CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
Referred to as “the history no
one wanted to talk about,” the
story of the Pendleton Under-
ground has many twists and
turns. Originally, the tunnels
were built for downtown mer-
chants to bring in supplies while
avoiding muddy streets and
the local riff raff . According to
Brooke Armstrong, the Under-
ground’s executive director, they
cover more than 12 city blocks,
centered around Main Street and
extending to the railroad depot.
Some tunnels existed before the
current buildings were in place.
Pendleton Underground Tours/Contributed photo
Tunnels beneath Pendleton businesses were used to move merchandise and
gold from the railroad.
“We know of a Chinese
laundry that was advertising in
1885,” she said.
Other uses sprang up over
the years, some legal, some …
not so much. In adjoining build-
ings, “you had the Oak Rooms,
you had the Cozy Rooms from
1928 to 1953, run by Madam
Stella. There were a lot of
escape tunnels, to get to alleys
if there was a raid,” Armstrong
said.
Below ground, police often
rousted clients using the opium
dens.
“People used to say you could
smell it from the street. There
were several in town — we take
you to one on the tour,” she said.
There was also a small bowl-
ing alley and billiard hall, an ice
cream factory and a butcher
shop that supplied stores above.
And, of course, a speakeasy,
serving thirsty customers during
Prohibition. Historian-guides
cover all this and more, as they
walk visitors through the tunnels
and re-created scenes on the
90-minute Pendleton Under-
ground Tour. The fi rst hour is un-
derground, then tour-goers head
up to the Cozy Rooms bordello
AUGUST 25�SEPTEMBER 1, 2021
on Main Street.
This summer, the Under-
ground’s Shamrock Card Room
& Saloon is open for drinks
on Saturdays from 4-7 p.m.
through Sept. 4, hosted by
barmaids and barkeeps in
period outfi ts. There are also
semi-annual events, like Pend-
leton Underground Comes to
Life, usually in May, with 75 live
actors staging reenactments
in every room. This year Arm-
strong plans a repeat on Oct. 9.
“We also host murder mys-
teries with a full dinner. The next
one may be the end of October,
PENDLETON
UNDERGROUND
TOURS
Open year-round; closed
Sundays and Tuesdays
Tours start at 31 S.W.
Emigrant Ave., Pendleton
Times vary by season;
call 541-276-0730 for
reservations
No children under 6
$15 per person
and New Year’s Eve for sure,”
she said. “We post those on our
Facebook page.”
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