Mystery Surrounds Leavenworth, Kansas Underground City »
Posted By idyll 1 year, 2 months ago in NewsFor years, residents of Leavenworth, Kansas, have been unknowingly walking around above an underground city, and no one seems to know who created it or why. Windows, doors, and narrow paths beneath a title company at South Fourth and Delaware streets lead to storefronts stretching several city blocks and perhaps beyond.
Some speculate the underground town was created in the 1800s and could have been used during slavery or for fugitives. "We know that it was pretty secretive, whatever it was that was down here, because not too many people know anything about it," says Jennifer Lemons, who works at the local title company. For a look at this subterranean city, check out the KCTV video below.
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idyll
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JoberkoficjComment removed: Hard Banned
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armywife26301 year, 2 months ago
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http://www.kctv5.com/news/17126244/detail.html
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It was covered on the evening news in Kansas.
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NewsGirl1 year, 2 months ago
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Did a little Internet search & found a newsreel w/ video. Check it out:
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http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b9c_1218221301 -
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dirtylitlesamuel1 year, 2 months ago
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when the push came to "clean up the town", all the vice moved underground...the drinking, gambling, and prostitution and they weren't the first town to do that. Leavenworth was a wild cowtown and people hated the drovers for all the vice they brought, however, they liked the money. The vice just continued where the "respectable" people couldn't see it. The underground railroad had no use for a "town" and it didn't really stretch that far west, anyway.
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telernc1 year, 2 months ago
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I have a friend who grew up in a house near the prison. She has told me stories about these underground paths. In fact her father was a high ranking military man in charge of running the prison and she says she had a tunnel under her house to the prison.
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KUBasketballnut1 year, 2 months ago
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Sorry telernc but your friend is wrong. I worked at the federal penitentiary for twenty-five years and at the State Penitentiary before and after I worked at the federal. Both facilities have tunnels inside for utilities such as electricity and steam but they are not accessable from the outside and are definetly not accessable from the inside to the outside. There used to be a coal mining operation at the State Penitentiary located in Lansing which is adjoins the south of the City of Leavenworth. That tunnel was accessable via an above ground gate located on the northwest side of the Maximum security part of the prison. The gate was guarded by tower 12 if I remember correctly. The inmate work crews were searched, counted and escorted out of the prison by armed guards in those days. The tunnel is long since closed but the gate was used for access to the paint factory and a couple of other items through the 1970's and 80's. The tower was accessible only through the inside of the State Prison which was a totally ignorant design. This led to an inmate escape so when the prison was remodeled to include a newer Medium security area this gate and access to the old admininstration building were closed. I could tell you stories about this escape and the one through the old administration building but I don't have time or space on this blog. There was also an underground access to the front of the federal penitentiary which was guarded by One Tower until the 1970's. This was originally used to bring inmates into the prison via the bus. It was not desirable so it was closed and used only by staff for disturbance control. (Another name for riot.)
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In early 1990's this area was completed sealed and new sallyport was made to move inmates into the institution under "A" Cell Block so that all the inmates would be behind a double fence when they were taken into or out of the institution. So "Sorry" there were no tunnels going into the prison. That includes the State, Federal, or U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, especially none from someone's home. -
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KUBasketballnut1 year, 2 months ago
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Sorry telernc but your friend is wrong. I worked at the federal penitentiary for twenty-five years and at the State Penitentiary before and after I worked at the federal. Both facilities have tunnels inside for utilities such as electricity and steam but they are not accessable from the outside and are definetly not accessable from the inside to the outside. There used to be a coal mining operation at the State Penitentiary located in Lansing which is adjoins the south of the City of Leavenworth. That tunnel was accessable via an above ground gate located on the northwest side of the Maximum security part of the prison. The gate was guarded by tower 12 if I remember correctly. The inmate work crews were searched, counted and escorted out of the prison by armed guards in those days. The tunnel is long since closed but the gate was used for access to the paint factory and a couple of other items through the 1970's and 80's. The tower was accessible only through the inside of the State Prison which was a totally ignorant design. This led to an inmate escape so when the prison was remodeled to include a newer Medium security area this gate and access to the old admininstration building were closed. I could tell you stories about this escape and the one through the old administration building but I don't have time or space on this blog. There was also an underground access to the front of the federal penitentiary which was guarded by One Tower until the 1970's. This was originally used to bring inmates into the prison via the bus. It was not desirable so it was closed and used only by staff for disturbance control. (Another name for riot.)
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In early 1990's this area was completed sealed and new sallyport was made to move inmates into the institution under "A" Cell Block so that all the inmates would be behind a double fence when they were taken into or out of the institution. So "Sorry" there were no tunnels going into the prison. That includes the State, Federal, or U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, especially none from someone's home. -
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mindyyme2 months, 2 weeks ago
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I have seen the underground tunnels. I am planning a exploration trip soon. I am looking for seriously interested people to join with me. We will be taking flashlights, cameras, and some kind of weapons for protection. I have limited access to one of the tunnels downtown. E-mail me at Mindyyme@aol.com if interested. I find it interesting that KUbasketballnut is so over-convincing that the tunnel or tunnels don't exsist.
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kat1 year, 2 months ago
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The city may have been raised due to flooding. This happened in Sacramento California in the 1860's. there is an underground city and it too has stories of prison tunnels and underground gambling, prohibition, etc...But the truth is, the owners of the businesses decided to raise the city by building a brick wall and either filling their original businesses with dirt and building above, or building a second story and using the original building as a basement.
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memarsh1 year, 2 months ago
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It seems that a brewery stood at 4th & Delaware in the mid 1800's. During that era, it was common practice to create underground "rum holes" for storage and "back rooms" which were underground tunnels to house immigrants travelling through the territory, possibly along a river.
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KSUmom1 year, 2 months ago
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This isn't exactly suprising - there are many towns in Kansas and other states that have underground commerce sites existing cities. Most historical data points more towards the underground cities were used during prohibition instead of slavery.
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Although they may have been used to hid slaves, slavery was opposed in Kansas. It was not a slave state. There are many towns that have acutally made these underground areas of commerce museums to tour. -
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straycat94511 year, 2 months ago
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This is a really interesting "discovery" however I do not believe it is really a "discovery" because obviously you can't have something like this without a few people knowing about it. The government, the locals, the old-timers, someone has to know what this is about. Now that it has been made public, I think they should possibly consider preserving it as it is part of American heritage. My guess, and I see it is the guess of others is that this was used during times of prohibition. I would like to know what they end up finding down there, perhaps they will find Jimmy Hoffa's body!!
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jrepairguy1 year, 2 months ago
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Very intriguing story. I, like a few others, believe that the most likely use was definitely illegal liquor, speakeasies, and other vice-related ventures. However, it also could have been an attempt at creating a city that was impervious to the horrific damage caused by tornadoes; after all, the state IS part of "Tornado Alley". Nonetheless, very interesting .
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pigtop1 year, 2 months ago
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It's were the Christians use to put homosexuals so satan could get them quicker. Southern Baptist Christians rock!!!!!! Everyone else is headed to hell. You better ask 'our' God (the only real God) to forgive you other Christians for not being a Southern Baptist!....We're are the ONLY ones headed to heaven!!!...well, except for our god-fearing, war-mongering President...George Bush...and, of course, our devine VP Chaney.
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Tannerr1 year, 2 months ago
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You're a very ignorant person. I'm also Southern Baptist but we're not the only ones going to Heaven. You don't have to be Southern Baptist to be a Christian. All Christians are going to heaven, no matter what division of Christian you are. Also it's where not were, Satan not satan, Hell not hell.
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asphytic1 year, 2 months ago
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You are a moron. I belong to the Church of Christ, and not only am I going to Heaven, but so are many other non-Baptist Christians. And so are Jews! Also, I'll bet there will be a few Christian homosexuals, there, too. If homosexuality is the very least of their sins, than they're a better Christian than you or I! Read the bible every once in a while. Learn before you speak.
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