Tour Stop 12: Alonzo Stinson Monument, Strangers Ground
Watch your step as you walk through the stones. Sunken spots, iron posts, small markers are all tripping hazards! Also, please never step backwards unless you double-check what you're stepping on first.
Alonso Stinson monument (full-size image of the Stinson monument on Flickr)
Alonzo Stinson (1842–1861) was the first Portland area citizen to die in the Civil War. He and his brother Harry fought at Bull Run, Virginia. Alonzo died and was buried there—one of 800 lost in that conflict. Harry was among the 1,300 taken prisoner and spent a year in lock-up. In 1908, the city of Portland decided to erect a monument to honor Stinson and other Civil War veterans. The site had become a prime location for visibility with the entrance now on Congress Street. Unfortunately, this ground was occupied—around 1825, as the second designated ground set aside for Black people. Sadly, it is supposed that any remains in this area must have been moved to another part of the cemetery to make way for the impressive Stinson monument.
View of strangers ground (by Ron Romano) (full-size image of the view on Flickr)
For many years, this area—lacking in gravestones—was the site of one of several “Strangers Grounds” at Eastern Cemetery. Also sometimes known as paupers’ fields, these areas were set aside to bury the penniless, friendless, visitors, and unknown people who died in the city. At one time, there was a hearse house in this area. This is where the horse-drawn carriage used to receive the deceased and transport bodies back to the cemetery was stored.
CONGRATULATIONS! You’ve made it. We hope you have enjoyed your self-guided tour through historic Eastern Cemetery!
Side Note
On the Congress Street sidewalk, near the Stinson monument, there is a Portland Freedom Trail marker that lists the Portland abolitionists buried here—many who are Black.
Later Reads
- Subterranean Celebrity: The Strangers (March 2010 eNews)
- How Many People Are Buried Here? (paper by Ron Romano)
Return to the Gates
Make your way back to the front gate and stop at the boulder that we noted at the beginning of the tour.