It’s that time of year again! Time to don fun costumes, have an excuse to eat candy, and scare ourselves silly! Fortunately, Portland is chock full of interesting ghost stories and scary fun facts that will get you in the mood for Halloween. Here are ten scary things about our fair city:
#1. Below Portland runs the Shanghai Tunnels, a place where (among other things) able-bodied men were kidnapped and sent to sea. Unfortunately these tunnels have been bricked closed in a number of places due to our city’s need to create a stable foundation for buildings.
#2. Just above one of branch of the Shanghai Tunnels is Old Town Pizza in Northwest Portland. It is supposed to be haunted by Nina, a woman who once lived and passed away at that location.
#3. Although apparently not haunted, one of the spookiest places in Portland is the Rimsky-Korsakoffee House. If you haven’t been there, go. It’s a coffee and dessert place, which makes it perfect for the season and… well we don’t want to give the surprise away. Just be sure you visit the bathroom before you leave. If you’re there to get spooked, the bathroom is most definitely a must visit.
#4. The Witches Castle in Forest Park is allegedly haunted nightly by 19th century ghosts. Spoooooky!
#5. Oregon has more ghost towns than any other state in the U.S. That’s more than 60 abandoned towns around out great state!
#6. Tillamook Rock Lighthouse is the final resting place of about 30 cremated remains. There have been plans to create a much larger space for more people to be “buried at sea” as honorary lighthouse keepers.
#7. The Portland Gas and Coke Building has been moldering on the side of Highway 30 for years. While there aren’t any ghost stories that I know of connected with the old building, it is in the process of demolition. So, if you haven’t seen it, you may want to see if there’s anything left before this landmark is gone completely.
#8. Lone Fir Cemetery in Southeast Portland is a likely candidate for ghost sightings. Not only is it a cemetery, it is actually the oldest continuously used cemetery in Portland. There are even reasons to visit during the day as it is also an arboretum, hosting 67 species of trees.
#9. Benson Hotel doesn’t officially endorse any ghost stories, but according to guests the ghost (or ghosts) that haunt this hotel are benign if not outright friendly. Maybe that’s not spooky, but it’s sure a change of pace when it comes to ghost stories!
#10. McMenamins Kennedy School is supposed to be haunted by former students. I guess they couldn’t get enough education!
All of us here at Tom Leach Roofing hope you and your family have a wonderful and safe Halloween!