The Masons purchased ten acres on a knoll about two miles from the town center and laid out the cemetery with its main entrance at what is now the intersection of University Street and 25th Avenue.

Through many generations and in varying conditions, it was managed by the local Masonic Lodge, but eventually the load became too much, and the site, overrun by weeds and blackberries and subject to vandalism, became a matter of public concern.

Originally treeless and, like the valley floor, covered with prairie grasses and wildflowers, the cemetery is now dominated by a mature stand of Douglas-fir trees, together with a wide variety of understory species.

An on-site bulletin board is provided, with informational brochures, including maps for walking tours, and Hope Abbey is a venue for occasional lectures and musical performances.

Its distinctive architecture includes a massive entrance archway, with lotus blossom urns and bundles of papyrus on either side of the copper-clad doors.

City founder Eugene Skinner and Oregon's first governor, John Whiteaker, are buried here, as are many Civil War veterans.

More recent burials include those of 20th century radio personality Carolyn Spector and blues disc jockey "Rooster" Gavin Fox.

Names from prominent local families such as Chambers, Friendly, Condon, Luckey, Collier, McCornack, and Kerns pepper the hillside.

Hope Abbey also contains the remains of a number of prominent members of the Eugene business, academic and professional communities, some of whom are listed in the book Full of Life, published by the EMCA and downloadable from the cemetery website.

Work is also accomplished through matching grants, in-kind business contributions, pro bono professional help, and a vast number of volunteer hours.