Croxton Pioneer Memorial Park – Grants Pass, Oregon
Although no longer a cemetery, Croxton Pioneer Memorial Park started out as one in 1856, on land given by Thomas Croxton, this was the same year that Josephine County was carved from Jackson County.
Unfortunately Croxton Pioneer Cemetery was plagued by vandalism in the early 1970's.
The remaining headstones were gathered up and placed in this concrete circle. The bodies remain in the ground today, the cemetery was mapped in 1961, so it is known where some of them lie.
Ebenezer Dimick ran the Croxton Stage in Grants Pass for Thomas Croxton.
This poor man was killed by a grizzly bear a short ways north of Grants Pass in 1864. From an account that I have read, he was deer hunting with his dog "Rover" when they came upon three grizzly bears. He and one of the bears had a very gruesome fight, but before he died, he made it back to the cabin where he and some friends had been staying for their hunt. Some witnesses said the bear was found dead about 200 yards from where the attack took place. He left behind a wife and 16 children.
We found several headstones of Veterans that were buried here.
Local author, Percy T. Booth, wrote a very moving memorial to pay tribute to our brave pioneers that were laid to rest in Croxton Pioneer Cemetery.
On these two plaques are the names of all those who were buried here at Croxton Pioneer Memorial Park.
The lamp-posts throughout the park are original, they were cast by Grants Pass Iron and Steel Works. (Thanks to Jean Boling of the Josephine County Historical Society for the use of these two photos.)
Croxton Pioneer Memorial Park is a very peaceful place to visit and pay tribute to the hardy pioneers who first settled our beautiful city.
