Tunnels Under Tacoma - Hidden Truth or Silly Fiction?
For years, Tacoma’s history buffs have good-naturedly argued about the possibility of a network of tunnels linking the hotels and pubs downtown to the waterfront. The laws of drama insist there is never a dull moment in a tunnel system – only intrigue and adventure. And who doesn’t want to believe in adventure?
Whether or not these tunnels ever existed, the debate over their existence will likely continue for decades to come. Today’s My Northwest features an article about the origins and evidence of the subterranean pathways, with a nice photo of the door in the basement of Meconi’s that supposedly once opened in to a tunnel.
If you have a little time on your hands and want to dig further into the oral histories surrounding the tunnels talk, you may find this link interesting (it takes quite a while to load)…
Filed under: General
11 comments
P Pegsterdtown October 18, 2010
I remember when I first went down in the basement of Seven oh 1 and Exit 133. The energy down in that basement was amazing. I was the one that contacted Paranormal of Washington to come in and do an investigation of the basement. The crew said that they all had felt the energy that was down there. Tacoma has a rich history and some of it is dark. I believe this should not be hidden behind locked steel doors.
R RR Anderson October 18, 2010
Didn’t Ruston used to have a tunnel?
T Thorax O'Tool October 18, 2010
There is supposedly a short network of tunnels @ Point Defiance near the boathouse. They are said to date to about 1910-1920 during the heyday of the tourist attraction of the springs there.
Parks legend has it that they were accessible in the area that now has the sound garden on the promenade, and that the tunnels were used to transport food, merchandise and employees without getting in the way of the customers.
N Nick October 19, 2010
Just a quick fun fact worth sharing while we’re on the subject: Most Tacomans that aren’t UPS alums don’t know that there is actually a small network of tunnels connecting the seven greek houses on greek row. They were actually open to students up until the year I moved in, but are still used for storage.
They’re a bit more modern than Portland’s (or Tacoma’s rumored) shanghai kidnapping tunnels, but pretty cool nonetheless.
T tom waits October 19, 2010
there are lots of tunnels for lots of reasons in tacoma. utilities (steam), abandoned or incomplete rail tunnels, mechanical areas, etc.
seattle’s underground is actually similar to tacoma’s vaulted sidewalks. in seattle there is no mystery; they are the result of grade level changes in pioneer square during the post fire reconstruction.
cool spaces. but chinese/shanghai tunnels are another question…more legend than fact in my opinion. even though someone sat down and gave an account to federal writers, this doesn’t automatically give it credence – i don’t think it is necessarily because people are being politically correct. it would be a great story.
keep in mind that the so called oral history given during the depression was at least 50 years after the supposed events. any tunnels in 1885 would also not have finished arched masonry openings, etc; most roads were dirt, planked, or whatever; there were no sidewalks as we know them, so the labor expended on tunnels doesn’t make sense. It would be just as easy to drag a drunken carouser into the bushes – the wilderness was just down the block back then.
i would also expect that way more underground shenanigans happened during the dark years of prohibition.
there may be some isolated tunnels here and there, for sure. but no extensive system other than the vaulted sidewalks, and there is no mystery there.
E Erik B. October 19, 2010
T Thorax O'Tool October 19, 2010
There certainly are some tunnels of some type in downtown. I’ve heard more than one tale from more than one old person about the speakeasies in the roaring 20s that were located “underground” in downtown.
We all know of the wasted Turkish Baths that should have been restored rather than used as a cistern. Imagine what other stuff is below the streets in that area.
P PointDexter October 19, 2010
Lets.not.forget.the.19th.century.Murray.Morgan.Chunnel.
J JJ October 19, 2010
There was a tunnel that ran from Fircrest all the way down to Salmon Beach.My mother told me about it and remembered it when she was young.They closed the large cave roomed tunnel entrance in Fircrest ages ago (guessing in the 1930’s).When I was young in the 1960’s I remember the old rotting trolley tracks in Fircrest running though a swamp (now drained).I doubt the trolley tracks are there now.
B broadweezy October 20, 2010
Supposedly there are old utility tunnels that run underneath the berm that runs along S.Taco Way between Wilkeson St & Pac. Ave. I’m sure if you asked the right homeless people along there they could probably show you the secret sealed off entrances.
E Eric October 22, 2010
You might want to take a look in the basement of Old Time Woodwork in Downtown Tacoma. There is more evidence in the basement there as well heading to the Waterfront.