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Skinner Butte
Skinner Butte (also called Skinner's Butte) is a prominent hill on the north edge of downtown Eugene, Oregon beside the Willamette River. The hill is a prominent local landmark and the location of Skinner Butte Park, a municipal park. It is named for Eugene Skinner, the founder of Eugene. During the latter 20th century, it was the location of a controversial religious symbol which was removed in 1997.
Description
The hill rises to an elevation of 682 ft (208 m), approximately 200 ft (60 m) above the surrounding city. It has a winding road that wraps around it to the summit, where a parking lot provides a comprehensive view of the city. The public park features hiking trails, as well as open lawns on the west side. The hill also is the location of a UO emblem (representing the University of Oregon) visible from the air and the town. A small reservoir sits on public land on the east flank of the hill below the summit.
History
The hill was known as "Ya-Po-Ah" in the languge of the Kalapuya, who inhabited the Willamette Valley prior to the arrival of white settlers in the 19th century. In 1846, Eugene Skinner, a U.S. settler who had arrived in the valley after traveling overland to California, erected a cabin on the hill on the advice of the Kalupuya, who warned him against floods on the Willamette. Skinner's cabin became the basis for his Donation Land Claim. The site of the cabin is commemorated today by a marker on the hillside.
In 1964, a large concrete cross was illegally installed on public land near the summit of the hill. In later years, the illumination of the cross during the Christmas season became a local tradition. Protesters against the presence of the cross argued that not only was it inappropriate to have on a public park, but that it represented the frequent burning crosses at that location by the Klu Klux Klan from 1922 to 1924. Others described it as a war memorial with significant historical importance. Objections to the presence of religious monuments on public land led to its removal on June 14, 1997. The cross was subsequently installed installed at a bible college near Churchill High School.
External links
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