Mysterious tunnel
I’ve just unearthed a curious tunnel beneath the English basement of my 1860s wood-frame house, and I can’t figure out why it was built. I’ve contacted three architectural historians so far, all of whom are mystified. It’s 12 feet long, 4.5 feet deep, 2.5 feet wide, and runs in an elegant S-curve that starts in…
I’ve just unearthed a curious tunnel beneath the English basement of my 1860s wood-frame house, and I can’t figure out why it was built. I’ve contacted three architectural historians so far, all of whom are mystified.
It’s 12 feet long, 4.5 feet deep, 2.5 feet wide, and runs in an elegant S-curve that starts in the sub-basement, runs under the original kitchen, and ends at a vertical shaft that’s flush with the building line and leads to the back yard. It has finely finished brick walls (better by far than the walls of the house itself), a concrete floor, and as far as I can tell, it’s not pitched.
It’s not a coal chute—too long and curvy, and anyway, there’s another coal chute, entirely vertical, that leads from the sub-basement to the front of the house. It’s not a sewage outlet—too wide. Not a water inlet—too far from the cistern. And it’s probably not a root cellar, as it’s not wide enough for storage (and would have been too hot anyway, since it’s connected to the sub-basement, where the furnace likely was.)
Any insights? Guesses?
Next time you are down there recite the following:
Y’AI ‘NG’NGAH,
YOG-SOTHOTH
H’EE-L’GEB
F’AI THRODOG
UAAAH!
and let us know what happens.
Where is your house located?
If the quality and coursing of the brick is so dramatically different than that found in the rest of your house, I agree it might have belonged to something else on the site before your house was built.
Otherwise given the location, I’d be highly suspect it might have been used for the underground railroad or some other sort of smuggling.
Try looking into previous owners through city and census records if you can.
have you checked old property maps? you can find them online through the NYPL. they start in brooklyn in 1855, and you may find that either your old house was once something else — possibly a workshop or something — or it may show that your backyard used to have an outbuilding or a workshed or somthing. or maybe next door.
nypl.org – maps.
let us know what you find!
have you found any dharma initiative logos?
take some pics. sounds like quite a find.
I agree with SJ, makes me think Underground Railroad.
you should read “Neverwhere” by Gaiman.
many years ago people used the basements as an underground cities, markets et al.
There was no fridges so the coolnes and the like environment was satisfying for storage of foods, wines, and other men made products.
I am not sure if that was also happening in Brooklyn but let’s face it, we live where used to be a farm land ?????
Let me know if you do find out more.