Oregon has a rich history, with numerous buildings and sites landing on the National Historical Register, but only a few hold a haunting tale of the supernatural.
Portland’s Underground Labyrinth
One hundred and fifty years ago, Portland, Oregon, was a river town overlooked as a modest Victorian settlement. However, the reality was less charming. The Shanghai Trade deemed the area the most dangerous port in the world. Beneath the ground, a series of tunnels connect to the basements of the city’s oldest establishments, ending at the Willamette River. Erickson’s Saloon, Snug Harbor Saloon, and Valhalla Saloon were all establishments where unsuspecting victims stopped for drinks, only to find themselves in tunnels beneath the streets and sold at the waterfront for “blood money.” Primarily, sailors and men who worked on the river fell victim to the Shanghai kidnappings. Victims were forcibly grabbed from the streets, thrown in a saloon, and given chloral hydrate-like sedatives mixed in with their alcohol. The men were then dropped down deadfalls at various establishments. Women were told to keep cautious when venturing through the city and often told not to enter any establishment or go dancing during the evening. Unfortunately, many women fell victim to the kidnappings, their food and water being spiked, and then dragged through the tunnels. Most vanished, never to be heard from again. To this day, the underground labyrinth can be explored, but the darkness makes it easy to get lost, so tour guides help during the frightening expedition. Beware the spirits of the victims that lurk in the tunnels, and remember to stay with your group.
The Ghosts of Edgefield
Families within the counties of Oregon began to face poverty. Sickness plagued the state, and housing was unaffordable. Oregon prevented families from staying in the streets by building “poor houses” and having each county responsible for its homeless population. While at the houses, the families were expected to follow and maintain a strict schedule of manual labor, or else they would face punishment. Low-income housing formed farms on the properties, which became popular during the 19th century in the West, producing wheat and corn. Edgefield helped Portland and its surrounding cities during the early twentieth century with the poor population. Nearly 700 people lived on the farm by 1934, so an infirmary was added to the property. By the 1960s, the house’s name changed to Edgefield Manor, and the buildings surrounding the property were used as nursing homes and institutions for mentally ill children. In 1964, the entirety of the area became Edgefield Center. Due to extensive renovations that cost over four hundred thousand dollars, the county decided to close down Edgefield. Many patients passed, but those who remained were relocated in 1982. Over time, the building became vacant and eventually neglected. Several years later, with the building still standing, the county deemed that selling the land would be a better financial decision than demolition. The community agreed with this decision, stating that destroying the buildings would strip Oregon of its history. In early 1990, during the McMenamins brothers’ purchase, Edgefield became a historical landmark and converted the property into a hotel. According to locals, the brothers performed a spiritual cleanse on the property to rid it of evil spirits. However, during the ritual, the brothers felt strange. In room 215, the two found a pile of animal bones arranged in the shape of a pentagram. Many guests staying at the hotel have reported strange activities throughout the building, like spirits watching them sleep and hands pushing on their shoulders and backs. The most tooth-rattling is the old woman who lurks on the corners, chasing guests from their rooms and then leaving them in complete disarray. There are also reports of a child that roams the halls. Guests have approached the child, scolding him for causing a ruckus and asking where his parents are, but before they can get an answer, the child disappears into a thin mist, leaving guests unsettled.
Spirit of a Lady Named Rue
Heceta Head Light on the Oregon coast has been reported as one of the top ten most haunted places in the United States. Standing 205 feet above sea level, the lighthouse contains an exceedingly bright light, able to be seen 21 miles out to sea. In 1892, the lighthouse construction began. The completion was delayed due to the site being atop a cliff and the lack of roads in the area. The project took 5 years, and in March of 1894, the light was lit for the first time. Although the lighthouse itself isn’t haunted, numerous people have delineated a “Gray Lady” prowling the grounds. A Victorian woman named “Rue” was discovered during an Ouija board session several years ago, and since then, the ghost has become popular with tourists. No official records show a child ever born on the property; however, a gravestone of a drowned infant girl was found in the woodland area surrounding the lighthouse. No one knows if the child had any connection to the property, but some say that the infant was Rue’s daughter. Residents since the 50s have reported strange and unusual incidents, with reports still happening to this day. While Rue does like to clean and look after the house, the spirit seems to dislike construction or changes to the property. Fire alarms blare through the night in an attempt to scare off any workers. Even with the batteries removed, the alarms continue their screaming. The most widely known incident is a workman coming face-to-face with Rue while venturing to the attic. Startled by her presence, the man fled the building and refused to go back to the attic. Several days later, the man accidentally broke the window to the attic. Still refusing to enter, he fixed the window from the outside, leaving the broken glass scattered inside the space upstairs. That night the workers heard scrapping coming from the attic, and in the morning, they went up to investigate the noise. The workers found the glass shards had been swept into a pile under the repaired widow. Now, Heceta Lighthouse is a bed and breakfast that has become popular, with waiting reservations for over three months. Both the tower and the house are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
