Tunnel Springs, Alabama has an 840 foot abandoned rail tunnel. The masonry tunnel was completed in 1899 and abandoned in the 1990's. A spring that was hit when digging the tunnels exits at the northeastern end of the tunnel gives the community of Tunnel Springs its name. Its rumored that there were more then a few deaths during the construction.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Hills_salamander
We live right down the road from here, we visit as often as we can; we have learned that this seems to be a very desirable place for folks who enjoy railroad history, hiking or simply the great outdoors or such; to come visit. Have you been there? Have you found the cache in the woods in the close vicinity that when you find it there are all sorts of little treasures that visitor who had previously found it: left behind, and a book for those who have found it to add who they are, where they are from and the date in which they had found the cache "and they trade an item for an item from the cache?
Sadly however it seems that folks have started dumping yard debris and there are many old tires "looks like larger truck tires or such from Big Trucks" that would appear to have been rolled down into the mouth of the tunnel by folks who have no concern for their community or the history and take no pride in their home town either. "How else would one describe it". The County of Monroe "which the tunnel is in, has a county landfill that residents are allowed to dump in FOR FREE that is probably 7 or 8 miles from there".
I have heard that the county now owns this old train trail and has intentions of making a paved biking/hiking trail out of it, now how far through and rather or not the tunnel is included I do not know. I head they have been given around 4 million in grants in order to achieve this. BUT THIS IS ONLY HEARSAY as far as I know at this point. I myself find that it is SAD they are going to destroy NATURE and NATURAL HABITAT for a bike trail "which I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYONE BIKING IN THE AREA"! Also I am pretty sure (I COULD BE MISTAKEN) that the tunnel is also in the area of the Red Hills Salamander habitat area and the Red Hills Salamander are highly protected and are ENDANGERED. Now although I heard of this HEARD from others mouths the plans, the grants etc. I have found these documents online to suggest it's truth.
http://www.stb.dot.gov/decisions/readingroom.nsf/fc695db5bc7ebe2c852572b80040c45f/80d9abbdecf9e77885257b52004e15a0?OpenDocument
http://www.stb.dot.gov/decisions/ReadingRoom.nsf/83fd59cf17adc80785256559007ba132/c7faeccfd02dc05885257b3a004d19fb?OpenDocument
I don't know about what you all think but: I think this is a little close to the Red Hills Salamander "a Federally Endangered Species" to be doing all this change to nature. Yes the railroad was a change however a paved bike trail, and much more traffic than in all it's existence: CAN'T BE A GOOD THING NOR AN IMPROVEMENT.
This strange "light anomaly" looks like the face and head of someone wearing a 19th century mining hat or "sandhole" hat. Im sure its just lens refelction, but its creepy looking as you can see a face, eyes nose and mouth, ears and hat and a mans jawline looking right at you
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