated in 1845 to California, and then moved north to settle temporarily in Polk County. The Skinners selected a Donation Land Claim here at the head of the Willamette Valley in 1846 and Eugene, together with hired hands, built a small, one-room cabin. The Skinners moved into their “new home in the far off west” in May 1847, and “for 4 months less 3 days,” Eugene recalled, “Mary never saw the face of a White woman, or child excep[t] our own....”
Like many pioneers, the Skinner were industrious. They hired men to till the prairie and plant wheat, established an orchard, and in April 1851, Eugene Skinner began platting a town. From modest beginnings at Skinner’s Butte, the city of Eugene emerged as the largest town in the upper Willamette Valley.
(Second Display)
Skinner's Cabin A Place of Refuge
...Oct 1846 moved into the House…. On the 8th day of November/46 I left the House for Rickreall where I had left my wife at which place I wintered and on the 26th day of May 1847 moved into this House with my family and all of
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my effects…. As to the house J.Q. Thornton Esqr with all the Emigration of /46 that came the Southern or Applegate route can testify…. One Mr. Collins of that emigration wintered in my house & many of them leaving their things and cattle here all winter....
Eugene Skinner
Letter to the Surveyor General of Oregon (1851)
A small pole cabin… the first sign of civilization we had seen in traveling 2,000 miles. The little cabin, without door or window, looked homelike, indeed. Here several families, whose teams had become exhausted, were going to abandon their wagons and were making canoes to make the rest of the journey by water.
Tolbert Carter
Recollection of 1846
...we left our cattle on Eugene Skinner’s donation land claim, where the city of Eugene is now located. Our oxen were so weak we had to leave them there, packing in what goods we could carry. As well as the women and children, on our mules and going on to Luckiamute…. My brother Jim, better know in later years as Judge Collins, with a man named Turnidge, stayed that winter in Eugene Skinner’s unfinished cabin to look after their cattle.
Photographed By Douglass Halvorsen, April 20, 2018
2. Genesis of a City Marker
I commenced laying off a Town on this portion of the Claim running from the river back to my South line and in the month of April, Pearl Smith in consideration of two lots donated him did put up a small building near the ferry landing, which is now owned and occupied as a Store by a Mr. Huddleston. I did not consider laying off the whole of the eastern part of the claim as I wished for the reason that could not get sufficient help...
Eugene Skinner
Letter to the Surveyor General of Oregon. (1851)
44° 3.642′ N, 123° 5.843′ W. Marker is in Eugene, Oregon, in Lane County. Marker is on Cheshire Ave, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Eugene OR 97401, United States of America. Touch for directions.
More about this marker. These interpretive displays are two of four located in front of the Eugene Skinner replica cabin within Skinner Butte Park.
Photographed By Douglass Halvorsen, April 20, 2018
3. Genesis of a City Marker
Eugene Skinner's Claim Boundary - 1846 (Note the Stone Markers on the map which are linked to related historical markers).
Photographed By Douglass Halvorsen, April 20, 2018
4. Skinner's Cabin Marker
Photographed By Douglass Halvorsen, April 20, 2018
5. Eugene Skinner replica cabin
Photographed By Douglass Halvorsen, April 20, 2018
6. Eugene Skinner stone memorial marker
This Skinner stone memorial is located along Skinner Butte Loop and in front of Skinner Butte Climbing Columns, a short distance south of this marker site.
Photographed By Douglass Halvorsen, April 20, 2018
7. Site of First Cabin in Eugene stone marker
This stone marker is located along W 2nd Ave, a short distance south of the Eugene Skinner memorial marker. It notes the First Log Cabin site built by Eugene F. Skinner in 1846. The actual log cabin site was between this memorial site and the stone marker to the south, as noted on this historical marker map.
Credits. This page was last revised on April 25, 2018. It was originally submitted on April 24, 2018, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. This page has been viewed 223 times since then and 18 times this year. Last updated on April 25, 2018, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on April 24, 2018, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. 4. submitted on April 25, 2018, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. 5, 6, 7. submitted on April 24, 2018, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.