Early visitors of Staple Bend Tunnel, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, 2015.
Summary
Photo date unknown. This is a scan from a 35mm slide in the park library. Description: on December 20, 1832, construction crews working from each end of the Staple Bend Tunnel met in the middle! Just imagine what it must have been like to dig through the side of a mountain with only hand tools and gunpowder. This occasion of 'holing through' was cause for a large celebration held five days later. Construction on the tunnel began a little over a year earlier in November 1831. The tunnel (and the rest of the portage railroad) was ready for use and saw its first test train in November 1833. Officially, it opened in March 1834. Today, you can walk or ride a bike back to the Staple Bend Tunnel.
Tags
Date
1834
Source
National Parks Gallery
Copyright info
Public Domain Dedication