The stumphouse tunnel in oconee county, south carolina should be your first stop. Despite all this, stumphouse tunnel is a wonderful place to visit and its true history is just as fascinating as the fiction nonsense. If you are a good hiker, you can hike atop the tunnel and. Stumphouse tunnel has an interesting story the tunnel was first proposed in 1835 by residents of charleston, south carolina as a new and shorter route for the blue ridge railroad between charleston and the ohio river valley area which until then was only accessible by bypassing the mountains entirely to the south and then traveling up north through georgia and middle tennessee. Jan 02, 2008 the stumphouse tunnel was closed due to rock slides and then the tunnel and the park were turned over from the pendleton district commission to the city of walhalla. This easy hike will take you to the top of the falls, but a short path to the right will give you a grand view of the entire scene.
The stumphouse mountain tunnel just outside of walhalla, sc in the beautiful upstate is steeped with history. Stumphouse tunnel shows how man tried to alter nature and was stymied. The first clemson university blue cheese was cured in stumphouse mountain tunnel in 1941. Many of the workers lived in housing on top of stumphouse mountain called tunnel hill. Stumphouse tunnel walhalla, south carolina atlas obscura. One big reason for not completing it was because of financial difficulties they had and didnt continue. Stumphouse tunnel and issaqueena falls south carolina. Stumphouse mountain tunnel is the remains of an 1850s attempt to link the port of charleston to the cities of the midwest by rail. It was initially selfpublished as the highfield mole in 2005, and rereleased as tunnels by chicken house in 2007. International travel find mustsee attractions and longdistance travel resources, including visa information, regional overviews and tour. The stumphouse passage is the newest addition to the palmetto trail, and the trail begins at the stumphouse tunnel park in walhalla.
From here, you can travel a short walk to the falls overlook, or, for the more adventurous. Stumphouse tunnel and tunnel hill random connections. Dec 19, 2012 i am delighted to read your account of the tunnel and its history. The bike park can be accessed from trailheads at both ends of stumphouse passage. All about the issaqueena falls and stumphouse tunnel.
This is one of the most visited historical places in south carolina but yet there are so many people that dont know the fascinating history of the unfinished railroad tunnel. Pcf owns the palmetto trail and provides expert oversight of trail construction at the bike park by benchmark trails of. In the heat of midsummer the tunnel can be wonderfully cool and damp. It has a neutral tone, rather than the usual sycophant or competitive tone of most media books. Visit stumphouse tunnel in northwest south carolina.
Stumphouse tunnel in south carolina is haunted by the. Stumphouse mountain tunnel walhalla, south carolina. As she stands before the gaping, dripping entrance of stumphouse mountain tunnel zipping into her tyvek coveralls, graduate research assistant pallavi sirajuddin says, word of caution. Issaqueena falls is a testament to the power of just a small trickle of water. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the dates you selected. Interview with 65 year old white male, mountain rest. The louise russell alexander childrens corner is a special part of the museum where children can explore oconees history in a fun environment. Visitors to stumphouse tunnel in walhalla, south carolina often mistake the fears they experience while visiting the failed railroad tunnel as simply a fear of being in closed places, or possibly a fear of dark places. Eventually, stumphouse tunnel was closed due to lack of money, and then the civil war started. It had its own catholic church, blacksmith shop, and saloon. The stumphouse mountain tunnel was part of the blue ridge railroad project, an 1850s attempt to link the port of charleston to the cities of the midwest by rail. Located in the northwest corner of the state, walhalla is one of the last south carolina cities to stop in before trekking into the mountains for local hiking trails, or a short, scenic drive to lake jocassee or highlands, nc. The variation of the name stump house was drawn from the legend of a cherokee woman who lived on the mountain with her white husband. There is a slight hill you have to climb to get to the stumphouse tunnel.
An unfinished rail tunnel that has since been used to house cheese and bats. It was a great day for a color drive through the mountains of south carolina, andif you ask my husbanda. It was a great day for a color drive through the mountains of south carolina, andif you ask my husbanda great day for trout fishing. Tunnels is a subterranean fiction novel by british authors roderick gordon and brian williams. Construction on the new rail line began in the late 1850s, with stumphouse tunnel along with 3 other tunnels being constructed. Irish immigrants built stumphouse tunnel for a railroad, which would connect the north and south. The men who built the tunnel worked twelve hours a day, seven days a week, using only shovels, pick axes and dynamite. Keith and i found some breakfast, and headed north on highway 28 to find the ghost town of tunnel hill. The longest of these, the unfinished tunnel at stumphouse mountain, sc, which would have.
The nearest weather station for both precipitation and temperature measurements is walha which is approximately 5 miles away and has an elevation of 980 feet 775 feet lower than stumphouse mountain tunnel. Theyve also often been sold as souvenirs at tourist. Stumphouse tunnel was a major tunnel needed to complete a rail line from the south carolina port city of charleston to the west. Trip cost from wake forest to stumphouse tunnel rd, travel cost from wake forest to stumphouse tunnel rd. The stumphouse mountain tunnel is an unfinished nineteenthcentury railroad tunnel located near walhalla. Stumphouse tunnel was built in the 1850s in walhalla, s. The sign at the end of the park road for stumphouse tunnel. Browse expedias selection of 1127 hotels and places to stay closest to stumphouse mountain tunnel. This little secret is known as stumphouse tunnel park outside walhalla, sc.
Oconee forever is the local allvolunteer affiliate created from the grassroots public support to preserve stumphouse tunnel and issaqueena falls. History of clemson blue cheese clemson university, south. The story follows will burrows, a 14yearold archaeologist, who stumbles upon an underground civilization called the colony. Stumphouse tunnel is 1617 feet long but unfortunately you cannot explore the full length. Stumphouse tunnel revisited double aught injury lawyers. Many workers were killed by caveins and black powder explosions and there was once a village here where the irish workers lived called tunnel town.
The blue ridge tunnel is in stumphouse mountain west of walhalla, sc on sc hwy 28. Little do some know that stumphouse tunnel is actually haunted. The stumphouse tunnel is today used as a recreational site. Audio recording interview with 65 year old white male, mountain rest, south carolina part 1 of 3 audio. Just north of the friendly town of walhalla south carolina is the amazing stumphouse tunnel park. Stumphouse tunnel park is located just past walhalla on s. The road ends in a short distance at parking area for the tunnel. Visit stumphouse mountain tunnel on your trip to walhalla. The tunnel, along with nearby issaqueena falls, are now a walhalla city park. Mountain retreat in foothills of the blue ridge mountains.
A short easy walking trail leads from stumphouse mountain park to issaqueena falls, a beautiful 200ft. The stumphouse passage offers the stumphouse mountain bike park, a stateoftheart mountain biking facility and the only. Encyclopedia the stumphouse mountain tunnel is an unfinished nineteenthcentury railroad tunnel located near walhalla. Suggested by sme journey dont stop believin audio song dont you forget about me artist simple minds. There is a gate preventing exploration of the complete tunnel to protect visitors from falling rock from an airshaft further down the tunnel. It was being built before the civil war to connect the east coast with the midwest by the blue ridge railroad which dead ended at walhalla, since they never finished it after the war because it was 150 feet up the side of the mountain on the other side from the entrance. Direction map travel time latlong flight d flight t howfar route tripcost. Popular exhibits include the dugout canoes that have been rescued and preserved by the museum, a walkin stumphouse tunnel exhibit, and a depressionera tenant farmers house. It was supposed to go 5800 feet, but only 1600 feet were dug.
History tells us that the blue ridge railroad attempted a few times to jumpstart work on the tunnel, but that none of their efforts ever came to fruition. That meant clearing a path through stumphouse mountain, with a tunnel stretching longer than 1. Phase 2 will be opening soon with an additional 6 miles. In the upstate region of south carolina, about 7 miles northwest of the town of walhalla along highway 28, is a unique example of precivil war engineering. Chartered in 1887, it went bankrupt in about 1892 and in 1898 its properties became part of the newly formed tallulah falls railway. An older couple that arrived when we did took small steps up the hill. Work begins on clearing the rocks and accessing the integrity of the structure. The newly constructed stumphouse mountain bike park will provide miles of world class mountain bike trails. Escape the city with a day trip to stumphouse tunnel. Walhalla, sc abandoned stumphouse tunnel roadside america. However, there is this one unique tunnel in south carolina that not many people know exist. Construction on stumphouse tunnel began in 1856 when the george collyer company of london brought many irish workers into the area for this project. Oconnell and the stumphouse mountain tunnel in his 27 years as a parish priest in columbia, south carolina, fr. The following tells a little of the history of stumphouse tunnel.
The tunnel was built to connect the railway between charleston and knoxville. We drove to a place my husband just loves to go to stumphouse tunnel in oconee county, south carolina. Stumphouse mountain tunnel walhalla 2020 all you need to. Since then, the homemade gourmet item has worked its way into the hearts and stomachs of an evergrowing number of aficionados. Stumphouse mountain tunnel in oconee county, south carolina is an incomplete railroad tunnel for the blue ridge railroad of south carolina in sumter national forest. It is so rich with history including the irish immigrate workers. Middle tunnel, a quarter mile from stumphouse tunnel was successfully completed but mostly collapsed and was partially sealed off in the mid1900s.
Ridley is the ranger for the stumphouse tunnel park. Saddle tunnel, the last of the south carolina complex was also begun for a short distance 1. The george collyer company of london went ahead and brought in a shitton of irish immigrant workers around 1500 folks and set up the town of tunnel hill nearby for the workers. It was short hike from our house down the slope to the tunnel and over the falls, which in the late 1940s and early 50s was not a tourist destination.
That year, the south carolina state legislature refused to fund more construction. Save on popular hotels near stumphouse mountain tunnel, south carolina. Throughout history, tunnel books have often been used to commemorate certain events. All 10 miles of flow trails are designed for beginner mountain biking with big berms, rollers, tables, rock gardens and more. Mismanagement and a resulting lack of funds put construction on hold in 1859 with the tunnel about 1,600 feet deep. Stumphouse mountain tunnel walhalla 2020 all you need. A relic of history in upstate sc what started as a railroad tunnel for transportation, then used as a refrigerator to store blue. Just past the popular stumphouse tunnel, a short 100yard walk down a gently sloping path gives visitors a spectacular view to one of the areas prized gems. To get to stumphouse tunnel, drive back out of the picnic area and turn right.
It was listed on the national register of historic places in 1971. We did not bring the right things for exploring the tunnel. Interview with 65 year old white male, mountain rest, south carolina part 1 of 3. The stumphouse tunnel 146 the looming civil war halts progress mary chestnuts diary 148 mary chestnut privately records the civil war beyond the soldiers 150 the impact of the civil war on civilians whats in a name. It has a cool story about how it was built and your kids will love it, there is a railroad cart on site and the tunnel is fun to look at and makse awesome echo sounds.
All about the issaqueena falls and stumphouse tunnel walhalla, s. Walk up the steep drive and the tunnel entrance is on the left. Stumphouse tunnel has an interesting history the tunnel was first proposed in 1835 by residents of charleston, south carolina as a new and shorter route for the blue ridge railroad between charleston and the ohio river valley area which until then was only accessible by bypassing the mountains entirely to the south and then traveling up north through georgia and middle tennessee. This distinctive park has your typical picnic sites and green space like you would expect. Stumphouse mountain tunnel in oconee county, south carolina is an incomplete railroad. Discover stumphouse tunnel in walhalla, south carolina. Stumphouse tunnel was the westernmost tunnel of the three.
History of clemson blue cheese clemson university, south carolina. Prior to the civil war, the state of south carolina tried to build a tunnel through the oconee county mountains, so that trains could go from charleston, sc to cincinnati, oh. When you are an only child, there never is a problem for the parent to try and figure out who the culprit is whenever something. Find cheap deals and discount rates among them that best fit your budget. The stumphouse mountain tunnel pioneers of southern industry dreamed of a railroad connecting the fertile midwest with the busy port of charleston, south carolina. There stumphouse tunnel along with three other tunnels was to be built.
After a visit to the stumphouse tunnel you can start the trail just above isaqueena falls and walk to the second or middle tunnel, which is on a short spur to the left at approximately 0. Jul 14, 2008 history of stumphouse tunnel stumphouse tunnel represents the failure to complete a railroad system from charleston, south carolina to cincinnati, ohio after the civil war. Stumphouse mountain tunnel walhalla all you need to. I got to go on my first trip to visit walhallas stumphouse tunnel when i was about 10 years old. Issaqueena falls, stumphouse tunnel middle tunnel, and saddle.
Legend has it that the indian maiden, issaqueena, rode to the nearby fort to warn of a pending indian attack and then escaped pursuing indians by pretending to leap over the falls, but actually hiding beneath them. Published on dec 26, 2019 the abandoned blue ridge railroad stumphouse tunnel is a sight to be seen. Issaqueena falls and stumphouse tunnel how far from atlanta. The stumphouse tunnel complex is comprised of forty acres of land, two acres of water, and includes stumphouse mountain tunnel, middle tunnel, and the 385foot original railroad bed connecting them, picnic and camping areas, and a museum of railroad history in an old caboose. Last week there was a copperhead just off the path in chamber b of the tunnel. It started in the wee morning hours on bald rock viewing the geminid meteor shower, followed by the search for the ghost town mayucha. This is now a walhalla park which also features nearby isaqueena falls. Feb 11, 2008 a train tunnel cut in to stumphouse mountain in sc to join charleston with the midwest.
Only one sign for the tunnel, and that is at the turnoff, which is a right heading northbound onto stumphouse tunnel rd. Since then, the homemade gourmet item has worked its way into. Hike to issaqueena falls and stumphouse tunnel, issaqueena. From walhalla south carolina, follow sc 28 westward 7 miles until you see stumphouse tunnel park on the righthand side of the road. This easy hike will take you to the top of the falls, but a short. Top 10 hotels closest to stumphouse mountain tunnel in. As a boy, i lived above the tunnel at the stumphouse ranger station, sumpter national forest.
Stumphouse mountain tunnel walhalla 2020 what to know. The tunnel through stumphouse mountain was to be a vital link in that road. Walk inside a mountain at stumphouse tunnel charlotte magazine. Built with chisels and hammers ahead of the civil war, the stumphouse tunnel went unfinished in 1859. Great stories that embrace the history of the palmetto state. The civil war and subsequent collapse of the states economy brought construction to an end and the tunnel was never completed. Below are weather averages from 1971 to 2000 according to data gathered from the nearest official weather station. Located in a 19thcentury tobacco factory, this museum features the history of the northwesternmost corner of the state, referred to by at least one previous politician as the dark corner. A historic blockhouse and trading post give a glimpse into the early colonial history of south carolina. Although once covered with dirt, the middle tunnel now has an opening, so you can go inside.
The term popup book is often applied to any book with threedimensional pages, although properly the umbrella term movable book covers popups, transformations, tunnel books, volvelles, flaps, pulltabs, popouts, pulldowns, and more, each of which performs in a different manner. Stumphouse mountain tunnel south carolina encyclopedia. Stump house tunnel, introduced to me by my husband, is an amazing place for adventure and history. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. The blue ridge and atlantic railroad of the united states purchased the corneliatallulah falls section of the north eastern rail road in an attempt to connect savannah, georgia to knoxville, tennessee. Exhibits include a replica of the stumphouse tunnel and a tenant farmers house. Digging a passage through a mountain seemed like a quick way to speed up the railroad layout in the 1800s but the stumphouse tunnel. Walhalla now operates the park and reopened the tunnel in spring 2000. Father jeremiah oconnell and the stumphouse mountain tunnel. Take this road halfway down, and park in the parking area on the right.
Construction on stumphouse tunnel began in 1856 when the george collyer company of london brought many irish workers into the area for this. But south carolina is void of any fun tunnels you can drive through. The rocky road to nowhere is an informal history of the blue ridge railroad in south. Upstate conservationists present check for stumphouse. Ive been to issaqueena falls several times, but never visited the tunnel for whatever reason. Jun 30, 2012 the hardcover edition is a quality printing, with many black and white images, and uses acidfree paper. The longest section of this tunnel is 1,600 long, 25 high, and 17 wide. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. Oconnell brought more than 300 people to the catholic faith.
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