Pioneer Mother, Eugene, OR
1932 (Photograph 1992)
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The Pioneer Mother by Alexander Phimister Proctor was unveiled on the University of Oregon campus in Eugene, Oregon in 1932.
Made of bronze on a granite base, the statue was a gift of the University Vice-President Burt Brown Baker. The purpose, in Baker's words, was to "emphasize the peace which came to pioneers after their struggles and hardships were past and they sat on the western slope of their lives reflecting on the results of their labors and contemplating what these results would mean to their children's children." Instead of being depicted in period appropriate dress, Pioneer Mother is depicted serenely in drapery holding a book (presumably the Bible).
In June 2020, during a series of national protests began against police brutality and racism in policing, the monument was toppled by protestors alongside another neighboring statue named The Pioneer.
The photos and description of The Pioneer Mother in Eugene, OR are part of materials from the Women's Memorial Quadrangle Ensemble registration form for the National Register of Historic Places.
Made of bronze on a granite base, the statue was a gift of the University Vice-President Burt Brown Baker. The purpose, in Baker's words, was to "emphasize the peace which came to pioneers after their struggles and hardships were past and they sat on the western slope of their lives reflecting on the results of their labors and contemplating what these results would mean to their children's children." Instead of being depicted in period appropriate dress, Pioneer Mother is depicted serenely in drapery holding a book (presumably the Bible).
In June 2020, during a series of national protests began against police brutality and racism in policing, the monument was toppled by protestors alongside another neighboring statue named The Pioneer.
The photos and description of The Pioneer Mother in Eugene, OR are part of materials from the Women's Memorial Quadrangle Ensemble registration form for the National Register of Historic Places.
This primary source comes from the Records of the National Park Service.
National Archives Identifier: 77848053
Full Citation: Pioneer Mother, Eugene, OR; 1932 (Photograph 1992); National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Program Records: Oregon; National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Program Records, 2013 - 2017; Records of the National Park Service, Record Group 79; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/pioneer-mother-eugene-or, March 29, 2024]Rights: Copyright Not Evaluated Learn more on our privacy and legal page.