Stories of mysterious “Chinese tunnels” beneath Montana towns have circulated for generations, often claiming that Chinese residents were forced underground by prejudice or used tunnels to conceal illegal activity. This presentation investigates where these stories came from, compares them with historical and archaeological evidence, and explores why they remain so compelling. In doing so, it shifts attention from imagined underground worlds to the vibrant, visible communities Chinese Montanans built above ground. Join Mark T. Johnson at the Missoula Public Library for this investigation into the region’s Chinese history.