Ruth Ellen Bascom (née Fenton; February 4, 1926 – August 26, 2010) was an American politician who served as the first female mayor of Eugene, Oregon, from 1993 until 1996.
[1] Bascom was born Ruth Ellen Fenton in Ames, Iowa, the daughter of two university professors.
[2] As mayor, Bascom worked to revitalize downtown Eugene, removing a fountain that blocked traffic on Broadway and Willamette streets and creating bicycle and pedestrian paths.
The Riverbank Trail System, which extends for twelve miles through the city along the Willamette River, is named for her.
[1] Bascom reportedly fell asleep at the wheel and struck several trees and large boulders on U.S. Route 395 near Burns, Oregon.