Take a short 25-minute drive outside of Portland, Oregon to a small town called Damascus and you will find one of the most unnerving and mysterious places in the state. A large, metal gate stands alone in the forest at the end of a secluded cul-de-sac. The black gate within a stone portal, flanked by stone lions and topped with gold symbols is just the entrance to this creepy location. This is the Temple of Oculus Anubis.
What is The Temple of Oculus Anubis?
The Oculus Anubis is a modern construction. It includes a mansion which has been mostly torn down since it was never completed, and several mysterious statues, columns, pyramids, places that look like they were built for rituals, and even tunnels. The popular name of the location has two parts. Oculus, which means “eye” in Latin. And Anubis, the Egyptian god of funerals, graves, and the guide to the underworld.
Most of the statues are of Egyptian deities, yet not all of the other structures match this style. Some of the statues on the property are around 40ft tall! Some of the constructions are built into the rocks themselves. Others have mysterious and unknown purposes. The unknown nature of these decorations has fueled theories about satanic rituals, pagan cults, magic, and more. The person who built the Oculus Anubis never gave any public details about the site, or his intentions with it. The bank that currently holds the title has been equally tight-lipped.
Nobody lives on the property now, and no-trespassing signs warn would-be explorers to keep their distance. Time and nature have begun to reclaim the mysterious property.
Some organizations are making attempts to either purchase or acquire the property for tourism, spirituality, or other goals, but it remains in private hands.
So, is there an actual temple at the Temple of Oculus Anubis? No. It was a private residence under construction. No permanent homes or buildings were present on the property.
Is it Really The Creepiest Place in Oregon?
The front gate of the Temple of Oculus Anubis. As seen by the author on Google Maps.
Whether or not the Oculus Anubis is the creepiest place in Oregon depends on what you define as creepy. If abandoned property and mysterious statues sound creepy to you, then this might be very creepy. However, despite many online articles and rumors about what actually happened on the property, and the purposes of the decorations within the woods, there is no evidence that anything sinister or occult actually occurred at the Oculus Anubis.
In fact, the current owner of the property, the widow of the man responsible for building it, says they had owned the property since 1971. She said they were well-traveled collectors of Egyptian art. A much less creepy story than what some people believe.
A local Oregonian news organization first used the the title “creepiest place in Oregon” for the Oculus Anubis as a typical attention grabber that highlighted the property.
Because it is private property visitors are not allowed to enter the site without an invitation. Law enforcement will be called if you ignore the warnings and do try to break in.
What is The History Behind The Oculus Anubis?
Dr. Dean Elton Neal, a wealthy ophthalmologist, built Oculus Anubis. He died in 2015 before he could finish construction. Allegedly, Dr. Neal used his eye clinic to scam public and private health insurance companies, and the IRS, out of over $2.5 million. He would send fake bills to insurance companies, bill customers for unnecessary procedures, bill other customers twice, and use a shell company to avoid taxes.
Much of the money he gained went toward building the property. A contract rumored to be found by investigators allegedly shows that millions of dollars went toward the construction of heated tunnels below the ground to connect his home with the home of his son.
According to lawyers, Dr. Neal was an abusive, greedy, and narcissistic alcoholic. This probably contributes to the infamy of Oculus Anubis.
Following Dr. Neal’s death, the property was abandoned and fell into disrepair. Officials recently charged Dr. Neal’s in connection with his father’s crimes. Th court found him guilty.
Conclusion
The true history of the Temple of Oculus Anubis is much less magical and sinister than some would believe. It is a passion project or questionable taste funded by a family of wealthy criminals. It is not a site of secret cabals and pagan rituals. Unless you want a picture of the front gate, there is not much else to do at the location.
The future of the site remains a mystery, however. Nobody has made any public statements about what will happen with the property. Perhaps the future will reveal yet more secrets, or maybe nature will reclaim it, hiding its truths forever.
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