Date:
8/16/2001
Cemetery: Columbia Cemetery
Established: 1857
Street: North Columbia Blvd., Portland, OR under I-5
overpass
Type: Road-public
City: Portland, OR
Township:
County: Multnomah
State: OR
Nation: USA
Zip: 97217?
Nearby: Columbia Blvd.
Location: Suburban-developed
Land: Flat
Watersource: No
Features: Many mature trees, bushes, hedges but some are dying or
dead due to neglect.
Sign: Yes
Land Type: Private
Access: Open
Enclosure: Fence-Broken
Gate: None
Status: Abandoned
Size: Small
Gravestones: 300+
Oldest: 1852?
Newest: 1980's with some graves purchased but not used yet.
Unmarked: Yes
Broken: Yes
Toppled: Yes
Buried: Yes
Removed: Unknown
Weather problems: Unknown
Pollution problems: Unknown
Association: Yes
Records: Unsure
Inventory: Unsure
Records location: I was told Mr. Jerry Roth has association
records and bank account with what is left in it.
Condition: Cemetery in danger of destruction
Vandalized: Yes
Police report:
VA: Gravestones-Overturned
VA: Gravestones-Broken
VA: Gravestones-Stolen
VA: Graffiti
Overgrowth: Gravestones-Damaging
Vegetation: Trees
Vegetation: Ground-Cover
Vegetation: Moss
Drainage:
Problem: Apathy
Problem: Disintegrating Headstones
Restoration: No work started as of yet
Owner: Cemetery
Use: Dumping
Bordering: Industrial
Change: Same
Reason:
Visited: Unknown
Archeology: Unknown
Contacted: Talked with son of Jerry Roth
Description
This cemetery is in very sad shape...many acts of vandalism and
overgrowth of grass and shrubs are forever destroying the pioneer
stones. A gentleman has been volunteering to mow the grass aprox 4
times per year, but he is currently over age 70, and not able to do
much... also, he uses his own money for any repairs.. which too many
have not been done... what will happen to this beautiful cemetery when
he can no longer handle the upkeep?
Other Problems
This cemetery has an old caretakers? house in the middle. This
house is broken down, empty, and is used by homeless and drug
addicts.. it is SCARY to go to this cemetery, not knowing who may be
lurking in the empty building.. my husband and I found drug needles
lying about in the cemetery. The water no longer runs to any of the
faucets. I am very afraid that Multnomah County will SOON decide that
they need to widen Interstate-5, and therefore need to completely
destroy the rest of the cemetery...
Previous Contacts
I have spoken only with the man (aged 70+) who volunteers to mow
the grass.. he said he has contacted "Metro" but that they
flatly denied him any help, either financially or physically.
Current Status
No one knows who will even mow the grass once Mr. Roth is gone.
Such a terrible sad situation.
UPDATE
Other Information
I spoke with the son of Jerry Roth on 8/15/2001
at the cemetery. He was cutting down some dead bushes. He said that his
father was not the owner of the cemetery but that an association was in
charge of it. But that the association is basically abandoned and has
little money in its bank account. He said that his father had contacted
Metro about taking over the cemetery as it has done with other Pioneer
cemeteries in Portland but they flatly refuse to do a thing. He said
that they may just put a closed sign on the chain across the driveway
and let it go to seed. He said that perhaps the county would take it
over then after the vagrants and homeless people ruined it.
This cemetery could be a beautiful little place
if it was taken care of on a regular basis and something done to keep
vagrants and vandals out of it. Many beautiful headstones are broken
and/or need care/cleaning.
There is also a children's section with some
very sweet and sad headstones.
Support
I don't know who to contact. I have emailed
twice a person who is listed on the website for the cemetery but have
never received an answer. My email is allathrop1@home.com I am willing
to help in any way I can with this cemetery. I live in North Portland
very close to it.
Update - 08/22/2001
An email contact list has been started for all
interested parties to communicate with each other regarding the
preservation of this cemetery.
If you wish to join this email list please
email:
FriendsofHistoricalColumbianCemetery@yahoogroups.com
Submitted by / Contact for additional Information:
Original Report:
name: Pat Hanning
Email: Gninnah@aol.com
Update:
name: Linda Lathrop
Email: allathrop1@attbi.com
Website: www.specialweb.com/friends
