The Atlantic Avenue tunnel tour has been going on for a few years now and I never even noticed people climbing down a manhole in the middle of the Atlantic/Court intersection. Well, I finally figured it out and had a look for myself yesterday.
The Brooklyn Historic Railway Association runs the tours. Just go to their website and call to reserve. It’s well worth the 15 bucks and the next tour is August 8th. Bob Diamond, who rediscovered the hidden tunnel in the early 80’s, is the guy giving the tour. He’s a hoot! As if the history isn’t interesting enough, he’s quite the character himself.
You’ll have to wait on line for a bit as it takes awhile for each individual to get down the ladder. Wear comfortable shoes because Bob likes to talk and you’ll be standing for a couple of hours on uneven ground. There’s more standing and listening than walking.
So, about this tunnel.
It was built in 1844, making it older than the London Tube. The “oldest subway” thing is a bit of a stretch since this was not part of the NY subway system, but rather the Long Island Railroad. It’s still an underground rail system even if it’s only 1/2 mile long.
Diamond shares the folklore surrounding the tunnel. There are tales of heads buried in the wall, bootleggers, greedy politicians, pirates and even a John Wilkes Booth connection. His own story is as interesting as any of these. He first learned of the existence of the hidden tunnel when he was a Pratt student. For years, experts were denying it was there, claiming it would be too dangerous to explore anyway because of gases, water and 5 foot man eating rats.
There’s a deal in the works with National Geographic. Supposedly there’s still a steam engine buried behind a wall! They’re looking to unearth it later this year.
I could share more, but you know what? You should go yourself. Trust me. Just do it.
