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View the YouTube video: 10 Haunted Tunnels with Truly Eerie Histories
Ancient, shadowy locations are often the perfect setting for ghost stories. Tunnels, with their narrow, confined spaces, amplify the sense of dread. For centuries, humans have carved paths through the earth, leaving behind countless tunnels steeped in history and mystery. Many of these passages have witnessed tragic events, from construction accidents to train collisions, claiming numerous lives. These underground pathways have become a staple in folklore, captivating both paranormal enthusiasts and those intrigued by the darker side of history.
10. The Screaming Tunnel
The tale of The Screaming Tunnel in Niagara Falls revolves around a young girl who met a tragic end. While the details vary, all versions agree she lived in a farmhouse near the tunnel's southern entrance. One fateful night, her home caught fire, and she fled, her clothes engulfed in flames. She collapsed and died within the tunnel. Some accounts suggest her father intentionally set her ablaze in a fit of rage, while others claim she was assaulted and burned in the tunnel to conceal the crime.
According to the legend, if you stand in the middle of the tunnel and strike a match, it will inexplicably extinguish. Following this, the agonized screams of the young girl are said to echo through the passage.
The tunnel attracts numerous ghost hunters and is included in various guided tours for those brave enough to explore. While many YouTube videos document the site, none have successfully recorded the infamous scream. However, one video captures the eerie howls of coyotes in the distance, which, with a bit of echo, could easily be mistaken for ghostly wails.
9. The Blue Ghost Tunnel
Contrary to its name, the tunnel itself isn’t blue. The spectral entity rumored to inhabit it is, and its existence came to light purely by accident.
A paranormal researcher, while searching for the Screaming Tunnel, accidentally stumbled upon the much longer Merritton Tunnel, a railway passage in Thorold. There, he reported encountering a mysterious blue mist. This tunnel quickly gained fame, overshadowing its more infamous counterpart. The TV series Creepy Canada featured it, drawing thousands of annual visitors. It’s frequently listed among Canada’s most haunted locations, with some even declaring it the most haunted spot in the country.
The spirits here are believed to be two railway engineers who perished in a 1903 train collision. One was tragically caught in the boiler and died instantly, with rescuers unable to free him without severing his legs. The other train’s fireman suffered severe burns across 90% of his body and succumbed to his injuries hours later at a local hospital. Adding to the eerie atmosphere, the construction of the canal above the tunnel submerged a nearby graveyard, further fueling its haunted reputation.
The tunnel’s popularity led authorities to seal it off due to potential structural instability. Today, even the paranormal group that helped popularize it advises against nighttime visits. While ghostly encounters are rare, the real danger comes from unruly individuals rather than spectral rail workers—a risk that applies almost everywhere.
8. Sensabaugh Tunnel
For those seeking a haunted tunnel in North America but preferring to avoid Canada’s charm, the US offers plenty of options. Sensabaugh Tunnel, constructed in Tennessee during the 1920s as part of a roadway, was named after landowner Edward Sensabaugh. Ed plays a central role in the tunnel’s legends, though opinions about him vary widely depending on which story you hear.
In the more sympathetic version of the story, Ed extended a charitable gesture by inviting a homeless man into his home. However, the guest attempted to steal jewelry, prompting Ed to confront him with a firearm. The thief seized Ed’s infant daughter as a human shield and fled, ultimately drowning the child in the tunnel. A darker version excludes the homeless man entirely, portraying Ed as a deranged killer who murdered his entire family, including the baby, and disposed of their bodies in the tunnel. Regardless of how she died, the baby’s spirit is said to linger there to this day.
According to local lore, turning off your car engine inside the tunnel will prevent it from restarting (apparently, spectral infants have a knack for disrupting car electronics). Visitors also claim to hear the baby’s cries and the ominous footsteps of Ed approaching. An investigation by the Southern States Paranormal Research Society found little evidence of ghostly activity, but they propose an intriguing alternative explanation for the tunnel’s eerie reputation.
Edward Sensabaugh lived well into his later years, passing away in the 1950s. None of his children died during infancy. As Ed aged, the tunnel became a hotspot for vandals and teenagers seeking mischief. Understandably, Ed was displeased—after all, who would want their personal tunnel defaced? To deter intruders, Ed employed his uncanny ability to mimic animal sounds. He would hide at the tunnel’s entrance and unleash spine-chilling shrieks, effectively frightening away anyone inside.
7. Victoria Park, Brisbane
Australia’s indigenous spirits are often depicted as venomous creatures, carrying their young in pouches where they feed on ectoplasm. Unfortunately, these native apparitions have been overshadowed in many areas by the ghosts of European settlers. One such spectral figure is a floating nun, reportedly standing around 300 centimeters (10 feet) tall, who haunts a railway underpass in Brisbane’s Victoria Park.
What makes this tale particularly intriguing isn’t the ghost itself, but the public’s reaction. First spotted in 1903 and again in 1932, the ghost gained widespread attention after a 1965 sighting. Following four appearances in just 10 days, the story captivated the community. One evening, approximately 5,000 people gathered at the site, overwhelming the area to the point where police had to shut down a nearby road. By 10 pm, around 1,500 individuals crammed into the tunnel, eagerly staring at the walls in anticipation of the ghost’s appearance.
It didn’t show up.
6. Moonville Tunnel
The town of Moonville, Ohio, might have faded into obscurity if not for its iconic rail tunnel. In fact, the town itself may never have come into existence without it. The tunnel was constructed after a local landowner offered a shortcut to a rail company building a track toward Cincinnati. This allowed him to transport coal and clay, leading to the establishment of small settlements. Moonville emerged as one of these, reaching its peak population of around 100 residents in 1870.
The railway surrounding the tunnel appeared almost intentionally hazardous. Narrow and leading to a trestle perched above a deep canyon, the path was barely wide enough for the tracks. Serving as a major shortcut compared to navigating the valley, it claimed the lives of at least five individuals struck by trains, with the most recent tragedy occurring in 1986. Today, the line is abandoned, save for the presence of a notorious ghost.
Several tales explain the ghost’s origins. One version describes him as a drunkard who used the tunnel as a quicker route home. Hearing an approaching train, he waved his lantern to signal it, but the train couldn’t stop in time. Another story recounts a harsh winter when the town faced severe shortages. Trains passed without stopping, prompting locals to devise a plan: someone would stand in the tunnel with a lamp to halt a train. The chosen individual fell asleep, rushing into the tunnel too late and meeting a fatal end.
The lantern-wielding figure is said to linger, still attempting to stop trains with his light. Reports suggest the rail company installed a signal at the tunnel’s entrance, instructing drivers to disregard any lights inside. This tale has inspired songs and even a novel about a conductor who met a grim fate there.
5. Gold Camp Road Tunnels
Gold Camp Road winds through the rugged terrain of central Colorado. Along its 56-kilometer (35-mile) stretch lie three tunnels, simply labeled “one,” “two,” and “three.” Local lore tells of a school bus filled with children traveling the road in 1987 when tunnel three collapsed, tragically killing everyone aboard.
Today, visitors claim to hear the laughter of children in the first two tunnels, while screams echo near the entrance of the third. Driving through the third tunnel often results in unexplained handprints appearing on car windows. Some have even posted videos of this phenomenon online, accompanied by a “totally LEGIT” disclaimer.
Fortunately, the tragic tale isn’t true, meaning no children lost their lives. At least, no records from that time corroborate such an event. Tunnel three did partially collapse in 1987, but no injuries were reported. However, stories persist of railway workers haunting the area (the tunnels were originally part of a rail line), so you might still encounter something eerie.
Even if nothing supernatural occurs, the breathtaking scenery makes a daytime visit worthwhile.
4. Hoosac Tunnel
The Hoosac Tunnel in Massachusetts stands as a remarkable feat of 19th-century engineering. Upon its completion in 1876, it held the title of the longest tunnel in North America for 40 years and was the second longest globally. However, 19th-century workplaces were notoriously unsafe, and those involving explosives inside mountains were particularly hazardous. By the time the tunnel was finished, it had rightfully earned its grim nickname: The Bloody Pit.
The deadliest accident during construction occurred on October 17, 1867. Gas fumes from a lamp ignited by a candle caused a massive explosion, sending flames and debris through the main shaft. Thirteen workers perished, and when a rescuer was lowered to investigate, he emerged gasping, repeating, “no hope, no hope.” The shaft flooded, and bodies eventually surfaced. These victims were among the 195 lives lost over the 24-year construction period.
Ghostly tales began circulating even before the tunnel’s completion. In 1865, three explosives engineers—Brinkman, Nash, and Kelley—were working inside when Kelley detonated a charge prematurely, burying his colleagues. Kelley vanished soon after and was later found strangled in the tunnel. The murder remains unsolved. While some suspected vengeance from Brinkman and Nash’s allies, many workers believed the spirits of the deceased were responsible.
Workers often reported hearing agonized moans and were too frightened to enter the tunnel at night. Following the 1867 disaster, apparitions of miners were sighted on the mountainside. Not all ghostly encounters were sinister, though. Joe Impoco, who worked in the tunnel during the 1970s, claimed that disembodied voices twice warned him of impending dangers, saving him from being struck by a train.
3. Church Hill Tunnel
The collapsed railway tunnel beneath Church Hill in Richmond, Virginia, is unique for being haunted not only by ghosts but also by a vampire. Originally opened in 1873, the tunnel was closed in 1902. In the 1920s, as the city’s population and economy grew, the local rail company decided to reopen the 1,200-meter (4,000-foot) tunnel. Before it could be used again, it required cleaning and structural reinforcement.
On October 2, 1925, 200 workers were inside the tunnel, standing on flat cars pulled by a steam locomotive while repairing the roof. Suddenly, the ceiling above the locomotive gave way, burying the train in debris near the western entrance. Steam erupted from the crushed boiler, severely burning the train’s fireman. Although he managed to crawl out of the eastern end, he later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.
The train’s engineer fared even worse. After an eight-day rescue effort, his body was discovered in the cab, badly burned and impaled by a lever. Due to poor record-keeping and the transient nature of the laborers, at least one other worker was never recovered. The locomotive, along with likely several bodies, remains entombed in the tunnel, which has since been filled with sand and sealed with concrete.
Locals near the tunnel have reported eerie sounds, including voices pleading, “get me out,” the noise of digging, and the screech of locomotive wheels. The Richmond Vampire, a notorious figure from a nearby cemetery, is said to have preyed on the deceased workers. Rescuers allegedly found him crouched over a body, revealing bloody fangs, before he fled to a crypt belonging to a man who died in 1922.
The crypt has since been padlocked, and the bodies inside removed. This raises an intriguing possibility: if the Richmond Vampire fed on the trapped workers, some of them may have turned into vampires. Could the sounds heard today come not from ghosts but from immortal vampires, waiting nearly a century for their next taste of blood?
2. Big Bull Tunnel
Big Bull Tunnel is a compact rail tunnel located in Virginia. For those curious, there’s also a Little Bull Tunnel. If Virginia’s 19th-century railway engineers had a sense of humor, Big Bull would ironically be the shorter of the two, but unfortunately, it’s roughly four times longer than its counterpart. It’s also infamous for housing some particularly malevolent spirits.
Two workers met tragic ends in Big Bull Tunnel. One was scalped in 1901, and another fell from a train in 1904. Even before these incidents, locals believed the tunnel was haunted. The legend gained traction in 1905 when a freight train stalled near the entrance. A crew member attempted to rush through the tunnel to place warning flags on the opposite side but returned to his colleagues visibly pale and terrified.
He described hearing noises that were “unbearable for any human.” The other two decided to investigate and were met with groans and agonized screams emanating from the walls. The boldest of the trio called out, demanding to know what was happening.
“Lift this terrible weight off me,” one voice responded, followed by another saying, “they’re draining my blood.” The men searched for a hidden opening or crack, suspecting a prank, but found nothing. They quickly fled the scene. The Pittsburgh Press noted that the story was “widely believed” by others at the time.
1. Shanghai Tunnels
For nearly a century, Portland, Oregon, was infamous for the practice of “Shanghaiing,” where men were abducted, imprisoned, and eventually forced into labor on ships bound for Asia. Women were kidnapped and sold into prostitution, much like modern-day trafficking. While no direct evidence exists, local lore suggests that victims were transported and held in the underground tunnels beneath Portland’s Old Town.
This legend has made the tunnels a hotspot for ghost hunters. Many visitors report sightings of a woman in a white dress, while others hear menacing whispers urging them to “leave” or, more ominously, “stay.” Tour guides also speak of Joshua, a 9-year-old boy who once earned money by emptying chamber pots.
The tour guides are full of tales about eerie sounds and ghostly sightings. While they genuinely believe their accounts, they deliver them with theatrical flair. Michael P. Jones, the tunnel’s primary curator, exudes the quiet, unsettling vibe of a horror movie character. At the very least, he managed to deeply unsettle a local TV news anchor during her visit. If this were a horror film, she’d likely have been one of the first to fall prey to the spirits.
