It was an urban legend that had haunted and tantalized the denizens of downtown Long Beach since, oh, at least last week –the rumor that the famous Jergins Tunnel is not the only historic architecture lying fallow beneath the redeveloped streets. Finally, on Halloween, a passel of overaged pranksters could take it no more. They surged into Victory Park, pulled away an old sheet of plywood, peered into the dark cavern below and discovered — a really big bathroom!

“It’s a gaping room with a bunch of toilets in it!” said Ryan Smolar, who had become fascinated with the Jergins Tunnel during months of organizing the University of the Sea event, which on Sunday permitted the public to enter the subterranean walkway at Ocean & Pine for the first time in 40 years.

While preparing the tunnel for its closeup, University By The Sea organizers discovered a 1940 map that showed two adjacent restrooms. In the stir-crazy aftermath of the successful festival, they couldn’t resist doing some exploring–and quickly found one of the rooms.

“I mean, the room’s gotta be 40 by 50 feet!” said Smolar. “And there are a lot of toilets!”

The quiver in Smolar’s voice certainly reflected the importance of the discovery. A big bathroom? Underground? On Halloween? Spooky!

But Smolar’s nervousness may also have had something to do with the fact that Kam Baboff, the powerful downtown developer who has an interest in the property, looked over the fence and caught Smolar and his gang–restaurateur John Morris, and architects Mike Bohn and Brian Ulaszewski–as they surrounded the hole.

“We expected him to yell, ‘Get offa my lawn!’” says Smolar, “but he just shook his head. I think he was pretty pissed.”

Then again, while examining a more-recent map from the Planning and Building Department, Smolar and Co. found that the Jergins Tunnel is actually located well within the bounds of Victory Park, and does not extend onto private property.

The discovery will likely intensify the flurry of fascination with the Jergins Tunnel, which once funneled people to an amusement arcade and The Pike. Among others, Second District Councilmember Suja Lowenthal has expressed an interest in finding an appropriate use for the tunnel, and the fact that the space already has restroom space will undoubtedly make that mission more doable.

Tags: jergins tunnel, Long Beach, the pike, urban legend

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jeff 10 months ago 1 point
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All of this tunnel business is really fascinating, it makes me want to do some urban exploration and possibly metropolitan spelunking

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Steve & Michelle 9 months ago 1 point
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The tunnel got us wanting to do the very same thing! Count us in!
Long Beach has many a boarded up secret to explore.

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Brian 9 months ago 1 point
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Who would have thought old, underground bathrooms would be this cool?

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