by Tom Bastek
Last updated: 7:00 AM ET, Thu December 25, 2014
PHOTO: The Bunker at Greenbrier was originally built to house Congress. Now it's a luxurious resort. (Courtesy of Wikimedia commons)
Most of us growing up built forts in our bedrooms or carved out tunnels in the snow once it was deep enough. There is just something so intriguing about heading below the deck. Here are five places worth taking the trip to go and see.
The Bunker at Greenbrier - Greenbrier County, West Virginia
Located just outside of the town of White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, the Greenbrier is a four star and five diamond resort originally built in 1858. The current building was built in 1913 and was originally owned and operated by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway.
In the late 1950s the U.S. government approached the Greenbrier about building a secret underground relocation center for the U.S. Congress. Although the bunker was never used, it still remains till this day and you can go for a tour! Tours are conducted daily and are 90 minutes in length. Admission is $34 and includes a $5 coupon to buy a book or DVD in the gift ship afterwards.
Jewel In The Crown: Old City Hall Station - New York City, New York
Underneath City Hall Plaza lies one of the most beautiful subway stations ever to be built. In 1904, the station was built to be the showpiece of the new subway. The décor of the station includes Guastavino tile, skylights, colored glass tile work and brass chandeliers.
The station hasn't seen a passenger since 1945 but you can take a tour if you are a member of the New York Transit Museum. Membership in the museum costs you $50 for individuals and $80 for the family. Now if you think this isn't a deal, they also give you reciprocal free admission to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, the New York Hall of Science in Queens, The Staten Island Children's Museum and the Brooklyn Children's Museum. The special City Hall tour costs an additional $50 and it is offered roughly once a month.
Seattle Underground - Seattle, Washington
Underneath Seattle is a series of passageways that were formed when the city decided to raise the streets one level to help avoid flooding and to prevent high tide back flow into flush toilets. Although much of the underground is not safe, a small amount has been restored and made safe for tours.
In 1965, local historian Bill Speidel answered a readers question about the underground in the newspaper and offered to meet the reader at Pioneer Square for a tour. That day 500 people showed up and Bill Speidel's Underground Tour was born. The tour is 75 minutes and are less than $20. They come with tall tales and rich history all done with a sense of humor and fun!
The Shanghai Tunnels - Portland, Oregon
Originally built to move goods from the ships docked on the Willamette to the basement storage areas, the Shanghai Tunnels allowed businesses to avoid streetcar and train traffic on the streets while delivering. Although there is very little legitimate proof that "Shanghaiing" (abduction for slavery) actually occurred in Portland, the tours are said to speak of the practice. Tours from Portland Walking Tours are given at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily and cost $20 for just less than two hours.
Queen City Underground - Cincinnati, Ohio
The underground in Cincinnati was originally used for burial of some of the first residents of the city and eventually for the brewing industry. The tour that you get here with American Legacy Tours is not just below the city. You will start with a tour of Over-the-Rhine, the largest and most intact historical urban district in the nation. Then you head below to tour the tunnels returning for a visit to the Christian Moerlein bottling plant and tap room.
Beer and tunnels? Count me in! For those of you more transit-oriented, the city offers up a once a year tour of the never-finished Cincinnati Subway line.
There you go; a bunch of ways to get below ground without getting buried there. Where are your favorite tunnels? Let me know in the comments below.
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