The Clubhouse and the Smoke-Hole

The construction of the underground clubhouse and the smoke-hole ceremony that gave the Losers a vision of It's origin.

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Bearing strength in each event

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Building the Clubhouse Building the Clubhouse from "It". The Underground Hideout The Design Ben Hanscom designed an underground clubhouse, dug into the ground and covered with sod for camouflage.

Building the Clubhouse from "It". The Underground Hideout The Design Ben Hanscom designed an underground clubhouse, dug into the ground and covered with sod for camouflage.

The Underground Hideout The Design Ben Hanscom designed an underground clubhouse, dug into the ground and covered with sod for camouflage. The Losers worked together to excavate, shore up the walls, and install a trapdoor. They even scavenged a mahogany door from the dump for the roof. The Purpose The clubhouse became their secret meeting place, a sanctuary from bullies and the outside world. They stored toys, comic books, and snacks there. It was a physical manifestation of their friendship and shared secrets. The Completion After weeks of work, the clubhouse was finished. It was small but cozy, with room for all seven of them. They celebrated by playing Parcheesi and smoking cigarettes. The clubhouse was their home away from home.

The Smoke-Hole Ceremony The Smoke-Hole Ceremony from "It". The Vision of the Past The Ritual Ben suggested a Native American smoke-hole ceremony to gain visions.

The Smoke-Hole Ceremony from "It". The Vision of the Past The Ritual Ben suggested a Native American smoke-hole ceremony to gain visions.

The Vision of the Past The Ritual Ben suggested a Native American smoke-hole ceremony to gain visions. The Losers built a fire of green wood in the clubhouse, filling it with smoke. One by one, they had to leave due to the smoke, but Richie and Mike stayed the longest. They shared a vision of the Barrens millions of years ago, when a burning object fell from the sky—It's arrival on Earth. The Revelation The vision revealed that It was an alien entity that had crashed on Earth long ago. It had been feeding on fear ever since. This knowledge gave the Losers a deeper understanding of their enemy and strengthened their resolve. The Aftermath After the ceremony, the Losers were more determined than ever to defeat It. The vision also bonded Richie and Mike, who had shared the experience. The smoke-hole became a legend among them.

July 1958

July 17th, 1958