The Most Fun Tour We Can’t Do

Jill's Journal: Pendleton history may start out a little dull (a trading post was established in 1851; the town was officially named in 1868 for George H. Pendleton, a candidate for Vice-President in 1864 (why, I haven’t been able to figure out as Congressman Pendleton was from Ohio, not Oregon))…

…but it certainly revs up considerably. Pendleton used to be known as the “entertainment capital of Eastern Oregon,” a seedy side that the town has since embraced and preserved. In the late 1800s, Pendleton had 18 brothels and 32 saloons for a population of around 3,000!

Over the decades, the bordellos thrived and the four blocks that made up the red light district were still thriving until an abrupt shut down in 1953. It seems a Presbyterian minister threatened to name the brothel patrons in church. It is said there was a lone holdout, a madam named Stella Darby who refused to close and continued to operate her establishment until she retired in 1965.

In 1991, one of Pendleton’s brothels was restored and reopened as a bed and breakfast called Working Girls Hotel. Kids aren’t allowed because of the antiques and nature of the place (and I’m not ready to explain the term “brothel” to my kids anyway!), so I could only admire the character of the building from the outside.

Pendleton called bordellos “Cozy Rooms.” Apparently there are a number of tunnels and secret passageways under Pendleton’s red light district that once led to the Cozy Rooms, plus a Prohibition card room, an opium den, and many other not-quite-so-upstanding places. About 20 years ago, several of the tunnels were restored and these days tours are offered. Children under six aren’t allowed and we’re not ready for them to delve into this part of the world anyway, but I suspect this would be one of the most fun tours around.