the atlantic avenue tunnel

The Brooklyn Historic Railway Association allows groups to visit the historic Atlantic Avenue tunnel twice yearly. On the occasion of an art exhibition, the tunnel was open once more this year to most likely the largest crowd ever. Built in 1844, it was the very first subway tunnel to run under city streets. The half-mile tunnel was sealed-up in 1861, forgotten, then rediscovered in 1980 by Bob Diamond, president of the Brooklyn Historic Railway Association. It must have been amazing to break through the dirt and debris into this magnificent space. Carefully-laid brick and stone work make up the walls and arched ceiling. The dirt floor has the bumps of a former trackbed - evenly spaced dips and mounds where once there were ties forces one to move cautiously through the tunnel. After a walk in the very humid tunnel air, the tunnel ends at a wall of brick. It is rumored the tunnel held an abandoned locomotive- perhaps there is more behind the sealed west end?

Aside from the tour of this beautiful space, the highlight of the exhibit was the sculpture of the renowned New York City graffiti artist REVS. Though the City has spawned countless artists of every type - painters, writers, performers - no one could be more truly of the city than REVS, whose journal entries, murals, tags and sculptures can be seen throughout the city by anyone who pays attention to their environment. Thanks to the exhibition, he's been in every tunnel.

Thanks again to explorer, photographer and exhibitor J. Anthony Anastasio for helping us get in!

For photos of the crowd waiting to descend into the depths of Brooklyn, check out LTV Squad.