Sit Around and Listen Up As We Explore the Haunted History of Eugene
As All Hallow’s Eve approaches, it’s only fitting to inaugurate the season with the very thing of legends and spine tingling: ghosts.
I’m able to recount, with ease, the many times that I’ve taken a stroll through the streets and parks of Eugene and suddenly come to the realization that no one was around. But despite the fact no one was around, I knew quite well I was not alone. I’ve wandered through countless old buildings inscribed footsteps and opening of doors when I could have sworn I was alone. It’s quite likely these enigmatic experiences are ones that we share, and as it turns out, our city of Eugene has quite a rich history in the lore of ghosts.
– Photo from smjhouse.org
The ghostly legends that swarm our community can be traced back to the 1800s, most notably, with the establishment of the Pioneer Cemetery in 1873. The cemetery is located on the UO campus and is the site of approximately 5,000 burials. The location has become Eugene’s site with the most ghostly sightings.
Over the past century, there have been many documented sightings by civilians and students of the same young woman in a white, colonial gown tending to graves, as well as a man playing bagpipes behind trees. Both figures have been known to vanish into thin air and float in such a way that makes witnesses doubt their own eyes. These phantasms, fortunately, are known and believed to be friendly and gracious toward both the living and the dead. Your best chance at sighting one of these apparitions is on a dark, lonely night at 10 p.m., when bells from the church across the street ring throughout the neighborhood. Many people have recounted that if one is at the cemetery at sunset, you may also get a friendly, but still uneasy, feeling that you have company.
There are many locations in Eugene that are armed with the intrigue of hauntings, but anyone who has ever had the pleasure of visiting the Shelton McMurphy Johnson House will likely agree that this building has one of the most disquieting auras in town. However, according to the board of directors for the house, this is not one of Eugene’s most haunted sites. In fact, it’s not haunted at all.
Nevertheless, there have been countless reports from former employees and guests of the house that contradict these claims. Many employees have been known to hear footsteps, laughter, and doors creaking after hours while alone in the house. A particular closet has been seen opening on its own by both employees and visitors. And one particular incident involved a guest who was reportedly pushed down the stairs by a ghost.
However, none of this compares to the house’s key feature, what it is most well known for as well as what has led the most of these haunted house rumors; the doll room. The Shelton McMurphy Johnson House has a peculiar room dedicated to a large collection of vintage dolls. Those who visit the room are subjected to the ghastly and emotional atmosphere surrounding it.
Now, could these experiences be the result of the human brain looking for something that isn’t there, because it’s an old house with a room full of creepy dolls? Maybe. But as the lore goes, dolls, statues, and puppets exist to carry stories, specifically stories that tie the world of the dead to the world of the living. These particular dolls have been known to move on their own as well. However, don’t go to the Shelton McMurphy House looking for ghosts, many have been known to get kicked out for doing so.
Now, let’s travel back to the 1960s, when an unnamed custodian was working in a central building at Lane Community College. It was here, working in the building’s elevator, that the custodian fell from the elevator shaft and plummeted to his death at the basement floor of the building. For decades since, students have been known to hear shrieks and cries for help every dusk; some have even experienced the janitor’s “joyride,” which consists of an unplanned visit to the building’s basement.
Arguably the most famous ghost story in the South community, took place right here at South Eugene High School. It was the 1950s when Eugene’s most notorious ghost first came to be. Robert, or Robbie, Granke fell to his death from a catwalk in the South auditorium. Ever since, South students have bore witness to his many talents and games. This ghostly legend is known by South students, past and present, to roam hallways, play with lights, walk through catwalks, and provide inexplicable self-playing piano music. The seat where Granke tragically met his fate still exists in our auditorium, but is often avoided by theatergoers who wish to steer clear of spine tingles and shivers.
Maybe this ghoulish season you or a friend will visit one or more of these locations, and maybe if you’re lucky, you’ll meet one of these ghostly legends along the way.
Article by Siobhan Barrett
The Axe 