Beneath Old Portland
Portland's Shanghai Tunnels: The City's Buried Underworld
Portland, Oregon, United States
By the Wicked Cool Places editors · Published · Updated
Why it’s cool
Beneath the sidewalks of Old Town runs a warren of passages that carries the story of Portland at its roughest, the trapdoors, the smuggling routes, and the dark legend of men supposedly shanghaied into a life at sea.
Walk the sidewalks of Old Town and you'd never guess what runs beneath your feet. Portland keeps its origin story underground (a tangle of basements and passages that once linked the bars and boarding houses of the old waterfront.
Why It Stands Out
Every port city has a rough past, but Portland's comes with trapdoors. The tunnels are wrapped in the legend of shanghaiing) the practice of drugging or strong-arming men and selling them into forced labor aboard departing ships.
How much of the darkest lore is fact and how much is folklore is still argued over, and that ambiguity is part of the appeal. What isn't in doubt is the atmosphere: low ceilings, damp brick, and the sense that the respectable city above was built directly on top of its own secrets.
This sense of hidden history is shared by The Dupont Underground.
Before You Go
The passages are reached by guided tour rather than wandered alone, and the route shifts depending on which sections are open. Wear shoes you don't mind scuffing, and expect uneven footing and close quarters.
It's the kind of detour that rewards curiosity over comfort, go for the storytelling, not the polish.
Questions worth answering
What is the history behind these underground passages?
These corridors beneath Old Town linked waterfront boarding houses and bars during the city's early days. They're tied to stories of men being drugged and forced into labor on ships.
Is it possible to explore the tunnels independently?
You'll need to join a guided group to see them. Access depends on which specific sections are currently open to the public.
What should I expect from the atmosphere down there?
It's a damp environment with low ceilings and old brickwork. We'd suggest wearing shoes that can handle scuffs and uneven ground.
What kind of footwear should we wear for the tour?
The ground is uneven and the spaces are tight, so wear sturdy shoes you aren't afraid to scuff. You'll be navigating a damp environment with low ceilings where comfort matters more than style.
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