PENDLETON, OR. As you walk the streets of historic downtown Pendleton you may not realize the secret world just beneath your feet. It all started back in the 1870’s when Chinese laborers began constructing tunnels to conduct business and take refuge from discrimination.
Today several of the tunnels have been restored and some of the town history recreated to form Pendleton Underground Tours. The tunnels were home to businesses such as Chinese laundries and butcher shops as well as providing a haven for plenty of illegal activities. Remnants of card rooms, bordellos and saloons provide a glimpse into the wild past of this hidden city. At one point there were eighteen bordellos operating in a town of just around three thousand.
Visit website pendletonundergroundtours.org/. Open year round.
