Library ↔ Wilson Hall / Administration / Student Union
This site plan shows north 'pointing' to downwards. 1966 site plans for the renovation of Wilson Hall. Image cropped and emphasis added for effect: yellow highlight indicates tunnels assumed to still remain.
Renovations to Wilson Hall (1966) |
1931 site plans for the construction of Wilson Hall. Image cropped and emphasis added for effect: yellow highlight indicates tunnels assumed to still remain; red highlight indicates portion which was demolished and sealed. Shows the lost portion of tunnel which points towards Wilson; does not show newer portion pointed towards the new administration building. Note that the lower portion of yellow-highlighted tunnel deviates from the other documentation provided. In this map, it may represent another structure, such as a storm drain.
Wilson Hall (1931) |
This portion of the system begins slightly to the west of the northern terminus of the Agriculture ↔ Library portion and takes a slightly northwestern path towards the western entrance to Wilson Hall. This portion roughly follows the path of the new sidewalk; the old sidewalk followed the tunnel more precisely (Rice, n.d.). From this point there are two branches, one to the Student Union and one to the Administration Building.
Currently, the tunnel ends just short of the southwestern corner of the Student Union (Utilities Map, 2018). There may be access point to this portion by way of manhole on the surface or interior access through the lowest floor of the Union; there are multiple manholes in the approximate location of this section’s terminus. During Paul Rice's (n.d.) expeditions, there was a short spur beginning right before the tunnel crossed Aggie Road and ended at the front doors of Wilson Hall. He states that this tunnel has a rounded ceiling and leads to a mechanical room in the basement of Wilson. Describing his exploration of the past tunnel path, Rice (n.d.) says:
This short spur of tunnel leading to the north entrance of Wilson, and the aforementioned mechanical room still exist. The set of blueprints, Student Union (2001), indicates that the northbound spur of tunnel was sealed just short of passing underneath the new union building and its telecom wires were re-routed.
The second path of this tunnel portion leads to Administration. It roughly follows the sidewalk between Wilson and Administration (Campus Utilities, 2018). According to Rice (n.d.), this portion is a round shaft about 4 feet tall; at the time of his exploration, this was the only lit portion of the entire tunnel system. Rice (n.d.) notes that the tunnel ends at a mechanical room in the basement of Administration, under the President's office.
Currently, the tunnel ends just short of the southwestern corner of the Student Union (Utilities Map, 2018). There may be access point to this portion by way of manhole on the surface or interior access through the lowest floor of the Union; there are multiple manholes in the approximate location of this section’s terminus. During Paul Rice's (n.d.) expeditions, there was a short spur beginning right before the tunnel crossed Aggie Road and ended at the front doors of Wilson Hall. He states that this tunnel has a rounded ceiling and leads to a mechanical room in the basement of Wilson. Describing his exploration of the past tunnel path, Rice (n.d.) says:
- Back to the sidewalk in front of Wilson. The tunnel crosses the road diagonally on a line toward the main entrance of the Reng Center. There used to be two dormitories on this hill, with a fountain between them, and it appears the tunnel once led up to the fountain. We suspect that the tunnel then branched northward and to the east and west to either dorm. Both buildings were destroyed when the Reng Center was built. The tunnel ends just to the west of the main entrance, a few feet south of the sidewalk which paralells the cafeteria
This short spur of tunnel leading to the north entrance of Wilson, and the aforementioned mechanical room still exist. The set of blueprints, Student Union (2001), indicates that the northbound spur of tunnel was sealed just short of passing underneath the new union building and its telecom wires were re-routed.
The second path of this tunnel portion leads to Administration. It roughly follows the sidewalk between Wilson and Administration (Campus Utilities, 2018). According to Rice (n.d.), this portion is a round shaft about 4 feet tall; at the time of his exploration, this was the only lit portion of the entire tunnel system. Rice (n.d.) notes that the tunnel ends at a mechanical room in the basement of Administration, under the President's office.