The ghost of Robert Granke at the University of Oregon, Eugene

The University of Oregon campus in Eugene harbors one of the state's most persistent ghost stories. Robert Granke was a student who fell to his death from a catwalk in the Villard Hall theater during the mid-20th century. Since his death, theater students and faculty have reported a range of unexplained phenomena in the building. Lights turn on and off by themselves, props are found moved to different locations overnight, and a cold presence is sometimes felt in the catwalks high above the stage. Some students claim to have seen a shadowy figure in the rafters, matching descriptions of a young man in casual clothing. Villard Hall, built in 1886, is the oldest building on campus and has the kind of creaky, atmospheric character that lends itself to ghost stories. However, the specificity and consistency of the reports — always centered on the catwalk area and the backstage corridors — have convinced many theater department members that Granke's spirit lingers. Cast members have developed a tradition of greeting Robert before performances, believing that acknowledging his presence prevents technical mishaps. The haunting is well-documented in University of Oregon folklore collections.