Part of the Boring Lava Field, this butte is one of three in Portland, but it has its own unique and intriguing past that the others do not share. Kelly Butte, visible from I-205 in Southeast Portland, is hard to get to, requiring you to navigate down an off-the-beaten path section of 103rd Avenue. Underneath this natural area is where all the fascination lies. Underground here is a post-apocalyptic military bunker, hiding its history from the light of day.
Like Powell Butte and Rocky Butte, Kelly Butte offers some wonderful views of Mt. Hood from its high vantage point. But it is what lies beneath that makes this eastside park so notable.
Kelly Butte was first used as a prison facility where inmates performed the backbreaking work of breaking rocks to create the new roads that were needed for the influx of cars, starting around 1906.
When the prison closed in 1950, the now-park changed roles many times. From a secret bunker to a 911 call center to a ward to isolate people with contagious diseases, this park has a storied past.
Today there is not much to the scenic area. With no facilities, it is a natural area with several hiking trails throughout its 22-acre expanse.
In fact, the park still has many gates and blocked off areas, making it seem less park-like than most in the system.
All that remains today of the bunker, built in 1956, is this. It was buried and sealed in an attempt to keep thrill seekers and homeless persons out, and sits covered today.
Fortunately, the bunker never had to be used, but at its heyday it was a 18,000-square-foot underground bunker that was capable of housing 250 people for two weeks.
The bunker closed, was retrofitted as an emergency service dispatch center and operated as one from 1974 to 1994. In 2006, access to the underground center was sealed off.
Today the area is an interesting walk through some of the city's early history, although there are no signs, placards or information, making it interestingly creepy and fascinating at the same time.
Either way, it is still a great place to catch a view of Mt Hood on a clear day. Kelly Butte is located at SE 103rd Ave & Clinton Street.
Do you have memories of Kelly Butte as a bunker, call center or ward? Let us know in the comments below.
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