Local lore speaks of tunnels dug beneath China Lake—some say for ore transport, others for refuge. The lake’s name itself is a nod to these Chinese workers, who were later expelled in the infamous 1885 purge known as the Tacoma Method. The tunnels, whether myth or memory, became symbols of survival and secrecy.

Some were steam tunnels used for heating downtown buildings; others may have served as escape routes during times of racial violence (South Sound Talk). The comparison between the Tacoma Method of 1885 and modern immigration enforcement evokes ongoing questions of justice and belonging.

Further Reading

• Stories of Chinese Tunnels in Tacoma — South Sound Talk
• Exploring China Lake Tunnels (1940s) — YouTube Oral History
• China Lake Trail Overview & Lore — Washington Trails Association
• Labor Radicalism & Chinese Exclusion in Tacoma — University of Washington Tacoma Digital Commons
• Industrialization, Class & Race in the Pacific Northwest — UW Lesson Plan
• The Chinese Community of Tacoma: Forced Migration — Smithsonian Folklife Blog