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Steve Prefontaine Memorial Room

Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Steve Prefontaine

About Steve Prefontaine and the Memorial Room

  • Steve Prefontaine was born on January 25, 1951, in  Coos Bay, Oregon.
  • He attended Marshfield High School from 1965-1969 and competed in the school’s cross country running team.
  • In 1969 he moved to Eugene to compete at the University of Oregon under coach Bill Bowerman (co-founder of Nike) from 1969-1975 where he eventually held every American record from the 2,000 through 10,000 meter races.
  • The room at CAM is a permenent exhibit containing many of his medals, trophies, a pair of his running shoes, and other memorabilia. The trophy cases were built by Steve’s father, Raymond, and the exhibit is personally curated by his sister, Linda.
  • Come visit the Steve Prefontaine room on the 2nd floor of the Coos Art Museum and see firsthand all of the rare memorabilia on display, along with race photos and a video presentation.
  • The Prefontaine room is available to rent for board meetings and other small gatherings.

Exhibition Highlights

In the Steve Prefontaine Room you will find:

Video Player

  • “Fire On The Track”, a 1995 documentary narrated by Ken Kesey

Photos from Pre’s Career

  • Curated gallery of images
    • High school victories
    • University of Oregon career
    • 1972 Munich Olympics
    • Iconic training photos

Memorabilia Collection

  • Trophy cases displaying items such as:
    • Racing singlets and shoes
    • Medals and awards
    • Newspaper clippings and posters
    • Sculptures
    • Personal awards and achievement plaques

Learn More

Fun Facts

  • He didn’t win a medal at the Olympics.
  • He never set a world record.
  • He did win the hearts of thousands through his drive, determination, tenacity and guts.
  • He set the stage for athletes today to set goals, to achieve greatness and to change their lives.
  • In his four years at the U of O, Prefontaine never lost a collegiate (NCAA) race at 3 miles, 5,000 meters, 6 miles, or 10,000 meters.
  • He held every American record from the 2,000 through the 10,000 meter races.
  • Each year on the third Saturday of September in Coos Bay, over a thousand runners engage in the Prefontaine Memorial Run, a 10k run honoring his accomplishments.

Plan Your Visit

  • The Prefontaine Room is a permanent gallery on the 2nd floor of the museum just at the top of the stairs.
  • The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 11am-5pm and the room is open during those hours.
  • Contact the museum at (541)267-3901 or email lobby@coosartmuseum.com for details on group tours or school field trips.

Support the Memorial