The Fascinating World of Underground Cities
Summary
In this article, we explore the concept of underground cities and the allure of exploring the hidden infrastructure that exists beneath our feet. The author shares personal experiences of discovering lost subway tunnels in Los Angeles and New York and discusses the culture of urban spelunking in cities like Paris and New York.
Table of Contents
- Lost Subway Tunnels of Los Angeles
- Discovering Underground Infrastructure in San Francisco
- The Fascination with Underground Cities
- Personal Experience: The Scariest Thing That Ever Happened to Me in a City
- Conclusion
Lost Subway Tunnels of Los Angeles
The author came across an article about the lost subway tunnels of Los Angeles, from the time when the Pacific Electric red cars were in operation. The article provided addresses of buildings that were built on top of or in front of the old exits. The author plotted both entrances on Google Maps and drew a line to see where the tunnel was located. This led the author to realize that there is infrastructure beneath our feet that we are often unaware of.
Discovering Underground Infrastructure in San Francisco
The author’s colleague shared a similar experience of discovering an entrance to a tunnel in San Francisco that serviced Fisherman’s Wharf. Using Google Street View, they were able to find the other entrance and draw a line right under Fort Mason Park. The author muses about the possibility of stumbling upon these underground tunnels while gardening.
The Fascination with Underground Cities
The author discusses the allure of underground cities, citing examples like Paris’ catacombs and New York’s forgotten sewer and subway tunnels. There is something romantic about the idea of building our own underworld, creating places that exist but are forgotten until rediscovered later. The author also mentions underground cities in Chicago and Las Vegas, where people live in water tunnels that were built to prevent flooding.
Personal Experience: The Scariest Thing That Ever Happened to Me in a City
The author shares a personal experience of crossing Houston Street in New York City and seeing a person in a big cloak lifting up a manhole cover and disappearing into the ground. This taught the author that there is a whole city beneath the surface that is mysterious and hidden.
Conclusion
While the allure of underground cities and infrastructure is fascinating, the author cautions against attempting to explore these places, as they can be dangerous. However, the author is glad that these places exist and finds comfort in knowing that there are pieces of humanity’s creation all around us that are mysterious and hidden.
