CLAY CITY, Ky. (LEX 18) — The Nada Tunnel in the Daniel Boone National Forest has become a must-see destination for visitors heading to the Red River Gorge, but did you know the dark history of this scenic gateway?
"I'm from the generation where your grandparents would take you on Sunday drives, and we just about always went through the tunnel," said Leigh Rose, a volunteer at the Red River Historical Society.
What many visitors might not realize is the deeper purpose of the tunnel. Rose says the structure was originally built for industrial use in the early 1900s.
"A lot of people don't realize it's a train tunnel. It was built in 1910 and 1911 by the Dana Lumber Company," Rose said.
During the early 1900s, logging was a major industry in the Gorge, and the Nada Tunnel provided crucial access to the natural resources in the region.
"The road that goes through the tunnel is actually the old railroad bed," Rose said.
But building the tunnel proved dangerous, and many believe the tunnel's dark history lingers today. Residents have reported unexplained phenomena around the historic structure.
"There are locals who have reported seeing orbs, either floating around the tunnel or outside," Rose said.
One ghost story involves a man who died during the tunnel's construction. According to legend, he was warming up dynamite by a fire when an explosion occurred.
"They said one person was temporarily blinded by it," Rose said. "Some people believe his spirit still lingers in this area."
Another gruesome tale involves a worker who was seriously injured when he fell under a train car.
"He held onto the train, and the train sped down the hill, got all the way down to Nada, and the local doctor immediately started working on him," Rose said.
The worker miraculously survived the accident, but Rose says some believe the man's ghost returns to the site of the terrible incident.
More than one century after its construction, the Nada Tunnel remains worth a visit, regardless of whether visitors believe in its supernatural stories.
"I keep an open mind. We really don't know what happens after this life," Rose said.
You can learn more about the history of the Red River Gorge at the Red River Historical Society in Clay City.
