The mysterious tunnels of Fort Stevens, Oregon | Oregon Field Guide

Hidden beneath the old bunkers at Fort Stevens State Park in Oregon is a network of long-abandoned tunnels. These labyrinths were well known to soldiers protecting America from German and Japanese military attack during World War II, but these installations have a fascinating history that goes back as far as the Civil War. Today, these dark, damp, winding tunnels seem frozen in time.
This story originally aired on Feb. 5, 2004.
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[@altonreeves1854]

i lived in Astoria in the early mid 60s....a flashlight was a must!

[@sharistrazz3313]

My Stepdad, Jack Buckmier (deceased) built the replica of the disappearing gun in this video. He did this by hand over many, many years.

[@susanmetcalf8009]

As kids, we played at Battery Russell? I grew up in Astoria, a great place to grow up in the 60's and 70's.

[@lindseydarnell6044]

I grew up in Seaside, Oregon. We used to play flashlight tag there in the late 90's.

[@RichGilpin]

Good introduction to what many people miss these days about the Fort and why it was there. Also historical forts on the Washington side. Fort Columbia which has firing positions, and Fort Canby. Like many others replying, I recall going there from the time I was about 5 in 1950 up until a few years before it became a state park. Could wander around freely, but easy to get lost inside the concrete structures back then.

[@thePrisoner1000]

Thx OPB, you are a treasure. Public stations are very important!

[@Macarena22279]

True story!

[@user-dc1dr9kr8x]

An underground bunker can be suddenly very useful and important......keep it well Oregon

[@nunliski]

Go back to your hole.

[@Cleanbob503]

I grew up in Hammond and as kids we found tunnels and all sorts of things underground.. ❤great content

[@firewaterbydesign]

*It's where the local kids go to hang out and drink and party!!*

[@adamcfmacdonald]

Terrific video. Thank you!

[@buckysrevenge]

It would be interesting to see photographs of the tunnels and rooms when they were in use if they existed

[@Brimstone667]

i love fort stevens, my retirement goal is to becom a tour guide there, used to go when there was the swap meets an civil an ww2 reeacnements as well when i was younger, i think i might have seen a glimps of yall when you were out recording awhile back when I went up to visit the old fort an family

[@DaveRyan1974]

Interesting .... Im From Vancouver Washington. Been Threw There But Never Knew About This. Thanks For Great Video. God Bless Everyone 🇺🇸❤🤍💙

[@Golfnut_2099]

We were at Fort Stevens last weekend. I have been there many times in my life. I would love a tour of the tunnels.

[@chadparsons1972]

You can take a guided tour of Battery Mishler

[@krackenagatenonbreh3456]

This should be the next filming location for Hellraiser movie franchise

[@daveleslie4396]

When I was young you could walk to the Iredale and touch the wood.

[@Bane-l7h]

I've toured all the open ones several times. They'd make a great paintball battlefield.

[@roberthevern6169]

Amazing! Thanks, OPB!

[@mikeweber9766]

Very interesting. I live in the south but enjoy the OPB videos. Thanks

[@michaelthomas2978]

Best place for camping along the coast. And you can also explore the old base

[@jackshaftoe1715]

Perfect echo's for harmonica. 😊

[@richarddavis2961]

I used to play in those tunnels back in the early sixties playing combat was a must.

[@WAVEGURU]

Withstand + sustain = withstain?

[@toesfingers20]

Interesting there still film of this activity.

[@donh2596]

I used to do WW2 reenacting at that park. Pretty awesome location.

[@GeistView]

They need another Interpretation guide. She doesn't quite know the details of Battery Mishler. The editing misleads the watcher to think the Fortifications from the Endicott Era were there during the Civil war. Battery Mishler was what would be now called, "Post Staff Duty". The pits of Mishler were the only 10" gun pits with a 360 design. At the time, Battery Mishler was at the most NW tip of oregon. Clatsop Spit did not exist at that time. The shore of the Columbia River was almost touching the west Battery. Their guns were removed during WW1 and sent to France. The Guns of Mishler were in place during WW2 but were covered over by "heavy wooded timbers". After WW2 the Mishler guns were removed and the concrete cover was poured. After that the covering of the pits was used by the Air Force as a "secret radar emplacement" for Early Warning". The galleries of Mishler (the spaces underground) were used by the AF as offices for those radars up top. The 10" gun barrels weighted around 67,000 pounds, the counter weight stack in the pit were about 80,000 pounds of stacked lead weight. At the time of the shelling of Stevens only Battery clark had the range and capability to turn the direction of the submarine. It was a mortar Battery but lacked HE shells and only had kinetic energy penatrator munitions (sold steel shot). The mortar rounds would have to directly hit the submarine to destroy it. At this time the sub was outbound with a very narrow profile to hit. Also the sub was being ploted by its muzzle flashes. Trying to range the sub with the Depression Rangefinder with no illumination to see the waterline made ranging difficult. Stevens was not a secret installation in the interwar period. You had tourists all over Stevens taking pictures. To include Japanese tourists.

[@07wrxtr1]

I think I have ran into other radar related relics on various parts of the coast as well…

[@fredicvsmaximvs]

@@GeistView Here's an idea: perhaps we could avoid throwing the baby out with the bath water by sharing this knowledge with her so that we can all learn together!

[@GeistView]

@@fredicvsmaximvs She knows there is documentation in the Gift Shop storage area.

[@Macarena22279]

She said it was built in 1890s... Well after the civil ear

[@GeistView]

@@Macarena22279 you see what was on the screen when she said that?

[@neverhomepnw]

Very cool. Thanks for posting OPB!

[@lancegoodthrust546]

Use to reenact WWII events there. Battery Russel is where we slept.

[@cliffordbodkin9498]

I've been in those tunnels with my grandma as a kid

[@LoriCurl]

One of the Battery's are haunted for sure, but I don't know about all of them. I was inside exploring years earlier with my kids and husband and didn't believe then. It felt like we were watched though, noone around either. It felt creepy, but it was also fun. We also found random smaller cement buildings that appeared to be a part of the fort. We could not get into those as they were slowly being covered in the brush that surrounded them. I bet I couldn't even find them now. I would love to go back, I live an hour or 2 away.

[@madmanmechanic8847]

Did you experience Ghost Farts they are bad

[@kenwesterhausen1973]

Do they give tours of it because I have been above ground and love learning about history

[@willybrisbois5926]

I went there as a kid it is spooked for real. I fallowed running foot steps then found out my cousin was not with me.

[@warchild4069]

Back in the day you use to be able to access so much more. Back when people had common sense and everything didn’t need a warning and bubble wrap.

[@mitchellreid4205]

Was there in the early 60s. How about battery Russell

[@danh4486]

When was this footage recorded? And actually, when was this package released?

[@dianebrown075]

Are those accessible to the public?

[@TerriAnnNiemeier-dy3no]

How neat, lets rebuild n restructure them, adding modern comforts

[@twoheadedboypt2]

Ive fought many of German there.

[@rockercater]

*REGAN WAS BI(ZZY* *CATER*

[@chadparsons1972]

Fort Stevens was closed in 1947 not 1965

[@Macarena22279]

It was uttered in the video

[@neonxfirefly]

Why not use a headlamp or a flashlight? So basic. I stopped watching because I couldn't see anything.

[@cyberGEK]

@@neonxfirefly You must have stopped after like five seconds. It is lit by both flashlight and lamps on the walls!

[@vapormissile]

Child.❤

[@innerted6693]

DONT GO inside the bunker when the historical society is demonstrating cannon reenactments - those geniuses gave my whole family a concussion Maybe warn people, ya cabbage

[@rockercater]

*IF TRUMP GETS THE CODES AGAIN WE ARE DONE AS THE UNITED STATES* *CATER*

[@undertheyarrowbear]

All lies.

[@07wrxtr1]

Ur mom wants you to clean your room today

[@batcactus6046]

@@07wrxtr1 he won't

[@Macarena22279]

Likely,Jewish space lasers

[@godfreecharlie]

My grandfather trained on the big guns there in 1917 before going to France in WW I. We went there several times driving from Pendleton. It sure looks a lot nicer than it did in 1958 and '59, my last visit.