August 19, 2004—On the road again: a Western Odyssey
Day 1—hotter than blazes; boondocking in Pendleton, OR
We arrived via I-84 to Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton, OR at the special invitation of some unmet fellow Escapees who arranged for us to boondock in the college parking lot. We will be meeting these great people tomorrow, but thank them for now for arranging for our stay, all the way up the chain of command to the college President no less! Who says this RVing community isn’t just the most special one possible?
I can’t remember having driven through Pendleton before, but I’m sure I must have at some point. Perched high upon the surrounding barren brown hills as we are, it seems to sit in a bowl below rolling foothills and more distant mountains. We will explore it tomorrow as we look to tour the underground city that exists here and the now defunct Pendleton Woolen Mill.
We made our escape from Bend a day later than planned, but early this morning. Saying goodbye to family and leaving them behind was as hard as ever, but secretly we are thrilled to be back on the road, just with each other and our cats, and back to our simple life. This lifestyle that just simply can’t be beat—any way, any how.
We already look forward to leaving here and gaining some forest and elevation just down the road in Idaho. I figure about another day’s travel will put us on the far side of Lewiston and traversing Hwy. 12, which parallels a major river. Supposedly there’s lots of pull offs where we might camp and I hope some are mere steps to the river where I fully intend to plunk down my lawn chair and sit with my feet right in the water with a cold one in my hands!
On the road again…it just couldn’t be any sweeter!
Day 2 (8/20)—Beneath wild and wooly Pendleton
We started off the day on time for the 9 a.m. tour of the now closed Pendleton Woolen Mill, which has moved operations to Portland. The only problem was, the tours are suspended and out on “vacation” themselves. About all that was left for us was to ogle the line of exquisite clothing and blankets for which this factory is so aptly known. I quickly stuck my head into the dark cavern that was the former main floor of the looming room and snapped a couple of poorly lit pictures.
From there, we found the core of downtown Pendleton just in time for the 90 minute underground tour. Pendleton really started in the 1870’s after the original 1860 160 acre homestead was purchased from the homesteader for 2 mules and a cart by an enterprising fellow who wanted to build a hotel and rest stop for travelers on the Umatilla River. It’s always been a cowboy town (the yearly September Pendleton Roundup is the world’s largest rodeo), and a ranching and farming community, but also played an important part in providing entertainment for the military personnel stationed close by.
The late 1800’s, early 1900’s saw the four block downtown section comprised of over 38 saloons and 18 brothels. Prostitution was legal here until well into the mid 1950’s and a fascinating part of the underground tour actually takes one above ground through a very well preserved brothel. This brothel was literally closed off by the city fathers cementing off the doorway, which served to enshrine a virtual time capsule of the place as it last existed. The pictured doorway is the actual doorway found when the non-profit organization responsible for the tours was left to research this entire city block. Keep in mind as you look at the picture of the madam’s rooms that the wallpaper and woodwork is all original. A crazy quilt pattern of old linoleum was also quite fascinating, and ran throughout the building. We’re told the girls made 50% of each “take”; the cost being $2 before WWI and $5 after.
Fact: Notice the arched doorway to the Cozy Rooms brothel. We’re told that all brothel buildings in Pendleton featured arched windows and doorways, to denote to clientele the houses of ill repute. Go back to the picture of downtown Pendleton and note the pink building next to the original firehouse. Note too, the other photo, which is essentially the entire block we were underneath—it’s all arched as well!
The main portion of the underground tour explains a city within a city, all one floor beneath street level. This is primarily where the Chinese workers lived and worked, and it also served legitimate businesses as well in the form of basements for their ice houses and operations, such as the Empire Meat Company and Shamrock club, a bar/card room. Monty, a local college student, was our excellent guide. Antique and period memorabilia is featured throughout the displays and you are free to wander and take pictures.
We found the most fascinating portions of the underground those regulated to the Chinese. Dank, dark, earthen floored for the most part—it must have been a horrid existence down here, deprived of family, deprived of females (all workers were only allowed to be male since they didn’t want the Chinese to reproduce) and deprived of daylight. Hop Sing’s laundry was one of the most successful of businesses, serving a white clientele with both laundry and bath facilities. One of the saddest portions of the tour was the opium den and its small wooden bed with scorched rice mats. What madness did they escape to in an attempt to escape the madness of daily life?
Finally, we learned of Pendleton’s most famous speakeasy, buried here to protect the boozers during Prohibition. It was a place for the swells to meet, gamble and drink, as evidenced by the fancy tin ceiling, which now sags in mute despair. The tours and guides do a great job, are available year round, and currently run $10 pp.
Moving into the evening, we finally had the chance to meet some fellow Escapees (who arranged for our boondocking here) we have corresponded with for several years. Great camaraderie was spent around an Oregon barbecued salmon dinner as we got to know Ken and Lee Jacobs. Thank you guys for a wonderful evening—it was much enjoyed!
