Sidewalk Repairs Reveal Underground Tunnel Dating Back To 1840s In Illinois

Sidewalk problems went deeper than Gary Machens expected when excavating and repacking rock led him to an underground tunnel.

The unique discovery dates back to the 19th century.

Local historians say it was constructed around 1840, Machens told Fox 2 Now.

“Whatever they built this for, it took a lot of men and a lot of hours,” he told the station. “You know, one guy didn’t do this.”

Machens and his wife knew that the Alton home dates back to the 1890s — five decades after the tunnel was constructed — and when the brick street was laid down in 1895, it concealed the opening to the tunnel, according to Fox 2 Now.

UPI reports that the Machens moved into the home in December. Months later, they’ve uncovered an approximately 9-foot-tall, 60-foot-deep tunnel.

Though its former purpose remains unclear, Machens had a few ideas:

“It’s unique, there are a few tunnels around the Alton area since we checked with the Landmark Historic Society,” Machen told Fox 2 Now. “It’s been used as an icehouse or root cellar or a lot of other options…It could have been used for the Underground Railroad. There’s no proof of that but there was a ferry here in the Alton area to the Missouri side and it’s possible it could have been used for that.”

Photo: Getty Images