The Mystery of The Underground Tunnel in Hot Springs

I love a good mystery.

I've been going to Hot Springs, Ark., for years and lived there for almost 11 years. I knew about the history of the hot springs below the ground, but I sure didn't know about the underground tunnel that's been around since the 1880s.

If you've ever walked along Bathhouse Row downtown there is a stone arch aquifer you may have noticed -- or not -- that's been around since 1884. It wasn't until the the 1920s when the tunnel was constructed. And legend has it the tunnel was used as a secret passageway for mobs to get around town without being noticed. They say the arch runs through Whittington Avenue, Park Avenue and onto Broadway Street. The tunnel has recently become popular with explorers and history buffs.

The tunnel is made of novaculite and granite stone and constructed with various materials such as stone and brick. Some areas have concrete walls. A proposal from the City of Hot Springs to deepen the creek under the arch was scrapped because it would have affected the balance of the thermal springs beneath the surface. However in 2014, the city's stormwater division started a restoration project that was fully funded by a federal grant to maintain the creek tunnel. The main purpose of of the tunnel is for flood control in the downtown area.

Here are a couple of videos on the Hot Springs tunnels.

Hot Springs is a short 90-minute drive from Texarkana. So make the drive. It's worth it.