The existence of secret tunnels under downtown Kingman has long been debated. Some people claim to vividly recall firsthand experiences in the tunnels while others deny that they ever existed at all. Well, the tunnels did in fact exist! They weren't much of a secret though. In fact there are many tunnels extending from well-known buildings such as the Brunswick Hotel, Powerhouse, and Hotel Beale. Articles have been written about the tunnels over the years: The Hotel Brunswick's website even confesses that "underneath the Brunswick there was an underground tunnel that miners use when travelling to and from work (The tunnel is still there today.)" Some items in the museum, like the Opium pipe below, were found in the tunnels after a raid by the Sheriff's Department. The tunnels were used for illicit activities such as gambling and drug trafficking. They were often used by immigrants who lived in the basements of downtown buildings. It's even rumored that guest's of Hotel Beale (which was owned by Andy Devine's family at the time) used the tunnels to sneak prostitutes into the hotel. Sadly some of the historic buildings downtown had become unsafe, unstable, and unfit to remain standing so they were demolished over the years. A positive outcome from their demise was the revelation of unknown tunnels sealed off long ago. We may never discover all of the tunnels under downtown Kingman. Thankfully our community has pushed for the preservation of our historic district. These efforts ensure the history of our great town isn't lost as progress forces modernization.
1 Comment
With more than 40,000 cars per day already travelling through Kingman via Interstate 40 we have long been a stopover town for travelers between Phoenix, Las Vegas, and the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Now Kingman is becoming a destination instead of just a stop along the way! Major road construction projects, such as the new Interstate 11 and the Kingman Crossing's interchange, will bring even more traffic through Kingman. This traffic growth will spur retail development including more hotels, restaurants, and stores. Kingman has a La Quinta currently under construction and 3 more hotels planned to break ground in 2016. Ramada is also undergoing their next phase of renovations which will include a gift shop and spa. By 2017 Kingman will boast an inventory of more than 2,000 hotel rooms and over 100 restaurants. Several new aesthetic improvements are planned for downtown this year as well including an archway over Beale Street, train-themed benches at the train park, improved crosswalks, and restoration of the historic Hotel Beale sign. Wild Planet Animal Park is planned to open in 2019 and will offer tourists another reason to visit Kingman! Be sure to check out the Current Projects page for more information on these developments! (Rendering By Ki Dong Kwon / ArtHub)
|
Previous Articles:
May 2016
|