Pendleton Underground Tours, Pendleton

Last year I was fortunate enough to go an one of Pendleton's Underground Tours that featured live actors rather than the mannequins that are normally employed there. I'm sure the tours that normally take place with the dummies in use would be quite interesting, for the historical nature of it all if nothing else, but the live action brings a wonderful dimension to the production. It only happens once a year, in the spring, and the tour spots have to be spoken for ahead of time, but it is well worth it. What you get is an interaction with Pendleton's past history, with people playing everything from "shady ladies" to cowboys, Chinese laundrymen, card sharps, and a famous former sheriff killed by an escaped outlaw long before his time. Many of the characters were real people, some are composits, but nonetheless authentic characters. It shows much of Pendleton's old underground sections and lets you know there was much more than the fair amount shown on the tour. The tour guides and characters practice a great deal before hand, and it is wonderful the results that come forth. I hope to see it again. It is a bit on the spendy side but the production is the only fund raiser that the company does aside from the normal tour charges and they do serve some refreshments as part of it. If you can swing it, and enjoy Western history, of which this area is filled, or even just like offbeat things, definitely check this one out.