Eugene Pioneers - American Heritage by C J Lake Paperback

Book Synopsis

Across the high plains and rugged mountain passes of the Oregon Trail came thousands of settlers seeking a new life and, for many, the burgeoning city of Eugene became their new home.

The newcomers were fur traders and farmers, physicians and soldiers, teachers and hoteliers--each of them adding a new facet to the region's character and identity. Among them were Norton E. Winnard, a frontier doctor and a founder of the Eugene Hospital, and Judge J.J. Walton, who helped establish the University of Oregon.

Many of them found their final resting place in the Eugene Pioneer Cemetery, a Civil War-era burial ground that stands as a testament to the time they lived in, and the lingering influence of those first arrivals. Set against the backdrop of the nineteenth century's great upheavals, this collection brings to life the intertwined destinies of pioneers, immigrants and Native people in the Pacific Northwest.

Drawing from archival photographs, letters, and public records, author C. J. Lake illuminates the human stories behind Oregon's extraordinary everyday pioneers.

Review Quotes

"This is my kind of read. Beyond the headstones lies the story of a community. Eugene's pioneers are remembered not only in death but for their quiet legacies. This collection includes newly uncovered research and long-overlooked voices. It's a fascinating portrait of Oregon's frontier." -- Jane Kirkpatrick, Best-selling historical fiction author of "Across the Crying Sands" and more than 40 novels set in the West.

"During my six months in Eugene, I passed the Pioneer Cemetery each day on my way to campus. It became clear to me that this is more than a burial ground. The site is a portal into migration, memory and Eugene's place in the wider world." -- Professor Christoph Rass, Carroll Professor of History (University of Oregon), Chair of Modern History and Historical Migration Studies, Osnabrück University, Germany

"Eugene Pioneers recovers the lives--interred and unrecorded--that built, labored, and dreamed the foundations of the Northwest. Ms. Lake's approach broadens our sense of who belongs to the region's history." -- Steven J. Niven, Harvard History Professor.

"Eugene Pioneers is a much-needed project. African Americans and underrepresented individuals from the 19th century are placed within Oregon's frontier story. It aligns with the mission of the African American National Biography to bring overlooked voices into the American narrative." -- Henry Louis Gates Jr., "Finding Your Roots" on PBS

"This was a Herculean effort. I learned a lot." -- Zachary Stocks, Executive Director, Oregon Black Pioneers

About the Author

C.J. Lake is an educator and writer based in Brooklyn, New York. A Columbia University and University of Oregon graduate, she brings a journalist's curiosity and a teacher's insight to her research on frontier life in nineteenth-century America. Visit www.dabadelic.com for more information.