Comments on: Places Not On Your Freshman Orientation Tour

By: Ryan

Ryan — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:03:49 +0000

In Indianapolis under E.Washington Street downtown, there is a basement access to a 2nd street level underground. At a company I used to work for in the same building where “Angie’s List” is, you could exit a set of patio doors to an area about 3 feet deep which ran along the building but under the street.

Elsewhere in downtown, there were several homes in different areas with “underground railroad” access to tunnels. I saw at least 5 of these in different areas when I used to do house inspections.

By: matt

matt — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:02:42 +0000

Ball State University has a system of tunnels that run underneath the sidewalks. You can enter through either the steam vents on the outside or through the basement maintenance rooms. The tunnels are used for the massive geothermal system that was just placed on the campus. They provide access to almost every building, but recent break-in’s have caused the placement of locked steel fences at the entrances to some. Not much of anything down there except pipes, but provides for some weekend fun.

By: laxity

laxity — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 06:16:31 +0000

Park College (now University) has a pretty large underground system thanks to natural caves under the campus – some parts have been completely finished into classrooms, conference rooms, and the library, but there are a few classrooms (like the interior design department, of all places!) that can only be accessed by cutting through the semi-finished areas that have only been paved and lit.

Large portions of the caves are unfinished and great for exploring, but since the college rents a fair amount of space out as offices and temperature-controlled storage, you do have to keep an eye out for cars and trucks on your way in.

By: campushacker

campushacker — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:51:46 +0000

At UIUC, or the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the system of steam tunnels is quite spectacular, and cover many miles according to my friend.

The graffiti present is fascinating, and though most is from the late 70s to the early 21st century, some dates from the 60s, as well as the last few years. Most is from the 1980s to the mid 90s, before people started wasting too much time on their computers… :)

My friend knows of an access point which has never been obstructed since it was discovered over a year ago, as it has no locks, no doors, and no security of any sort. It is an external entry point, so it can be entered at any time.

Some sections of the tunnels are quadrangular concrete structures which appear relatively recent, perhaps from the 1960s or later, whereas other sections are ancient-looking vaulted brick passages with deposits of leached lime/calcite creating fascinating formations on the floors, steps, and walls (and excellent breeding grounds for cockroaches). Most of the tunnels are of *reasonable* temperature, but if you head south of the main quad and then venture too long to the west you will encounter temperatures which are almost excruciating. The air will burn your nostrils, and if you try to climb certain ladders you can get minor burns from the extreme heat. One could easily die down there, so bring water!

In the area of the main quad, my friend has been able to directly access several buildings, in addition to other buildings outside the main quad. Some doors will lock behind you, so don’t be stupid. Bring tape and other tools which you may deem necessary, like flashlights.

Are you a UIUC student who desires more info?

Contact me at uiucsteamtunnels@gmail.com and I will relate to you that all my friend has told me.

By: "Jessica"

"Jessica" — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 21:19:06 +0000

I go to College of the Ozarks, and we have an extensive network of tunnels connecting most of the buildings on campus. Students aren’t supposed to go in them unless they’re doing work on them, of course, but they’re not difficult to access – I can think of several places on campus where doors aren’t locked/are supposed to be locked but aren’t generally. You can see where they’re at whenever it snows, they’re warmer so they melt faster.

By: Megan

Megan — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:10:37 +0000

4th floor JQA; UMass represent! Spent a few nights wandering the tunnels with friends and finding ourselves in the strangest/creepiest of places. Now, if we’d only been able to find the tunnel that supposedly led to the Old Chapel, that would’ve been the payday. Always wanted to explore that building..

By: Rachel

Rachel — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:56:41 +0000

Harvard University has steam tunnels that run between some of the older buildings on campus. They average about 100 degrees Fahrenheit inside and patches of melted snow appear on the lawns in the winter where the heat from the tunnels has risen up through the ground. One of the steam tunnels even runs through the Weeks footbridge over the Charles river–above the structural arches but below the walkway. Pretty cool stuff.

Campus legend has it that during the 1960s, when students took over University Hall (the main administration building), faculty used the steam tunnels to get into the building and break up the rebellion. There are also rumors that a German spy used the tunnels to escape from the basement of Wigglesworth Hall, thus evading capture by an FBI agent.

Fascinating stuff. Read on here:

http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=239089

http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=346003

By: Sarah

Sarah — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:31:00 +0000

@Elwood Dowd: Is that really true about Sacramento’s streets? I find that fascinating. Any idea where one might find information about reasons that the former first floors and streets are now underground and were left intact?

By: Wolf

Wolf — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:06:00 +0000

I have two actually. UB – SUNY Buffalo has steam tunnels running all under the South Campus that are very difficult to access. Fortunately, my roomate Mouse was a fantastically talented lock picker and found a way in through the basement of Goodyear Hall. What made these so special was that in some areas the tunnel lowered to only 3 feet high, necessitating a crawl through the mud with red hot steam pipes over head. In my one foray in, I managed to scare the dickens out of a dorm resident doing his laundry by bursting out of an unmarked door covered in mud, demanding to know where I was, then diving back in for good show. Good time, good times.

The second, not very well known at all, exists under one of the dorm buildings on the Medina Annex of Lackland AFB. The building sits atop a natural cavern that is only accessable by removing a metal cover on the floor of a janitors closet. The cavern was pitch black, had a large natural pool in the center, and no visible outlet. Getting back out was neither easy nor pleasant!

By: Munroe

Munroe — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 03:34:00 +0000

I remember back when I was going to Everett Community College Joey Diamond and I found a desolate stairwell that we dubbed “the old school hip-hop headquarters”. People would come into the lounge where we worked, and we would offer to show them the palace. We would blindfold complete strangers and take them there. Of course we would rap at them as well after reaching the destination.