Astoria Pioneer Cemetery is located northwest of the intersection of 15th and Niagara Streets in the city of Astoria, Oregon.

It is in Block #93, a part of the Shively Addition to the City of Astoria. The city now maintains this old cemetery as a park. The city has placed a historical marker which records some history.

The signage is now "Astoria Pioneer," but this cemetery was generally referred to as Hillside or Hilltop Cemetery or just City Cemetery in earlier times. Names of local cemeteries

did not seem to be as important in early days. Many of our local cemeteries have been described by different names over their history.



Astoria Pioneer Cemetery is the oldest existing cemetery in the city. The earliest cemetery in Astoria was the Fort Astoria (aka Fort George) cemetery, which dates to circa 1811.

It was located near the location of Fort Astoria: near 15th and Exchange Streets. Old maps show it as "occupying Block #120, bounded by Duane, Exchange, 16th and 17th Streets

and partly under 16th street."



Astoria Pioneer Cemetery (aka Hillside Cemetery) was deeded on 12 April 1865. Around 1878 many of the graves from the older "Astoria Cemetery" (in block 55 above the Catholic church) were reburied here.



In 1897 a city ordinance forbade any more burials within the city limits and ordered reburials to what is now Ocean View Cemetery in Warrenton, Oregon.

Burials did continue in Hillside until 1903. There are no recorded burials after that time.



It is assumed that more than 700 were buried in Hillside Cemetery, including many Chinese people. Some of the original burial area is now under the adjacent local streets.

Removals to other cemeteries were not recorded in any one place, so how many, and which, graves remain is a mystery. There are still a few grave stones that remain, including several

for which there are also markers in Ocean View or other cemeteries. Whether the remains are still buried in Astoria Pioneer, and thus, the markers in Ocean View are cenotaphs is unknown.