McMenamin’s White Eagle
836 N. Russell Street
Portland, OR
WebSite
Investigative
Results: See below for synopsis & historical facts.
Haunted?:
Yes, but as usually happens with time, the activity is beginning to decrease.
It is a good assumption that eventually most of the ghosts will have moved on.
The White Eagle Tavern was started in 1905 by 2 Polish immigrants.
At that time, many immigrants crowded Portland seeking a better life and the promise
of work. They came from Europe, Russia, Scandinavia, Poland and the Far East.
It became a popular establishment as a hard-working man’s bar, frequented
by workers from the surrounding docks, mills, railroads and factories. It was
well known for its raucous and sometimes violent occurrences, earning it the nickname
“The Bucket of Blood.”
Portland, Oregon has a sordid past.
Shanghai tunnels leading directly to the waterfront, were used to transport unlucky
patrons onto a ship’s crew. Some Shanghai’s never reached their outcome,
and many people died en route in the subterranean passageways.
Women
immigrants, who came to America alone and without supervision, ended up Shanghaied
and forced to prostitute themselves to pay off their ‘debts.’ White
prostitutes were higher priced, and were kept on the 2nd floor. Women had limited
rights during this era, and if you were one of these “kept” women at
the White Eagle, you had no freedom to speak of. If you were found to be pregnant,
you were kept working until your due date. Your infant would be taken away from
you upon its delivery, and permanently removed so that you could begin working
again as soon as possible. If you became sick, you were ignored and placed in
one of the back rooms upstairs to await your recovery, or your permanent unemployment-
whichever came first. No worries- there were always more where you came from.
You were easily replaced.
The downstairs basement, now offices, housed
the ‘cheaper’ prostitutes- women from the Far East and other foreign
locales. Also in the basement were the Opium dens. Opium, brought from the Far
East, was the drug of choice, and was available to those who had the money. Downstairs
at the bar, you didn’t even have to use the bathroom facilities if you were
nursing a brew; a urinal had been built right in so you could conveniently relieve
yourself. Pool, cigars, liquor, prostitutes, drugs and poker- such a cornucopia
for the workingman of the era. For many, such treats were worth paying for- ever
risking the threat of a Shanghai arranged by a greedy bouncer and a needy ship’s
captain, a violent ending by the hand of a roustabout, or a fatal psychosis courtesy
of an Opium overdose.
It is no surprise that there are many Ghosts
here- an array of people died violent and untimely deaths under the White Eagle’s
watchful eye. The downstairs basement is the spectral home for a couple of immigrant
prostitutes who are not aware that they have passed on, as well as an aggressive
and extremely large, hulking man who is rumored to have been a bouncer during
the White Eagle’s heyday.
The stories of Rose the prostitute,
supposedly murdered by a jealous lover or customer, and Sam, the slow-witted Polish
immigrant, have helped bring the White Eagle its Ghostly ambience. Both of these
spirits can be found upstairs, as well as a few other female spirits- one who
we have nicknamed “Brassy” due to her brassy-blonde hair and her haughty
demeanor. She certainly enjoys the company of certain males, and Todd was her
man of choice during one of our visits. With her arm draped around his shoulder
as he walked through the hallway, Brassy certainly thought he was the cat’s
meow (Todd wasn’t quite purring though)! Another spirit unconsciously travels
between the two rooms in the back, holding her stomach and rocking herself as
she walks; eternally doing what she had done moments before her sad and untimely
death.
There are so many ghostly stories about the White Eagle it
is impossible to write them all down here. It is suggested that you spend an evening
there and experience its haunting ambience. Try to catch a whiff of Rose’s
perfume as she exits her room, or feel Sam as he possessively hangs out between
the two rooms. Stand between the two back rooms and wait for the cool breeze and
tingle of the sick prostitute during one of her aimless wanderings. Go into the
woman’s restroom downstairs and see if Sam throws toilet paper at you, or
unlocks your locked bathroom door when you are caught unawares (he has done this
to me quite a few times). Maybe you’ll be lucky, and catch a glimpse of a
full glass of beer being drained; employees and customers have reported this,
as well as many other interesting tales.
McMenamin’s has wonderfully
restored the 2nd story of the White Eagle into European style lodging with shared
baths at an affordable price. They offer their famous hand crafted ales and great
food, as well as live rock and roll bands.
Whether all the tales are
true or just urban legends, for such a small place, the White Eagle is large in
its history and spirits.
We highly suggest it as a starting point
for anyone interested in experiencing the paranormal.
