Skinner Butte, a prominent hill beside downtown Eugene and the Willamette River, has long been a defining landmark shaped by both natural setting and local history. Known to the Kalapuya as Ya-Po-Ah before Euro-American settlement, it became tied to Eugene Skinner’s 1846 cabin and land claim, helping anchor the city’s founding. Over time the butte and surrounding park gained trails, historic structures, school symbols, a former quarry, and varied public uses, from a zoo to a Depression-era camp. It also bears evidence of conflict over public memory, including Klan-related displays and a controversial cross removed in 1997. Today it remains a major civic gathering place.