Havre Beneath the Streets Tour (The City That Went Underground)

Living in Seattle, I love the history of Seattle Underground.  While researching my trip across highway US-2, I was surprised to find out there is a similar underground city in the middle of Montana!  It’s called Havre Beneath the Streets Tour.

The History

Havre, Montana is a remote, windy town that started in 1893 as a result of James Hill selecting a midway point for his railroad between Seattle and Minneapolis.  In 1904, when a bar patron wanted revenge, he started a fire to burn the bar, but the wind spread the fire and soon 4 city blocks had burn down!  Back in those days, insurance wasn’t so common, and the townsfolk didn’t have money to rebuild right away.  But what they did have was basement storage rooms and passages in between, so an underground village began.  A portion of the city remained underground for a number of years until the city above could be rebuilt.

 The Bar

Even the bar that burned down decided to go underground.  The wooden bar that sits on two large barrels is likely the original, as the wooden plank was discovered in a storage room by the historical society.  Check out the tables… you can see the cigar burns still there.

The Butcher Shop

The Butcher’s occupies a large portion of the underground and there are some photos that document the days underground.

 The Bakery

Check out the flimsy glass doors of the bakery.  It’s clear to see security wasn’t such a problem in the olden days.  If you’re nice, the guide might offer you a sweet treat.

 The Pharmacy

Read the bottles of the pharmacy carefully… you might see some cocaine or heroin which was legal in the early 1900’s.

The Brothel

Brothel, notice how close the numbers 4 and 5 are painted on the wall

In the current decorated form, with its fancy bedding and ladies’ accessories, the brothel doesn’t look so bad.  But you can see the reality painted on the walls… 28 sections marked by original numbers on the wall.  From the space allotted, it’s clear that the beds couldn’t have been wider than a hospital gurney, separated by curtains.  It’s sad that human trafficking goes back longer than we can imagine.

 The Chinese Laundry

Chinese people often worked on the railway and others would open restaurants and laundries.  Mannequins in the laundry show what it might have looked like in the early 1900’s

 The Opium Den

This is one of the last stops on the tour, a dark walk-in-closet-size room off the side of the Chinese Laundry – the opium den.  Of all the rooms in the Underground, this room is the most haunted – visitors sometimes have strange feelings or photograph orbs in this dark room.  The mannequins lying in a stupor in the bunk beds make this room even more chilling.

Visiting Havre Beneath The Streets

The one-hour tour operates year-round but has limited hours in the winter.  Guided tour admission is $17 in 2018.  The money goes for operation and preservation costs.

Things to See Above Ground

James Hill Statue, Havre Train Station

The Havre Beneath The Streets tour starts at the railroad museum, so make sure you check this out.  Havre has a cute downtown.  Within a block of the underground, you can check out the oldest bar in Montana and head over to the train station to see the James Hill statue.  Shop at some of the locally owned shops, like the western wear store.

Havre Beneath The Streets Tour – Where to Stay

Havre is a university town of nearly 10,000 residents so the selection of restaurants and hotels is ample (Check Rates & Availability).

Havre Beneath the Streets Tour Review

I HIGHLY recommend this tour.  The history is so fascinating – it’s an unusual find in a place you wouldn’t expect.  If you find yourself in Glacier National Park or Great Falls, consider a detour to Havre.

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