Online the collapse of richmonds church hill tunnel disaster by walter s. The collapse of richmonds church hill tunnel on apple books. The opening 4,000 feet east hides beneath jagged terrain and tangled thickets. A great article about the church hill tunnel collapse reprinted courtesy of the richmond timesdispatch and gateway virginia.
In addition to having a line for the route of the church hill train tunnel, this map also shows both libby hill and an adjacent marshall square making up what we know of as todays hillside park. Jun 17, 2014 the collapse of the tunnel on which the church hill tunnel collapse documentary is centered happened on october 2, 1925. Searching obituaries is a great place to start your family tree research. Dec 05, 20 church hill tunnel portal to portal the east in a swampy desolate section, the west in a modernized trendy arearva 1925, underneath the hills, roads, and homes, the tunnel collapsed and now 10 train flat cars and those who didnt make it out remain. Jul 19, 2012 the church hill tunnel has become a richmond legend and in recent years both the virginia historical society and the history channel have looked into excavating the tunnel.
Download and read free online the collapse of richmond s church hill tunnel disaster walter s. Next to the church hill building is the used car lot owned by howard h. Click here for national park service web site providing information about richmond s shared heritage. The greater fulton hill civic association includes fulton bottom, part of montrose heights and part of rocketts.
Griggs jr librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Home to the church where patrick henry gave his give me liberty, or give me death speech, church hill today is home to some of the souths best. Mar 09, 2018 unfortunately, the tunnel was dug through soil, not bedrock, which presented problems. Fulton hill is a neighborhood located in the east end of richmond, virginia. Banner lecture historic disasters of richmond by walter. The collapse of richmonds church hill tunnel disaster. Church hill tunnel subject of documentary richmond timesdispatch.
In richmond, virginia, the church hill tunnel has a deadly mystique. Jun 17, 2016 church hill is richmond s first neighborhood. Built in the 1870s, the tunnel had proven troublesome and dangerous during its construction, mainly due to the soft clay soil it had been constructed through. The tunnel served as a railroad for the chesapeake and ohio railway company about 4,000 feet underneath what is now known as church hill in richmond. Includes local stories like the jefferson hotel fire in 1901 and the church hill railroad tunnel collapse, as. This is the end of the tunnel where, fifteen years ago, richmond timesdispatch reporter mark holmberg and two companions took an. In 1925, a section of the richmond church hill tunnel collapsed on a train and tunnel. Virginia town targets mystery trains secrets in 1925, the church hill tunnel caved in while a train was passing through it. Reviving historic richmond marine terminal extends port of. History from the pages of the richmond timesdispatch. The collapse of richmond s church hill tunnel disaster. Although much can be found online regarding the tragedy and the current state of the tunnel, mr griggs book does a great job of telling the story with some illustrative historical photos. Church hill holds the key to much of richmonds history and the preservation of its history is important. There she is, ol 231, the locomotive buried in one of richmonds bestknown tombs the infamous church hill tunnel.
This oversized paperback contains more than 80 images of notable front pages from the timesdispatch dating back to 1850. Under a playground is a littleknown sealed train tunnel that likely contains the bodies of workers trapped by caveins. The name is used for the area stretching from gillies creek to the richmond city limits. Pool grew up in manchester and became a solid citizen there, active in south side civic affairs. Church hill tunnel construction church hill, richmond. A peek at a buried train, via scientific tunnel vision the following article by mark holmberg was posted on the richmond times dispatch website on august 9. The church hill tunnel collapse documentary focuses on the 1925 disaster itself, as well as its presentday ramifications. Do you certainly one of people who cant read pleasurable if the sentence chained inside the straightway. Apr 22, 20 the western end is an attractive backdrop for a trim, brick patio.
Search obits for your ancestors, relatives, friends. Union hill still had pleasant, pickett, and scott streets. A tomb was created 75 years ago when the church hill tunnel collapsed on a work train october 2nd 1925 causing unidentified number of deaths. The collapse of richmonds church hill tunnel softcover. Aug 22, 2014 a mark holmberg times dispatch staff writer. Based upon a 1998 exploratory expedition by richmond timesdispatch reporter mark holmberg, who explored. Church hill tunnel subject of documentary local news. Years ago i went in part of the tunnel with a caver and a richmond times dispatch photographer after someone had broken a small hole in the. Church hill is composed of blue marl clay, which expands when wet and contracts when dry. The tunnel was eventually rendered obsolete by an alternative path over a viaduct. Click to read more about the collapse of richmonds church hill tunnel by walter s.
Jun 28, 2006 virginia town targets mystery trains secrets in 1925, the church hill tunnel caved in while a train was passing through it. Vcu 1889 baist atlas map of richmond plate index showing church hill tunnel. Church hill tunnel, richmond, va shame how such a historic spot of the city can no longer be seen. The church hill tunnel had been built in 1873 as a joint venture between the city and the.
Church hill tunnel portal to portal the east in a swampy desolate section, the west in a modernized trendy arearva 1925, underneath the hills, roads, and homes, the tunnel collapsed and now 10 train flat cars and those who didnt make it out remain. Heres another great shot of the richmond coliseum under construction. Created in 1789, this organization was established to religious. Richmond times dispatch cokesbury building in 1952. The eastern end is in a wooded ravine near franklin and. Church hill tunnel and hollywood cemetery in richmond. The documentary was just featured in the richmond timesdispatch. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the collapse of richmonds church hill tunnel disaster. Richmond, the capital of the confederacy, was in shambles after the civil war. Two film students from regent university are preparing a documentary about a famous event in richmond history the 1925 collapse of the. Obituaries virginia richmond richmond timesdispatch. A great article about the church hill tunnel collapse reprinted courtesy of the richmond times dispatch and gateway virginia. Sites poster thinks all of the buildings you can see in this picture that. The western end is an attractive backdrop for a trim, brick patio.
The collapse of richmonds church hill tunnel disaster griggs jr. The 1925 collapse of a train tunnel beneath church hill is the subject of a documentary currently in production here in rva. Hughes, aka mad man dapper dan, who was an eccentric and flamboyant richmond businessman. The cokesbury building, with the cokesbury bookstore on the first floor, was an outgrowth of the methodist episcopal book concern. It extended from 18th and marshall streets to a point near 30th and grace. This october 1955 image shows the old trinity methodist church, which had torn down its steeple months earlier after hurricane hazel damaged it beyond repair the year before. Rescue efforts only resulted in further collapse, and the tunnel. On october 2, 1925, the tunnel collapsed on a work train, killing four men and trapping a steam locomotive and ten flat cars. Home to the church where patrick henry gave his give me liberty, or give me death speech, church.
The church hill tunnel has become a richmond legend and in recent years both the virginia historical society and the history channel have looked into excavating the tunnel. Richmond in sight includes the stilson films in its array of presentations available to the public. Pool served as the accountant for the vast bryan estate the bryans owned the richmond timesdispatch, and a north side park bears their name. Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as. Richmond timesdispatch obituaries 1985 2020 richmond, va. The church hill tunnel in richmond is where a 1925 collapse killed at least four men. You can see i64 connecting to i95 in the background, to give you an idea of the angle. The church hill tunnel collapse documentary should have a final running time of between 30 and 45 minutes, and is scheduled for release this fallon october 2, 2014, the 89th anniversary of the collapse. The collapse of richmonds church hill tunnel by walter s. Griggs recently retired from vcu after teaching for 45 years in the school of business. Web site with photos and videos of acca yard here with permission. The infamous church hill train tunnel has consumed men, a train and plenty of real estate, but it cant be fingered for mondays collapse of a half. Church hill tunnel is part of the atlas rva project mustsee rva.
In 2006, the virginia historical society announced its efforts to try and excavate the. Years ago i went in part of the tunnel with a caver and a richmond timesdispatch photographer after someone had broken a small hole in the. The church hill tunnel collapse documentary home facebook. In addition, he has authored a number of books on a variety of subjects, including the collapse of richmonds church hill tunnel and world war ii richmond, virginia. Church hill tunnel collapse documentary sheds light on. Browse the most recent richmond, virginia obituaries and condolences. A peek at a buried train, via scientific tunnel vision the following article by mark holmberg was posted on the richmond timesdispatch website on august 9. Fulton hill is south of church hill and shockoe bottom, north of varina, east of the james river, and west of sandston. Even in todays fastpaced multimedia world, the term front page news remains synonymous with events of great consequence. These are the portals of the church hill tunnel, ten blocks distant but a world apart.
Mar 02, 2016 the richmond church hill vampire joshua almeter. At least two workers were killed at the site in southern virginia, and. The collapse of richmonds church hill tunnel disaster kindle edition by griggs jr. A peek at a buried train, via scientific tunnel vision. If youre not well versed in richmond history, you might not know of the tunnel collapse of 1925 in church hill. Pace and bova hope to make it the first of a series of. Celebrate and remember the lives we have lost in richmond, virginia. There is a train buried under richmonds church hill neighborhoodthe steam engine locomotive 231 and ten.
Free admission for richmond timesdispatch readers with a press pass coupon richmond has had its share of manmade and natural calamities throughout its illustrious history. The collapse of richmond s church hill tunnel disaster griggs jr. The bulk of reconstruction became dependent on the railways, and one of the most important links in the system was the church hill tunnel. Hard to believe that there was a tunnel collapse under richmonds church hill that entombed a train and several workers.
Other facets of richmond in sight include books, presentations, displays, online education and other programs. He belonged for most of his life to central methodist church and the masons. Hard to believe that there was a tunnel collapse under richmond s church hill that entombed a train and several workers. The church hill tunnel had been built in 1873 as a joint venture between the city and the chesapeake and ohio railway co. Church hill tunnel richmond, virginia atlas obscura. There she is, ol 231, the locomotive buried in one of richmond s bestknown tombs the infamous church hill tunnel. Oct 18, 2011 richmond, the capital of the confederacy, was in shambles after the civil war. In 1925, the church hill tunnel caved in while a train was passing through. In 1925, a section of the richmond church hill tunnel collapsed on a train and tunnel laborers. The collapse of richmonds church hill tunnel and world war ii richmond, virginia. In 1811, fire destroyed the richmond theatre on broad street, tragically claiming seventytwo lives in one of the worst urban disasters in american history. The tunnel was eventually rendered obsolete by an alternative path over a viaduct, and it was closed for regular operation in 1902. Church hill holds the key to much of richmond s history and the preservation of its history is important.
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