PORT ANGELES — When you walk through downtown Port Angeles today, you might not realize you’re actually walking above the city’s original streets.
Beneath the charming boutiques and coffee shops lies a forgotten world — one you can discover if you join the Port Angeles Underground Heritage Tour, which is led by a small team of passionate and knowledgeable guides.
One of them, Steve Hargis, has been a central part of the experience for the past four years.
He first discovered the area while stationed here with the U.S. Coast Guard in 2000, fell in love with Port Angeles — and met his wife — and after being stationed across the U.S. for the next decade, he wanted to return after he retired in 2013.
Hargis, who previously led tours at San Quentin prison in California, brings his passion for storytelling and deep appreciation for local history to every tour.
He said the love of the area is what inspired him to become a tour guide:
“I’ve lived in 15 different states and traveled all around the country,” Hargis said. “I’ve been in every state except for two, and our history here is just phenomenal. You can’t make this stuff up. It’s really wild, and I like people to enjoy that they live here, to know how special it is. Hopefully, they’ll be inspired to do some research on their own and learn more about this area — it’s beautiful.”
The tour runs for about 2½ hours and takes visitors deep into the hidden basements, tunnels and even a preserved brothel above what’s now the Family Shoe Store.
It’s an immersive walk through time, made possible through community partnerships and support from local businesses.
In 1914, Port Angeles faced a major problem: the tides regularly flooded the lower parts of downtown, where businesses were built and the community began.
The solution? An ambitious engineering project known as sluicing the hogback. Water cannons blasted the hillside that once was a steep bluff near present-day Lincoln Street, sending dirt and debris downhill to level the streets. Some buildings were lifted, others were buried, and reinforced concrete walls were constructed to protect remaining structures.
The tour explores that history and highlights the businesses that once operated below ground as well as the lives of early Port Angeles residents who built the town from the ground up.
“I think if somebody’s done the tour and it’s been more than a couple, three years, it’s worth doing again,” Hargis said. “There’s always something new. I’ve been getting help from the other tour guides, and we’ve been cleaning up some of the spaces. I just added some nice Edison-style lights in a few spots, and I’m looking at adding photo boards with old historical images.”
The tour offers both public and private options, making it accessible for everyone from curious tourists to local school groups.
What makes the tour stand out — beyond the haunted-theater vibes and eerie underground corridors — is its ability to connect visitors with the ingenuity and determination of the city’s early settlers.
It’s more than a history lesson; it’s a celebration of survival, creativity and local pride.
In a town where the past is literally buried beneath your feet, the tour offers a rare chance to peel back the layers of time and uncover what’s been hidden in the shadows. Whether you’re a history buff, a curious traveler or a lifelong local, the tour brings new depth to the city’s story.
________
Reporting intern Allora Walls is a student at Peninsula College. She can be reached by email at allora.walls@peninsuladailynews.com.
