Lone Fir Pioneer Cemetery
Lone Fir Pioneer Cemetery
4.5
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
2,241 within 5 kms
Attractions
602 within 10 kms
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
28 reviews
Excellent
16
Very good
12
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Devin
Manchester, NH6 contributions
Jan 2024 • Solo
It's pretty rare that an actual graveyard is an actual attraction worth visiting in a city, but for a city like Portland that lacks noteworthy high-brow (indoor) cultural venues (a decent art museum and an OKish science museum come to mind), Lone Fir cemetery is a truly a cultural landmark. Established in 1855 (and therefore one of the oldest cemeteries in the country), LFC is a historical site, a maze of the macabre, an arboretum and the final resting place of over 25,000 souls all in one.
Within its plot, Lone Fir boasts nearly 67 tree species, a columbarium (a vault where cremains are placed), a mausoleum, a civil war monument and so much more. On any given day, strolling about the pathways affords one the opportunity to pay one's respect to the deceased, marvel at the age of some of the headstones, chuckle at the chotchkies left on various graves and stand in bewilderment at people (especially around Halloween) who believe they can use modern-day technology to communicate with the dead...what better way to ensure Portland stays weird.
The only way that Lone Fir could be improved would be for some greenery to be planted atop the barren plot (block 14) in the southwest (the burial ground/dumping site of countless 19th century Chinese immigrants and insane asylum inmates). Other noteworthy points include an un-marked (or at least, illegible) headstone in the northwest betwitxt four large redwoods; the park benches and sculpture flanked by the massive tulip trees in the center; the aforementioned mausoleum, and the headstones of so many others - many of whom met untimely and probably horrific encounters with the Grim Reaper. The most glaring example that stands out in my mind are the graves of three young people killed in a gruesome car crash in May 2006. There simply is no place in Portland more heterotopic and other worldly than this.
Within its plot, Lone Fir boasts nearly 67 tree species, a columbarium (a vault where cremains are placed), a mausoleum, a civil war monument and so much more. On any given day, strolling about the pathways affords one the opportunity to pay one's respect to the deceased, marvel at the age of some of the headstones, chuckle at the chotchkies left on various graves and stand in bewilderment at people (especially around Halloween) who believe they can use modern-day technology to communicate with the dead...what better way to ensure Portland stays weird.
The only way that Lone Fir could be improved would be for some greenery to be planted atop the barren plot (block 14) in the southwest (the burial ground/dumping site of countless 19th century Chinese immigrants and insane asylum inmates). Other noteworthy points include an un-marked (or at least, illegible) headstone in the northwest betwitxt four large redwoods; the park benches and sculpture flanked by the massive tulip trees in the center; the aforementioned mausoleum, and the headstones of so many others - many of whom met untimely and probably horrific encounters with the Grim Reaper. The most glaring example that stands out in my mind are the graves of three young people killed in a gruesome car crash in May 2006. There simply is no place in Portland more heterotopic and other worldly than this.
Written 6 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kismetkat
Columbus, OH25 contributions
Sept 2011 • Couples
We visited on a gorgeous fall day and just walked around and looked for interesting headstones. I am quite taken with the fir and cedar trees that are so abundant in this part of the country- so awesome and beautiful. We saw a number of stones there with a type of art on them that I had never seen before- kind of looked like actual photographs on the stone. We also saw a Day of the Dead- inspired stone with a skeleton riding a bicycle portayed in vibrant color. Pretty cool. Another monument that was a standout was a large carving of a man and woman that had such lifelike eyes, it felt like they were looking at you no matter where you stood. If you like history and don't feel creeped out about cemeteries, this is a nice way to spend an afternoon.
Written 31 October 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bosox1010
Saskatoon, Canada53 contributions
Aug 2016 • Solo
I was staying in east burnside, close to where this cemetary is near. I was near the end of my trip and was stressing a bit about work. So I went for a walk. Man, what a beautiful cemetary this is. With it's towering evergreens and cedars with the sun peaking through. It was just what the doctor ordered.
Written 22 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paige B
Broomfield, CO13 contributions
This is one of the most beautiful cemeteries I have ever been to. We were fortunate to be there on the 2nd Saturday of the month and took the free tour. Becky and other members of the Friends of Lone Fir were very kind and knowledgable. We had such a great time and took some fantastic photos! Make sure you bring some cash with you...they have awesome t-shirts and hoodies that you can buy and it's always a good idea to make a donation to a worthwhile cause. Lone Fir Cemetery is a Portland "must see!"
Written 20 January 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sundogg99
San Francisco, CA270 contributions
Take a short walk through this historic cemetery and see an awful lot of familiar names - the Macleay mausoleum is the easiest to spot, but there are a number of other historic Portland figures buried here. The mature trees and plantings make this a quiet sanctuary in the middle of bustling SE Portland.
Written 13 December 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Satori15
Portland, OR116 contributions
Nov 2016 • Couples
Lone Fir Pioneer Cemetery is located in SE Portland between Stark St and Morrison St and SE 26th and SE 20th. It is the final resting place for many of Portland's city founders, pioneers, Chinese immigrants and patients from the Oregon Hospital for the insane. There are also designated places nested amongst the trees for Soldiers and Fire Fighters.
I am a native Portlander and it took 50+ years to finally make my way through the gates into this treasure trove of Portland history.
Emmor Stephen Sr was the first to be buried here in 1846 when the land was still public. Emmor traveled from the Midwest (Illinois) with his second wife along with many his/their children to settle in the Oregon Country. His headstone shows he and his wife together but she actually died on the trail. The headstone can be found in the NW corner.
City founders James C. Hawthorne who opened the Oregon Hospital for the Insane, and Asa Lovejoy a City founder (who lost the coin toss to Francis Pettygrove to name the city Portland [not Boston]) are both buried here. As is George F. Bottler who established the second brewery and named it 'City Brewing'. Henry Weinhard bought his shares in 1864 and went on to create the largest brewery in the PNW.
The Macleary mausoleum was built in 1877 and in its glory must have been quite a sight. It is now fenced off due to decay of the sandstone structure and vandalism.
The SW corner of the cemetery is rich with history as it held many of the Chinese immigrants that helped remove tree stumps for the railroads and just East of these sites many from the The Oregon Hospital are buried. In the 1940's many of the remains of immigrants were returns to China. This land was built over and later building torn down. There is City money earmarked for this area but funds are still lacking.
Lone Fir Pioneer Cemetery is now a historical site in the City of Portland. Portland is a city that is growing so fast and if we do not hold onto our roots, research, document, capture and honor the history, it will be lost for our future generations that will call Portland home.
I am a native Portlander and it took 50+ years to finally make my way through the gates into this treasure trove of Portland history.
Emmor Stephen Sr was the first to be buried here in 1846 when the land was still public. Emmor traveled from the Midwest (Illinois) with his second wife along with many his/their children to settle in the Oregon Country. His headstone shows he and his wife together but she actually died on the trail. The headstone can be found in the NW corner.
City founders James C. Hawthorne who opened the Oregon Hospital for the Insane, and Asa Lovejoy a City founder (who lost the coin toss to Francis Pettygrove to name the city Portland [not Boston]) are both buried here. As is George F. Bottler who established the second brewery and named it 'City Brewing'. Henry Weinhard bought his shares in 1864 and went on to create the largest brewery in the PNW.
The Macleary mausoleum was built in 1877 and in its glory must have been quite a sight. It is now fenced off due to decay of the sandstone structure and vandalism.
The SW corner of the cemetery is rich with history as it held many of the Chinese immigrants that helped remove tree stumps for the railroads and just East of these sites many from the The Oregon Hospital are buried. In the 1940's many of the remains of immigrants were returns to China. This land was built over and later building torn down. There is City money earmarked for this area but funds are still lacking.
Lone Fir Pioneer Cemetery is now a historical site in the City of Portland. Portland is a city that is growing so fast and if we do not hold onto our roots, research, document, capture and honor the history, it will be lost for our future generations that will call Portland home.
Written 5 November 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NeilGEdmonds
Edmonds103 contributions
Nov 2014 • Business
If you're visiting Portland and need a quiet place to walk that's close to downtown or Lloyd Center, this is your place. Lone Fir covers 30.5 acres and has over 500 mature trees representing 67 species. Portland is rich in western history and Lone Fir is rich in Portland's history. In fact, Lone Fir Cemetery is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. National Geographic Traveler Magazine named it one of the top 10 cemeteries in the world to visit. You could easily spend the large part of a day here walking and reading inscriptions on the many gravestones. It's an amazing place that I found quite by accident while working on a project nearby. I was here in fall and the leaf colors were blazing as if on fire. The surrounding neighborhood is one of older houses and eclectic eateries. Explore here, too.
Lone Fir Cemetery is on the National Register of Historic Places and was named one of the top 10 cemeteries in the world to visit by National Geographic Traveler Magazine.
Lone Fir Cemetery is on the National Register of Historic Places and was named one of the top 10 cemeteries in the world to visit by National Geographic Traveler Magazine.
Written 27 November 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Peachyswan
Atlanta, GA1,290 contributions
Aug 2014 • Couples
I have a confessions to make. I hang out in cemeteries. A lot!
So when I found out we were visiting Portland for a wedding, I immediately got on the computer to pick one out for us to visit. My sweet husband let me drag him to Lone Fir and even he admitted he enjoyed it.
Officially opened in 1855 (although there were burials taking place before this when it was private land), Lone Fir covers 30 acres and is Portland’s oldest continuously used cemetery. It is home to about 500 trees representing 67 species. An estimated 25,000 people are buried there.
Thanks to the Friends of Lone Fir Cemetery (I met one of their members while we were there), this cemetery is in very good shape. They host events from monthly tours to workshops on how to clean a headstone.
Aside from the amazing flora/fauna, Lone Fir has a great mix of monument styles. From the old granite and white bronze (which is actually zinc) markers, the more modern black stones that are laser-etched, there are some really unique graves. The Russian immigrant graves are a contrast to the older ones but fit in well.
Be sure to stop by the special Fireman's Cemetery that contains a number of graves of local firemen, featuring their fire house number.
It's great that the local seem to treat the cemetery as a valuable greenspace. We saw many joggers while we were there and no trash on the ground.
So if you want to enjoy some quiet beauty, stop by Lone Fir for a dose of nature and history.
So when I found out we were visiting Portland for a wedding, I immediately got on the computer to pick one out for us to visit. My sweet husband let me drag him to Lone Fir and even he admitted he enjoyed it.
Officially opened in 1855 (although there were burials taking place before this when it was private land), Lone Fir covers 30 acres and is Portland’s oldest continuously used cemetery. It is home to about 500 trees representing 67 species. An estimated 25,000 people are buried there.
Thanks to the Friends of Lone Fir Cemetery (I met one of their members while we were there), this cemetery is in very good shape. They host events from monthly tours to workshops on how to clean a headstone.
Aside from the amazing flora/fauna, Lone Fir has a great mix of monument styles. From the old granite and white bronze (which is actually zinc) markers, the more modern black stones that are laser-etched, there are some really unique graves. The Russian immigrant graves are a contrast to the older ones but fit in well.
Be sure to stop by the special Fireman's Cemetery that contains a number of graves of local firemen, featuring their fire house number.
It's great that the local seem to treat the cemetery as a valuable greenspace. We saw many joggers while we were there and no trash on the ground.
So if you want to enjoy some quiet beauty, stop by Lone Fir for a dose of nature and history.
Written 15 August 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Karen A
Portland, OR31 contributions
This is a beauty of a cemetery smack in the middle of the city. Lovely old headstones and crypts--a photographers delights. Nice quiet walk through the lovely treed lanes.
Written 29 January 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MadrugadaMistral
Beaverton, OR86 contributions
Oct 2019
We live in Portland and view this cemetery as a regional treasure. The Friends of Lone Fir offer 3 different fascinating tours. One is historic, one is of the North area, one is of the South area. My husband and I have taken all three of them and wish they would develop even more tours, as there is so much history and so many stories in this cemetery!
Written 5 October 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
No questions have been asked about this experience
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing