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A spirit that is not afraid

AU Underground: the 'secret' tunnel

(Lane Jones / INTRIGUE REPORTER)
(Lane Jones / INTRIGUE REPORTER)

We all know life is beautiful above ground on the Plains, but what happens down below?

Student legend has trickled down through the years to create a shadowy mystique around a system of water drainage pipes and utility tunnels that form a network underneath campus.

According to student explorers, the main entrance to the tunnel system is located in the ditch on the front left side of the Beard-Eaves Coliseum parking lot, now surrounded by a green construction fence.

General knowledge of the underground system may be more common than students think, taking the nickname of "AU Underground."

"Sure I've heard of AU Underground," said Ricky Schulerere, junior in microbiology. "I've had a couple of friends go down there and explore. I've always wanted to go."

Not only is the entrance easy to locate in times of non-construction, but testimonies say the tunnel continues to be large enough to walk upright in for the majority of its stretch.

It's commonly understood the University does not want students trying to find areas like this, at risk of injuring themselves or others, but denial of the tunnels seems to be a part of answering phones at the Foy Information Desk.

Answers received from students working the Foy Desk have included: "I don't know," "It's not there/doesn't exist," "Don't go down there" and "It's definitely there, but you'll get in trouble if you go down."

However, a student at the Foy Desk who wished to remain anonymous confirmed that the tunnels do exist and are sometimes used as unusual transportation.

"They definitely exist," the student said. "I had a friend who went down there a bunch of times and mapped it out precisely on graph paper. You can go a bunch of different places."

Rumored places to appear include near Momma Goldberg's on the corner of Donahue Drive and Magnolia Avenue, Tichenor Hall and across from Thach Hall.

Thomas Harbin, senior in Spanish and piano performance, said he has explored the tunnel system and can say with complete confidence that it does exist.

"I've been down there a couple times," Harbin said. "At first I tried calling the Foy Desk to find out where it was, but they wouldn't admit it. Not true! After calling around town, I got some leads and found it."

Harbin commented on the many side tunnels the main tunnel has.

"One time, my friends and I came out inside the gates at Jordan-Hare Stadium, but we didn't go in because we didn't want to get in trouble." Harbin said. "We kept walking and eventually came out again outside of Tichenor Hall."

Harbin said he thinks Auburn students should document and inform each other about the tunnels.

"I think that Auburn students should make a map," Harbin said. "That would be helpful to everyone."

Auburn alumnus Scott Seitz said he has friends who entered the tunnel and got in trouble with the law.

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"From what my friends have told me, it totally exists," Seitz said. "I can't believe there's even any doubt about it. But you will get in trouble if you're caught."

Students may not be the only occupants of the tunnel if they should decide to explore.

"I've been told that there's a lot of rats down there," Seitz said. "It also probably smells pretty bad, but you could expect that from a glorified drainage pipe."

However, Seitz said the tunnel is probably not as mysterious or foreboding as students may hear in rumors.

"I'm sure that every campus has a system of drainage pipes, even quite large ones, underground," Seitz said. "That's just modern construction. It's not some secret underground passageway like some people think."

Next time you see a pair of eyes peeking out from beneath a sewer grate, remember the Plains extend much farther than meets the eye.


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