Oakridge Cemetery - Benton County, OR
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member NW_history_buff
N 44° 28.516 W 123° 20.215
10T E 473204 N 4924716
A heavily overgrown pioneer cemetery located along Bellmountain Rd.
Waymark Code: WMYGV9
Location: Oregon, United States
Date Posted: 06/14/2018
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member elyob
Views: 0

Although on private property, this older cemetery may be visited if care and respect is taken (spoke with the property owner to the north of the cemetery). The Findagrave.com website contains a nice background on this cemetery and reads:

The Oakridge Cemetery is located about six miles southwest of Corvallis and is on private property. It is on the east side of Bellfountain Road, slightly less than one-half mile north of the intersection with Lewellyn Road.

The cemetery was associated with the Oakridge Presbyterian Church, formerly located on the north side of the cemetery. The church was organized in 1877 by W. C. KANTER with 18 members. The first church was built in 1878 and existed until 1939. However, it is not known if they used the same structure through those years. W. H. McBEE, whose house (1896) is located to the northeast, was also a founder of the Oakridge Church and served as superintendent of the Sunday school for 35 years.

The earliest grave discernable today dates form 1881, but it is possible there were earlier burials. The cemetery was dedicated and the plat, signed by Trustees John TODD, A. NISH, and J.C. WALKER was filed in 1890. A metal gate frames an arch made of concrete bearing the inscription "Oakridge Cemetery". A cement walk runs east from the gateway nearly the entire length of the cemetery. Several family plots are marked off by fencing of concrete borders. The most notable thing about this cemetery is the large amount of concrete work done by cement craftsman Herman H. HEUCKENDORFF of Corvallis. In addition to the sidewalk and curbings, it is thought that he probably made the cement gravestones as well as the Oakridge sign. His name appears on his brother's stone, however, by the time Herman HEUCKENDORFF died, the cemetery was overgrown and appeared abandoned, and therefore Herman's sister chose to have him buried at Oak Lawn Cemetery. In the 1930's the property was sold. The presbytery was to have retained the cemetery parcel, but through a mix-up during the transfer of the property, the cemetery was included in the sale and is now in private ownership.

City, Town, or Parish / State / Country: Benton County

Approximate number of graves: 50-60

Cemetery Status: Inactive Maintained

Cemetery Website: [Web Link]

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