Thursday, April 21, 2011

8th St. Tunnel - 9th St. Incline

I had the chance today to see something not many people even know exists. A hundred-plus years ago when Kansas City's west bottoms was a more happenin' place than it is even today, getting in and out of it wasn't easy. That is, until the 9th Street Incline was opened in 1888. The idea was to build a tunnel beginning just west of Broadway and angle it down through the bluffs into the west bottoms, creating a direct rail link to downtown and Quality Hill. It worked quite well, albeit a bit scary for those first passengers, some of whom bailed off as the train began to descend.

(Below photos courtesy of the Kansas City Public Library's photo collection.)

You can see streetcars coming in and out of the tunnel in the lower center of this photo (above), and the track as it emerges from the bluffs. (below)

Fast forward to today . . About 100 yards of this tunnel still exists and is occasionally opened for private tours. For an architectural photographer and history buff like me, it was a REAL thrill!







Posted by f-stop at 1:38 PM

6 comments:

  1. Robb JonesApril 28, 2011 at 8:39 PM

    That photo of the track emerging from the bluffs was new to me. Excellent photos!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. SaschaJanuary 23, 2012 at 10:08 PM

    Wow!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. cody rossMarch 3, 2012 at 7:17 PM

    where is this entrance at.. i need to know i have been looking for it all day! 3/3/12

    ReplyDelete
  4. roger m mathiasJune 12, 2012 at 1:09 PM

    cody. what organization are you with?

    ReplyDelete
  5. John MatrowFebruary 13, 2014 at 7:14 PM

    The tunnel has never been lost. Railfans in the area (including me) remember the top of the east entrance visible at the west side of a parking lot west of 8th and Washington. It now under State Street Bank.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousFebruary 14, 2017 at 6:05 PM

    How can an amateur photographer like myself tour the tunnel ?

    ReplyDelete

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