Secret Tunnel Under Nauvoo Temple

[kchulo77]

I'm not sure if you all have read this yet in the newest edition of LDS Living but apparently while excavating the grouds for the Zion's Mercantile store in Nauvoo they discovered a tunnel only thought to be legend. The tunnel is build with red bricks and temple stones.

Has anyone else seen this? Anyone else no anyting about it or what they have found out? I don't know about you but this is the most incredible thing I've ever heard! Pretty awesome.

http://www.ldslivingmagazine.com/articles/show/397

[LifeOnaPlate]

I perused the article last night; I thought it said they did not find a tunnel, despite the rumors.

[SolarPowered]

I'm not sure if you all have read this yet in the newest edition of LDS Living but apparently while excavating the grouds for the Zion's Mercantile store in Nauvoo they discovered a tunnel only thought to be legend. The tunnel is build with red bricks and temple stones.

Has anyone else seen this? Anyone else no anyting about it or what they have found out? I don't know about you but this is the most incredible thing I've ever heard! Pretty awesome.

LDS Living

Interesting...

Also, you need to fix your link. Here is the correct link:

LDS Living

[kchulo77]

I'm not sure if you all have read this yet in the newest edition of LDS Living but apparently while excavating the grouds for the Zion's Mercantile store in Nauvoo they discovered a tunnel only thought to be legend. The tunnel is build with red bricks and temple stones.

Has anyone else seen this? Anyone else no anyting about it or what they have found out? I don't know about you but this is the most incredible thing I've ever heard! Pretty awesome.

LDS Living

No, they found it and have a picture in the magazine. It is a tunnel described as being built with red brick archways and the same temple stones as the walls.

What I find amazing is that the folks that found it while excavating opened it, looked inside and then called SLC. That is crazy, I would have explored that thing, taken rolls of pictures put a flag on it and called it my own. Then charge SLC admission to get in.

[MorningStar]

The Sunstone Tunnel

For generations thereâ??s been some mention, even rumors, of a very old, secret tunnel somewhere near the temple in Nauvoo. Itâ??s been described as having red Nauvoo brick arches and walls that are lined with carved temple stones. Some versions of the story even state that there is a sunstone on one end looking down the length of the tunnel. During the reconstruction of the temple the tunnel was not discovered and the story seemed to fade as perhaps just a legend.

Last year, during the construction of the Zions Mercantile building (right across the street from the temple) again some interest was expressed as to whether a tunnel would be uncovered as they dug their basement. The building was completed last fall, and no such find was forthcoming. That is, until a single sprinkler head needed adjusting.

When the building was all but done, landscapers were installing the final sprinkler heads. One work had some trouble getting one of the heads low enough to avoid mowers. When he tried to dig the hole a little deeper, he hit a block of white stone with carvings on two sides. After some struggle, the stone was pulled out. Removal of the stone revealed an opening. The call came to Salt Lake City, â??There seems to be some kind of tunnel. All we can see are brick arches. . . but itâ??s very deep.â?

The stone was replaced and the tunnel covered up, but not before several photos were taken of the inside. It appears to be eight feet deep and about six feet wide. It disappears in both directions so there is no word on how long it is. Photos reveal that there are red brick arches supporting the ceiling and the walls are actually lined with the same carved stone used for the old temple.

Researchers have plans to open the tunnel this summer. Several enlarged prints of the photos that were taken are on display inside the Zions Mercantile. Once the research is complete, there will be a full feature article in a future issue of LDS Living Magazine.

[emeliza]

That is really awesome. Sometimes I am in such awe of what our early members were able to accomplish. I wonder what secrets and mysteries they will uncover down there.

[LifeOnaPlate]

Good stuff.

[selek]

Hmmm- no names, no dates, no photographic evidence- just a vague narrative and more data to come later.

The article itself is merely a travelogue capsule about Nauvoo.

Color me skeptical. Rather than a super-secret tunnel running under the temple, this could merely be a musty old cellar abandoned years ago.

I'll wait for the full excavation and analysis, thanks.

[SolarPowered]

Hmmm- no names, no dates, no photographic evidence- just a vague narrative and more data to come later.

The article itself is merely a travelogue capsule about Nauvoo.

Color me skeptical. Rather than a super-secret tunnel running under the temple, this could merely be a musty old cellar abandoned years ago.

I'll wait for the full excavation and analysis, thanks.

Actually, it was recently constructed as a publicity stunt for Dan Brown's new book...

[Jan]

This is interesting --- Juliann and I were just in Nauvoo for a week last May with historian Susan Easton Black and we also went to a little "reception" at Zion Mercantile: no mention of this tunnel by Susan or the store owner (unless I was dozing).

Usually Meridian is pretty reliable. I just wonder why we didn't hear about it while we there.

[Severian]

Hey, don't all really cool old buildings have hidden rooms, secret tunnels and pictures that one can look out the eyeholes?

I know they have tunnels under the SLC Temple. I think I heard there were around seven levels. What about the hidden rooms and pictures with eyeholes?

[selek]

Actually, it was recently constructed as a publicity stunt for Dan Brown's new book...

Now THAT I can beleive!

Hey, don't all really cool old buildings have hidden rooms, secret tunnels and pictures that one can look out the eyeholes?

I know they have tunnels under the SLC Temple. I think I heard there were around seven levels. What about the hidden rooms and pictures with eyeholes?

You forgot the uber-creepy suits of armor with the axe-thingy!

And where'd you hide the Scooby snacks?

It always comes back to Star Wars or munchies on this board, doesn't it?

[Severian]

You forgot the uber-creepy suits of armor with the axe-thingy!

And where'd you hide the Scooby snacks?

Look behind the veil.

[selek]

Look behind the veil.

For the snacks or the guy in the armor ?

Or Creepy Old Man Vader?

[cinepro]

Usually Meridian is pretty reliable. I just wonder why we didn't hear about it while we there.

That isn't Meridian. It's "LDS Living" which is published by Deseret Book (which is owned by the Church). I wouldn't expect them to get something like this wrong. But you never know...

[Severian]

Or Creepy Old Man Vader?

I doubt Lord Vader has a Temple recommend, although he does have the force to confound the bar codes.

[Hoops22]

It always comes back to Star Wars or munchies on this board, doesn't it?

sigh

[ed2276]

No, they found it and have a picture in the magazine. It is a tunnel described as being built with red brick archways and the same temple stones as the walls.

What I find amazing is that the folks that found it while excavating opened it, looked inside and then called SLC. That is crazy, I would have explored that thing, taken rolls of pictures put a flag on it and called it my own. Then charge SLC admission to get in.

Capitalist!!!!

[Zakuska]

I vote... abandoned wine cellar.

[ed2276]

I vote... abandoned wine cellar.

Another of Joseph Smith's miracles...changing wine into water.

[Thinking]

That is really awesome. Sometimes I am in such awe of what our early members were able to accomplish. I wonder what secrets and mysteries they will uncover down there.

Perhaps we can get Geraldo to cover it LIVE!

[ed2276]

Perhaps we can get Geraldo to cover it LIVE!

Only if during the coverage someone throws a chair at him , breaking his nose , whilst a sniper shoots at him from afar.

[LifeOnaPlate]

Perhaps we can get Geraldo to cover it LIVE!

haha Nicely done. Reminds me of Homer's song he wrote:

"There was nothing in Al Capone's vault/But it wasn't Geraldo's fault"

[kchulo77]

My vote is that it turns up to be a tunnel that would have shuttled the Prophet around to hide from the law....stocked with plenty of wine.

[Kenngo1969]

What I find amazing is that the folks that found it while excavating opened it, looked inside and then called SLC. That is crazy, I would have explored that thing, taken rolls of pictures put a flag on it and called it my own. Then charge SLC admission to get in.

"Charge[d] [salt Lake City] admission to get in"? Who do you think owns the property ... ???!!! Are you positing that the actions you describe constitute some form of adverse possession?