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This short drain/tunnel sits in a ravine between a few homes and the 1800s state school for the blind. They had a winding driveway coming from the "main" street through that area, to the school. They built a tunnel/land bridge over the ravine as part of the winding driveway. The driveway has since been moved and almost no trace of its existence is visible from the main street. There is still a street sign on the corner marking this private road, and the main road. Though no one seems to notice it or know what it is/was there for. the driveway/private road have been torn up where it once intersected with the main road. Hike off into the treeline a bit and you stumble on an old strip of pavement that is currently shared by the state school and the local city park. No one thinks of it as more than a trail. But even today, the further portion of it leads to the school. These photos are from underneath the 'landbridge', in the tunnel. Its hard to say just how old this tunnel is, but id estimate late 1800s/early 1900s. its not a real long tunnel. its very dark inside because it has a bend to it...blocking light from either opening from reaching the middle. It is littered with rocks, rebar, tree limbs, tires, and anything else. the tunnel helps drain water from the top of the hill that much of the neighborhood in this area sits on...down to to the river. some days it is fuller than others. But enjoy these pictures i got of the place. this is one of my absolute fave spots
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I should clarify that these pictures are from 2 different visits. a wet day and a dry day. Also im not sure what to refer to this as.... so i use the term landbridge relatively loosely. its a small section of the ravine that was filled in (obviously housing the tunnel) and then had a strip of pavement added to the top. I would assume this was all dirt or gravel road in its heyday, with pavement added years later
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Well done. Good pics and history It's at least a hundred years old, probably much more. That Jersey brick tells a tale. https://en.m.wikip...mander_Brick_Works
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I did some research on the brick, nothing real definitive but definitely some good reads. i highly doubt the brick is from the tunnel but the ravine is surrounded by old homes and the old state schools. everything in this town seems to be primarily from the late 1800s, up until about the 1940s. some sprinkling in of things from 50s-90s. but not much. so this brick could be from anywhere. if its still there the next time i go out, i may bring it home with me. id normally advocate against removing things but since this is on the edge of a city park, and we recently had a gnarly tornado and then heavy snowy winter, the city is doing extreme cleanups and land alterations. id hate to see this piece of history end up buried by a backhoe, or swept into the river.
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This is awesome! Thanks for taking us along!
Give abandonment a reason for its sacrificial reclamation to nature. Love it. Remember it. Take a picture. Share it. Leave the decay to nature. Lifetime member of The Anti-MyInstaTubeTweetFace consortium. |
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Posted by FLAMINN
I did some research on the brick, nothing real definitive but definitely some good reads. i highly doubt the brick is from the tunnel but the ravine is surrounded by old homes and the old state schools. everything in this town seems to be primarily from the late 1800s, up until about the 1940s. some sprinkling in of things from 50s-90s. but not much. so this brick could be from anywhere. if its still there the next time i go out, i may bring it home with me. id normally advocate against removing things but since this is on the edge of a city park, and we recently had a gnarly tornado and then heavy snowy winter, the city is doing extreme cleanups and land alterations. id hate to see this piece of history end up buried by a backhoe, or swept into the river.
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Probably right as that's a high end brick... and don't see any brickwork in the tunnel. You have a sharp eye for detail. There's a salamander in the tunnel...
Just when I thought I was out... they pulled me back in. |
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Posted by blackhawk
Probably right as that's a high end brick... and don't see any brickwork in the tunnel. You have a sharp eye for detail. There's a salamander in the tunnel...
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I have a water resistant phone, so thought it would be fun to stick the camera in one of the deeper parts of the water, maybe like 6 inches deep. THERE WERE WATER WORMS hahahah i have never seen or heard of such a thing. i am now officially uncomfortable with minnesota water hahahha Heres a screenshot of that video
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Posted by FLAMINN
I have a water resistant phone, so thought it would be fun to stick the camera in one of the deeper parts of the water, maybe like 6 inches deep. THERE WERE WATER WORMS hahahah i have never seen or heard of such a thing. i am now officially uncomfortable with minnesota water hahahha Heres a screenshot of that video
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Looks more like giant roundworms... Ascaris lumbricoides.
Just when I thought I was out... they pulled me back in. |
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Posted by blackhawk
Looks more like giant roundworms... Ascaris lumbricoides.
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whatever they are, there were lots of them and i have a newfound hatred. all i can think of is "Monsters Inside Me" HAHA
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Posted by FLAMINN
whatever they are, there were lots of them and i have a newfound hatred. all i can think of is "Monsters Inside Me" HAHA
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Maybe some drainers here can ID them. The eggs from the one I mentioned are very small and infectious if accidentally ingested. Normally the adults live inside a host not free swimming... whatever they are I'm not liking them! That will teach you not to put your phone in strange drain water So to speak...
Just when I thought I was out... they pulled me back in. |
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Posted by FLAMINN
I have a water resistant phone, so thought it would be fun to stick the camera in one of the deeper parts of the water, maybe like 6 inches deep. THERE WERE WATER WORMS hahahah i have never seen or heard of such a thing. i am now officially uncomfortable with minnesota water hahahha Heres a screenshot of that video
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Whoa. Gross.
The worms that is.
Nice set! Cool 'splore.
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If someone else knows what they are, im open to info or guesses haha but thanks everyone for lookin!
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Very nice. Not familiar with this drain, how long is it?
Savage Hooligan |
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Posted by ToXiC Very nice. Not familiar with this drain, how long is it?
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not very. im not good with measurements, but id say roughly 30 feet? its about the size of a wide paved driveway or small one lane road on top where the old driveway/road passes over. so thats about it. the cool ravine that its in is long. goes quite a way.
Before you ask which way to go, remember where you've been. |