Though it might be hard to believe when you look at Oregon now, the Beaver State was once the last frontier of the West. Pioneers traveled along the Oregon Trail from Independence, Missouris all the way to Astoria, Oregon on a long, arduous journey. Luckily, we can still get a peek or two at the pioneer life in several places in the state. Take a look at this old cemetery:

The Astoria Pioneer Cemetery is a small little plot of land that looks more like a neighborhood park than a cemetery. The land was deeded to the city by James Welch on April 22, 1865.
Kristine Schmidt/Google
In the late 1800s, many people were buried here, an we know for sure that 498 burials were recorded between 1865 and 1891.
Chris Fisher/Google
Everyone from the wealthiest citizens to the poorest were buried here, but over the years, the cemetery changed.
Chris Fisher/Google

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When you look around the cemetery, you'll only find a few headstones and markers. It's clear that nowhere near 500 graves exist here today.
Chris Fisher/Google
As people moved from Astoria to other places, they abandoned their private cemeteries, and some of those people were moved to this cemetery, often without any headstones.
Chris Fisher/Google
At the same time, some families who moved away from Astoria had their loved ones' bodies removed and taken to other cemeteries, moving their headstones to the new places of rest.
Chris Fisher/Google
During that time, records weren't kept up very well, and with all the coming and going, no one is entirely sure how many people are laid to rest here now. There are likely many graves without markers, and there could even be some headstones that mark graves that no longer exist.

Have you ever visited the Astoria Pioneer Cemetery?

Interested in more Oregon pioneer history? There’s a grave containing an unnamed pioneer woman that you might be interested in visiting. Take a look at our article here.

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