Qualla: Eugene: Tracktown USA and the Hippie Mecca

Eugene: Tracktown USA and the Hippie Mecca: Introduction

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit M.O. Stevens, Public domain. Bill Bowerman coached track at the University of Oregon; Phil Knight ran for him. In 1964, they founded Blue Ribbon Sports in Eugene, later renamed Nike. The waffle iron that Bowerman used to create the first Nike sole is enshrined in local legend. Eugene became Tracktown USA - home of Hayward Field, where Olympic Trials have been held more than any other venue, where Steve Prefontaine ran until his death in 1975, where track and field matters in ways it doesn't elsewhere in America. But Eugene's identity extends beyond athletics. Ken Kesey, author of 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest,' lived in nearby Springfield; the Grateful Dead made Eugene their second home; the counterculture that settled here in the 1960s never quite left. The Saturday Market has operated continuously since 1970. Eugene remains Oregon's hippie Mecca, a college town where environmentalism, coffee culture, and running culture merged into something distinctly Pacific Northwest.

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Image: M.O. Stevens | Public domain

Eugene: Tracktown USA and the Hippie Mecca: Tracktown USA

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Jsayre64, CC BY-SA 3.0. Hayward Field at the University of Oregon is American track and field's spiritual home. The stadium hosted the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1972, 1976, 1980, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024 - no other venue comes close. Steve Prefontaine, America's most charismatic distance runner, co...

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Image: Jsayre64 | CC BY-SA 3.0

Eugene: Tracktown USA and the Hippie Mecca: Nike's Birthplace

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Visitor7, CC BY-SA 3.0. Phil Knight sold running shoes from the trunk of his car at track meets; Bill Bowerman experimented with rubber and waffle irons in his garage. Blue Ribbon Sports became Nike in 1971; the 'swoosh' logo cost $35. Nike headquarters moved to Beaverton near Portland, but the company'...

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Image: Visitor7 | CC BY-SA 3.0

Eugene: Tracktown USA and the Hippie Mecca: The Counterculture Capital

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Visitor7, CC BY-SA 3.0. Ken Kesey graduated from the University of Oregon and lived in nearby Springfield while writing 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.' His Merry Pranksters and their psychedelic bus 'Further' passed through regularly. The Grateful Dead played Eugene frequently; Jerry Garcia considere...

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Image: Visitor7 | CC BY-SA 3.0

Eugene: Tracktown USA and the Hippie Mecca: University Town

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit User:Akendall, CC BY-SA 3.0. The University of Oregon dominates Eugene's economy and identity - 23,000 students in a city of 175,000. The campus spreads along the Willamette River, its oldest buildings centered on the Pioneer Mother statue. Autzen Stadium, across the river, seats 54,000 for Ducks football; t...

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Image: User:Akendall | CC BY-SA 3.0

Eugene: Tracktown USA and the Hippie Mecca: Willamette Valley Gateway

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0. Eugene Airport (EUG) offers connections to major West Coast hubs; Portland International (PDX) is two hours north. Amtrak's Cascades service connects to Portland and Seattle; the Coast Starlight passes through daily. I-5 runs through town, connecting to Portland (2 hours), Seattl...

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Image: Pi.1415926535 | CC BY-SA 3.0