Damascus Pioneer Cemetery

I lived in the house next to the pioneer cemetery when I was a kid in the 80s and 90s. I loved it, cause the grounds are beautiful, have always been well kept, making it the perfect place to walk my dog every day. It was also super quiet, which I love. The only issue was the fact that not all the graves were marked back in the day, and some were moved to build homes (including ours); so the unmarked graves were not moved… during the flood in the mid 90s, a few unearthed when the basement flooded. That was gross. I don’t believe in ghosts, so I’d be biased in calling it not haunted… but I never saw one in my over a decade there :)

December 2024

There is a local story about a young girl, 7 to 10 years old or so, who lingers here, just standing by a certain grave. I have felt the tingles down my spine and been spooked by the feeling of not being alone here, though I have never seen her, and cannot confidently verify her presence. I do plan on getting state privileges to enter after hours and investigate here further. But I too, have a feeling that there is ,for sure, lingering spirits that dwell here. We shall see.

August 2021

Damascus Pioneer Cemetery is a small, older cemetery located on a quiet side road in a fairly rural Oregon town. It is usually deserted, has no office, information booth, parking lot or employees - instead the cemetery is cared for and maintained by a local retired gentleman named Jerry, who lives nearby. The finances and plot map are managed by a few community volunteers, who invite you to their home and give you handwritten receipts when you buy a plot. As of late 2017/ early 2018, burial plots here were selling for between $1,200 and $1,500 apiece.
This pioneer cemetery is beautiful. It has areas around the edges that are shady and wooded, a moderate amount of vegetation spread throughout the cemetery, and some more open areas of grass out in the sunshine. There is one short gravel drive in the center of the property, and other than 2 or 3 cars that may fit there single file, any other visitors would need to park along the street. The cemetery is small enough that getting lost or turned around there are not concerns, and if you visit, you will likely still remain within eyesight of your vehicle.
I am partial to this cemetery, as my brother and dad are both buried here, and I have visited many times. I have been startled here a few times, but am unsure if there is any real paranormal activity going on.
There is a local story about a young girl, 7 to 10 years old or so, who lingers here, just standing by a certain grave. I have felt the tingles down my spine and been spooked by the feeling of not being alone here, though I have never seen her, and cannot confidently verify her presence.
So, is this place haunted? Come to Damascus and decide for yourself.

April 2020