The Shanghai Tunnels, also known as the Portland Underground, are a network of tunnels beneath the streets of Portland, Oregon, in the United States. These tunnels were reportedly used in the 19th century for illegal activities, including the practice of “shanghaiing,” which involved kidnapping people to sell them as laborers on ships. The tunnels were supposedly used to transport victims from the city’s waterfront to ships on the Willamette River, where they would be forced into service.
The History of the Shanghai Tunnels
The series of low, narrow tunnels runs under Old Town Chinatown (Portalnds OG downtown). These tunnels run from the area all the way to the waterfront and were used in the late 1800s and early 1900s to move (mostly illegal) goods during the boom of Portlands trade with Asia. Not only were the Tunnels used to move goods, but according to local folklore, the interconnected basement rooms and tunnels were used for human trafficking.
During this time, it was incredibly hard to find ship labor, given the horrible conditions and high risks of the jobs. That is when the practice of “Shanghing” (kidnapping and selling into slavery) local lumber and industrial workers became commonplace.
These poor unexpecting workers would come into Portland after a job and get more than they bargained for at a local tavern, where they would likely be drugged, hauled into the tunnels, kept in small cramped cells, and then sold to ship captains. These loggers were often targeted for their size and strength and, after waking up at sea (if they survived), would likely not return to American soil for over three years (yikes!)
The practice of Shanghing was cracked down on in the early 1940s, and the tunnels were used inconsistently for the next 30 years before they were formally closed to the public. Tours of the tunnels began in the late 1970s, where you can learn more about the ghosts and history that haunt these eerie tunnels.
Ironically enough, the tunnels have not been permanently closed and still lie below a series of bars and restaurants. A few of these shanghai tunnel bars give tours and tell the establishment’s own part in the history of their use.
How to see the Shanghai Tunnels
Located right over the famous tunnels is Old Town Pizza & Brewing. On their 1-hour interactive tours, you learn all about the haunted history of the Shanghai Tunnels and get to walk through the longest stretch of tunnels still available to the public. Your lively tour guide will tell you about the house ghost Nina (pronounced “Nigh-na”), who has been haunting the area for over 100 years! The tour costs $35/pp and is available Thursday – Sunday (it also comes with a generous beer tasting and a free pint!).
This 1-mile walking tour takes you all around Old Town Portland and teaches you about the area’s haunted history. Although you do not get to go down into the Tunnels, you will learn all about these fascinating sites and others! The tour is about 1 hour and costs $25/pp (you can also choose to do a haunted pub crawl as well!)
If you like the historic Shanghai Tunnel tour and want some more spooky stories you should check out Roald Dahl’s Book of Ghost Stories. It’s one of my favorite collections of scary short stories.
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