Pendleton Underground

Kevin's mom was here for a visit in July. One of the things we finally did, after meaning to for almost 3 years now, was take the Pendleton Underground tour. It's not as easy as it sounds, you actually have to call ahead and make reservations. It was a very fasinating tour, obviously we were given a very short tour, but it was eye opening as to how some citizens were treated (i.e. the Chinese) and how the bootleggers did so well in Pendleton during the years of prohibition. Not to mention the many brothels, the last of which didn't close until 1967!

This is bunk beads where Chinese workers lived. Back in "those days" they didn't allow them to come "above ground" and actually gated them off below the hotels and streets where the chinese dug more tunnels. Very low ceilings; Kevin had to duck for much of the tour. We didn't realize they would have allowed cameras, so these poor quality pictures are actually from my cell phone.
One of the corridors off of a room where gambling and drinking occured, with the "speak easy" door still in place during the prohibition period. We learned that they kept lots of moth balls around to cover the smell of the alchohol.
This is one of the "girls' rooms" at the last brothel that is still kept for this tour above one of the buildings in downtown Pendleton. There is a very narrow doorway, and the name "Cozy Room" is still on it. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but is very nice on the inside. The woodworking frames are very nice!