Eugene is a mid-sized city in Lane County at the southern end of the Willamette Valley, about 110 miles south of Portland, where the Willamette and McKenzie rivers meet. Home to the University of Oregon and several other colleges, it’s known for lush green spaces, extensive bike and hiking trails, and a strong arts and counterculture scene, earning reputations like “TrackTown USA” for its elite track and field culture.
The area that became Eugene was originally inhabited by the Kalapuya people, who lived in the fertile valley for centuries before American settlement. In 1846, pioneer Eugene Franklin Skinner built a cabin and trading post near what is now Skinner Butte; the settlement, first nicknamed “Skinner’s Mudhole,” became Eugene City in 1853, was incorporated in 1862, and shortened its name to Eugene in 1889 as it grew into a regional center for trade, transportation, and education.