Every once in a while (and especially around Halloween), it's fun to do a bit of ghost busting! Oregon is loaded up with all kinds of ghosts and ghost stories from the coast and forests to our bars and hotels. Many of the McMenamin's places are legendary in their haunted pasts, the Shanghai Tunnels are a fascinating part of some truly dark days in Portland's history, and old Oregon City has a haunting feel just looking around sometimes. Here's a list of some of our hottest haunts for happy hour (full information in the book):
McMENAMIN'S
www.mcmenamins.com
Edgefield's
2126 SW Halsey; Troutdale (503) 669-8610
As a former "Poorhouse", Infirmary, and later a Nursing Home (and some would even refer to it as the Mental Institution), it's easy to imagine that many inhabitants have passed over to the other side on these grounds. And did some of them stay around??! It seems like it when you look at some of those creepy paintings there...
-- That little white house is the most haunted of them all, with many guests reporting they felt someone shake their feet in the middle of the night.
-- Images of young children have been seen roaming the grounds, and often heard crying.
-- Room 215 reportedly had a cult squatting there for a bit, and was covered in pentagrams and graffiti before renovation.
-- An older woman's face has been seen peeking through the window.
White Eagle
836 N.Russell; Portland (503) 335-8900
This building has past lives as an ex-brothel, seedy tavern, and opium den (although now, like the other McMenamin's places is totally charming). The second floor and basement have seen a LOT of ghost action. Over the years, and throughout the building, there's been many reports of objects being thrown, people being touched, chairs moving, faint screams heard, and the men's toilet flushing on its own. This place is a mecca for ghost chasers, hoping to catch their famous resident ghosts, Rose (the prostitute murdered there) or Sam (the cook who lived and died there).
Cornelius Pass Roadhouse
22135 NW Imbrie Dr; Hillsboro (503) 648-9878
Old farmhouse where footsteps have been heard in the attic, cold spots felt all over, lights turning on by themselves, and doors opening.
The McMenamin's Bagdad Theater (3702 SE Hawthorne; 503-236-9234) is haunted by stage hand who may have committed suicide behind the movie screen. At the Crystal Ballroom Dancehall, ghosts have been seen and heard laughing and the elevator moves on its own.
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SHAINGHAI TUNNELS
www.shanghaitunnels.info
True story -- beneath the city blocks in downtown and Old Town Portland, lies a maze of underground tunnels that lead to the river. From 1850 to 1941, thousands of able-bodied men were kidnapped (and often dropped through trap doors from the saloons above) and shipped off to be slaves in the Orient.
Old Town Pizza www.oldtownpizza.com
226 NW Davis; Portland (503) 222-9999
Cool, turn-of-the-century interior! Located in the lobby of the old Merchant Hotel, and directly over the Shanghai tunnels. Their famous ghost is named Nina (NIGH-nah), who was a prostitute there and was reportedly pushed down the elevator shaft to her death. She's been seen throughout the restaurant, although many people say there is one table in particular that just "feels" like someone else is there too... and oddly enough, that's the table that is located in that former elevator shaft space.
Benson Hotel www.bensonhotel.com
309 SW Broadway; Portland (503) 228-2000
The stories here are often kept under wraps, but many people have seen a ghostly man descending the grand staircase (this is a super-grand hotel by the way). Others have reported seeing a little boy or an older man in overalls at the London Grill. The 9th floor has many stories too.
The Heathman portland.heathmanhotel.com
1001 SW Broadway; Portland (503) 241-4100
Another beautiful and stately, and haunted, old hotel. Chairs moved, televisions and lights turn on, and Room 703 in particular has many of the stories, possibly being a room of a suicide victim.
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OREGON CITY www.nwghosttours.com
Take the tour! It's fascinating! Happy Hour beforehand at Cypress 820 Main (503) 387-5914; site.cypressoregoncity.com or Rivershore Bar & Grill 1900 Clackamette Dr. (503) 655-5155 www.rivershorerestaurant.com), although I don't think either one of them are haunted.
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Disclaimers: These are "hearsay" stories, meant for entertainment purposes only, and exact facts cannot be proven. Although it IS a fact that I love all these places! Especially the hotels. I have never seen a ghost myself... yet.
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