Юджин қаласының тарихы мен символы - Скиннер Бютте төбесі

Hill in Oregon, U. S.

Skinner Butte (often mistakenly called Skinner's Butte) is a prominent hill on the north edge of downtown Eugene, Oregon, near the Willamette River. A local landmark, it honors city founder Eugene Skinner and is the site of the municipal Skinner Butte Park. During the 1920s the letters "KKK" were burned into the hillside. A famous photo of Eugene's downtown displays this marker, which is credited to Eugene's own Ku Klux Klan members. The letters were removed and replaced with the letter "O" in the late 1920s. The butte later displayed a controversial cross or war memorial, depending on interpretation. The cross was replaced several times, but wasn't permanently removed until 1997. One of the objections to the cross was its perceived association with Ku Klux Klan (Eugene grew to be a recognized national stronghold for the KKK through the 1950s.)

The elevation at the top of Skinner Butte is 682 feet (208 m) above sea level, approximately 200 feet (61 m) above the surrounding city. A winding road leads to the summit, which provides a comprehensive view of the city. The public park features hiking trails and open lawns. The butte is also the location of a giant "O" emblem (representing the University of Oregon) visible from the air and the city. Less visible is the "Big E" for Eugene High School (renamed South Eugene High School in 1957). These emblems were erected in the early 20th century. The "O" was formerly lit prior to the Civil War football game against Oregon State. In 2010, the Big "O" was added to the National Register of Historic Places. A small reservoir sits on public land on the east flank of the butte below the summit.

The butte was known as "Ya Po Ah" in the language of the Kalapuya, who inhabited the Willamette Valley prior to the arrival of Euro American settlers in the 19th century. In 1846, Eugene Skinner, an American settler who had arrived in the valley after traveling overland to California, erected a cabin on the butte on the advice of the Kalupuya, who warned him about floods on the Willamette. Skinner's cabin became the basis for his Donation Land Claim. The site of the cabin is commemorated today by a marker on the hillside. A replica of the cabin has been located in various places in the park over the years. Skinner Butte Park was dedicated in 1914. According to the Register Guard, "at one point, the park included a car camp, a zoo and, during the Depression, a Civilian Conservation Corps regional camp." The park is a popular site for rockclimbing (on "The Columns" the site of a former basalt quarry on the west side of the butte that operated from the 1890s through the 1930s) and birding, among other recreational activities. In July 2006, the City of Eugene opened a new playground, RiverPlay Discovery Village Playground, in the park. The name "Ya Po Ah" lives on in "Ya Po Ah Terrace", a controversial high rise retirement home built at the foot of the butte in 1968.