19th century tunnel discovered below the old house

The Illinois man found a 19th century tunnel under his house.

Inside the tunnel under the house of Gary and Beth Machens Couple Gary and Beth Machens living in Alton, Illinois moved to a new home in December 2020. But until recently, during repairs they suddenly discovered a tunnel from the 19th century just below their house. Gary Machens said he had to remove part of the stone wall on the sidewalk for repairs and then he discovered the entrance to a tunnel. Beth Machens said: “He called me at work and told me I quickly arranged to go home right away because he just found something I would never have imagined.” The tunnel is about 2.7 meters high and at least 18 meters deep. The landlord contacted the local authorities. Historians in the area estimate that the tunnel was built in 1840, about 50 years before the house was built, but they have not determined the original purpose of this underground structure. The archway of the tunnel was built of limestone, while the walls were made of bricks, the floors were mostly earth and stone with many pieces of wood scattered throughout the passage. According to the Landmark Historical Association, the tunnel is a unique and impressive work. There are already a few tunnels around the Alton area. “Maybe the old days used the tunnel as a bank or underground railway. There is no concrete evidence of these but there is a ferry in the Alton area to the Missouri side,” said Gary Machens. According to Gary Machens, the house was originally designed by architect Lucas Pfeiffenberger, the 25th mayor of Alton. He built the house for Captain Henry Brueggeman, who would later become the 27th mayor of Alton. In the 1920s, the house was owned by William H. Neerman, a carpet dealer in Alton. Paul Lenz, another Alton mayor, lived in the house many years later. Machens said: “The three former mayors of Alton used to live in this house many years ago. I don’t know if any of them know this. The house was built in 1890, the tunnel could be made from. year 1840. No one knows what the tunnel was for, but it certainly took a lot of hours of labor and the effort of a lot of people.We have a map of the area in 1863 but this house was not there at the time. There are also no other houses on the property. ” A lover of history, Machens said he wants to keep the mysteries of the past and present. The Machens hope to preserve the tunnel, and if the city or someone else helps with logistics and costs, the couple will open tours for visitors.