HAPPY VALLEY, Ore. — Just off Scouters’ Mountain in Happy Valley, a quiet cemetery has stood for more than 170 years, hidden away behind a chain-link fence while neighborhoods grew around it. Now, for the first time since its founding, the Christilla Pioneer Cemetery is opening to the public, offering residents a chance to connect with the early history of their community.
A Cemetery with Pioneer Roots
The cemetery was established in 1852, just two years after pioneers Christian and Matilda Deardorff settled the area in a covered wagon from Iowa. Their graves remain at the heart of the site, surrounded by the headstones of other early settlers.
The first recorded burial was a man identified only as “Covered Wagon Pioneer,” a somber reminder of the hardships faced by those traveling the Oregon Trail. The cemetery officially closed in 1932, but a handful of burials continued into the 20th century — the most recent being an infant in 1988.
A Family Heirloom
For generations, the cemetery was maintained by descendants of the Deardorff family. Dennis Deardorff, a retired pastor and direct descendant, has long taken on the responsibility of preserving the site.
“You can see how tranquil it is here — this really is serene,” Deardorff said. “This hasn’t changed much at all, other than the fact that the stones are deteriorating.”…