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Shanghai Tunnel Tours

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Availability:	By Appointment Only
Filed Under:	Historical Locations > Tours Infamous Crimes > Tours Paranormal Hot Spots > Tours/Ghost Walks
Added By:	TheCabinet
Added On:	August 26, 2007 - 12:46 AM UTC
Last Modified:	May 13, 2008 - 03:14 PM UTC
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Visited By:	0 Users

Address
120 NW 3rd Ave, Portland, OR 97209, USA (Portland, Oregon)

Information
Shanghai Capital of the World Between the years of 1850 through 1941, the city of Portland, Oregon was commonly known as the "Shanghai Capital of the World," "Forbidden City," or "Unheavenly City," because of the commonly used practice of shanghaiing. This practice was a form of unfree labor (or white slavery) where unwilling citizens were sold off to sea captains to work their ships for little to no pay. They would acquire the men in a variety of different ways, including drugging, kidnapping or just grabbing them outright. Many of those that were shanghaied would never be seen again. Those that were lucky enough to make it back to Portland usually had to wait up to six years to see the city again. The term shanghaiing or shanghaied was derived from the city of Shanghai, China, a port where many of the ships were headed. China had recently opened the ports up for international trade following the First Opium War between Britain and China. As such, business was booming and this form of unfree labor only helped pad the resulting profits. While Portland was by no means the only city where shanghaiing was being practiced, it was unique for the design and complexity of methods that those that engaged in the practice (known as "crimps") employed. The Shanghai Tunnels The tunnels (also known as the Portland Underground) were originally built as a convenience to the hotels, restaurants, and taverns in the city. They needed to get supplies and goods from the waterfront of the Willamette River to their basements and storage areas without the hassle of moving them above ground. As such, a complex system of tunnels was constructed that connected to the basements of the establishments, allowing them to move the supplies underground from the ships and directly into their storage areas. When shanghaiing made its way to Portland, the crimps found the tunnels to be an easy way to practice their trade without detection and the tunnels quickly became known as the "Shanghai Tunnels." Above ground, elaborate trapdoors were built in saloons, opium dens, and other establishments around the city that would drop the unsuspecting victim (usually drugged or having consumed too much alcohol) into the tunnels beneath the street. These trapdoors were often called "deadfalls," because some of those that fell through the doors did not survive the impact. Typically, an old mattress or other form of padding was there to cushion the fall of the unconscious victim. Once underground, they would be gathered up and placed in cells built under the city and would stay there until a ship's arrival. When they were needed, they would be slipped drugs in their food or water that would render them unconscious. Oblivious to what was happening, they were then dragged through the various tunnels underground to the waterfront, where they were placed onboard the waiting vessel. By the time the person woke up, they were already out on the Pacific Ocean. Women were not safe from being shanghaied either. Those that were taken were typically sold off into prostitution or other forms of "white slavery." Unlike the men however, they typically were never seen again. It is said that when those women got too old or became pregnant, they were often killed off. Despite laws that attempted to end the practice and make "crimping" a federal crime, people were still being shanghaied in Portland until 1941 and the onset of World War II. During its peak years, it is believed that over 1,500 people were being taken against their will annually. There is no estimate for the amount that died before they ever made it to the ships. The Ghosts of the Shanghai Tunnels Not surprisingly, from the onset of the Portland Underground being used for the practice of shanghaiing, there have been reports of paranormal activity. Many men died in the tunnels from the beating they took while being shanghaied. Some men died from being given too much drugs to render them unconscious. Others died waiting in the packed cells from suffocation, while more succumbed to disease. Reports of paranormal activity range from the feeling of someone tugging on visitor's clothes or touching them on the shoulder or hair to hearing disembodied crying or talking or singing, seeing shapes and shadows, or smelling odd scents or perfume. One of the most well-known spirits in the Shanghai Tunnels is the ghost of Nina, who also shows up at the Old Town Pizza restaurant above. She was believed to be a prostitute who was thrown down an elevator shaft and many of the strange occurrences are typically attributed to her. Did it Happen? In October 2007, The Oregonian ran an article titled "Portland's Buried Truth" that spoke with many west-coast (or Portland)-based historians who shed some doubt on the stories of Portland's underground being used as a tool to shanghai victims. According to them, there was little doubt that the practice was definitely part of the culture in Portland at the time, but there was little to no evidence to suggest that the tunnels played any role in it. For his part, tour guide and writer Michael Jones (see below) insists that they did play a role and that he, in fact, had evidence to prove it. However, Jones is currently in the process of researching the tunnels for an upcoming book and is unwilling to release the documents he uncovered until the book has been released. While local Portland State University professor of urban studies, Carl Abbott, was unconvinced that the tunnels were used for shanghaiing, he did acknowledge that the stories are "...clearly part of the community mythology." Shanghai Tunnel Tours Today, the Cascade Geographic Society, a non-profit organization that preserves and promotes the history, culture and natural resources of the Cascade Mountain Range, gives guided tours of the tunnels. They offer a wide range of different themes for their tours of the Shanghai Tunnels, including a heritage and history of the network, ethnic history of the many races with connections to the Underground, as well as ghost tours that explore the paranormal activity and stories within. Please visit their site below for more information.

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Related Sites
Cascade Geographic Society The official Web site of the Cascade Geographic Society who offer tours of the infamous "Shanghai Tunnels" below the city of Portland, Oregon - the site of much paranormal activity.
Wikipedia: Shanghai Tunnels Wikipedia's entry on the infamous and haunted Shanghai Tunnels of Portland, Oregon.

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See Also on TheCabinet.com
Dark Destinations in the News (10/5/07)
Blog: Get Shanghaied in Portland (05/13/08)

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The above content is for informational purposes only. Before making any travel arrangements, it is highly recommended that you contact those in charge of the property to check for updated availability and hours of operation. While we do our best to keep this information updated, we cannot guarantee that it is completely valid and up to date. Any destination marked "Closed to the Public" is marked that for a reason and we discourage any visits or attempts to gain access to that facility. Similarly, take note of any "Travel Advisory" that may be associated with a destination. Finally, treat any location and its local residents with respect. Any vandalism and/or unruly behavior is completely despicable and only ruins the experience for future visitors.

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