Tunnel: (see below for satellite information)
The stone viaduct is curved. The bridge was built in 1857, but the current tunnel was built in 1904. [HistoricBridges]
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| Street View, Aug 2023 |
The east end of the viaduct connects to the west portal of the tunnel.
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| Satellite + Paint |
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| HAER WVA,35-WHEEL,52--1 1. View of viaduct and tunnel entrance from the northwest. - Hempfield Viaduct & Tunnel No. 1, Spanning Wheeling Creek at B&O Railroad tracks near I-70, Wheeling, Ohio County, WV |
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| OhioCountyLibrary, 1 of 2 postcards and HistoricBridges "The Tunnel Green Viaduct (designed by Suspension Bridge engineer, Charles Ellet, Jr.) spans Wheeling Creek after the Hempfield Tunnel at Tunnel Green. Wetzel's Cave is nearby." |
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| Ohio County Public Library Flickr Peninsula (Hempfield) Tunnel & Viaduct Designed by Suspension Bridge engineer, Charles Ellet, Jr., the Hempfield viaduct railroad bridge spanning Wheeling Creek was built in 1853. On Oct. 4, 1853, the Wheeling Intelligencer newspaper reported: "The bridge across the creek on section 1, (the section which enters this city,) under the superintendence of Messrs. Otterson [superintendent of the stonework on the Suspension Bridge] & McCarty is assuming a shape that promises its early completion. It will consist of five spans of 45 feet each and will be a very substantial structure. The excavation preparatory to commencing the tunnel through Steenrod's Peninsula is also progressing rapidly." The Hempfield Railroad, chartered May 15, 1850, was a line that originally was to run from Wheeling, West Virginia to Greensburg, Pennsylvania, a distance of 76 miles. In 1857, the railroad operated from to Washington, Pennsylvania, a distance of 32 miles. The line was bought by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad May 1, 1871. The B&O RR operated on this stretch until the line was abandoned in 1973. It is now a part of the Wheeling Heritage Bike Trails. - image from "Souvenir History of Wheeling", Philadelphia: Pictorial Publishing, 1906, Ohio County Public Library Archives ➤ Visit the Library's Wheeling History website The photos on the Ohio County Public Library's Flickr site may be freely used by non-commercial entities for educational and/or research purposes as long as credit is given to the "Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV." These photos may not be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation without the permission of the Ohio County Public Library. ➤ Contact the Ohio County Public Library to request permission for use or publication of materials. |
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| Ivan Safyan Abrams Flickr The Chessie Steam Special crossing Wheeling Creek, eastbound, Wheeling, WV, 1978 |
The Odd and Amazing World added three photos with the comment: "Hempsfield tunnel Wheeling Wv. Said to be haunted."
The Odd and Amazing World shared with the comment: "Apparently this tunnel connected to the abandoned tunnels in Washington Pa?"
Tom Donathan: Yes. Line ran from Wheeling to Washington mostly alongside US 40 National Rd.
Erik D. Neely: The lost portion of the Peninsular Cemetery above is haunted. Stories just merged with the tunnel. Same with the Green Ooze that supposedly drips from the ceiling.
[I read that some of the graves in the cemetery were relocated and "robbed" during the construction.]
Jim Hufschmitt: Is this the tunnel locals called Tinnel Green?
Dennis DeBruler: Jim Hufschmitt It is called "Tunnel Green" by some sources. https://www.ohiocountylibrary.org/history/5238 See Erik's comment about "Green Ooze."
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| 1 [Because of the railings, this is obviously the west portal.] |
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| 2 [This must be the east portal.] Sheridan Parsons V: WHERE IS THIS?? Dennis DeBruler: Sheridan Parsons East Portal: https://maps.app.goo.gl/J28UaG6MzQbzGQLu6 |
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| 3 |
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| Molly George, May 2020 |
Given the construction date, the leaders of Washington, PA, probably pushed the railroad to the Ohio River because back then the waterways were the transportation arteries of the nation.
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| 1951 Canton Quad @ 250,000 |
More about the trail: wvrailtrails and WheelingHeritageTrail
5:29 "exploration video" I did not watch it.
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