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When it comes to the best spooky places in the
country, you might not think that a train tunnel from the late 1800s
would make the list. That being said, the Hoosac Tunnel is no ordinary
passageway.
This tunnel in rural Massachusetts has a long and bloody history, so
it's no wonder that the souls of the men killed during its construction
still call it home.
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Construction on the Hoosac Tunnel began in 1851. It was created to link
parts of western Massachusetts with upstate New York. Soon after
construction started, however, things turned deadly.
At least 200 workers died while working on the tunnel. Many of these
deaths were caused by explosions that were used to excavate.
One of the most shocking cases happened in March of 1865. That year,
three explosives experts — Ned Brinkman, Billy Nash, and Ringo Kelley —
decided that they would use nitroglycerin, which had only just been
invented, to clear more room for construction.
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The plan was to place the explosives and then head back behind a
concrete shelter to shield themselves from the blast. Kelley made it to
the shelter, but the other two did not. Some believe that Kelley made it
there first and set off the explosives prematurely, intentionally
killing the other men. After the incident, Kelley disappeared without a
trace. A year later, his body was found in the exact same place where
Brinkman and Nash were killed. Police determined that Kelley had been
strangled, but no suspects were ever found.
Over the next few years, workers frequently reported hearing strange
voices coming from deep inside the tunnel.
The voices got so bad that many workers simply refused to enter the
tunnel after sunset. As you might imagine, fear began to impact
construction. In 1868, the company brought in an investigator to
determine the origin of the strange sounds. He made it about two miles
inside the tunnel one night when he heard the cries of a man in pain. No
one else was inside the tunnel at the time.
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In the middle of an ordinary work day shortly thereafter, a gas
explosion caused a partial collapse.
The blast destroyed a surface pumping station that had been keeping the
tunnel clear of water, and the debris killed 13 people. Still,
construction continued on the tunnel, and the spirits of the men who
died in the explosion began to haunt workers. It wasn't until they were
able to retrieve and bury the bodies that the bizarre noises and
apparitions disappeared.
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Despite the completion of the tunnel, ghostly encounters in the area
continue to plague visitors. Locals near the Hoosac Tunnel never run out
of spooky stories to tell.
The tunnel is actually still in operation today, but it's mostly used by
freight trains. People say that the ghosts love having visitors, so if
you ever find yourself near the Hoosac Tunnel, stop by and say hello.
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