Whispers of the Bloody Pit: The Ghosts of Hoosac Tunnel
Whispers of the Bloody Pit: The
Ghosts of Hoosac Tunnel
By Nicole Owen
The History
Hoosac is an Algonquian word meaning ‘Place of Stones’, today, those stones form walls of a
tunnel carved through death and darkness, the Hoosac Tunnel.Construction began in the mid
1800s with the goal of connecting Albany and Boston. It would become the longest tunnel in
North America during that time at nearly 5 miles. However, progress came at a horrific cost.
Nearly 200 men died from explosions, collapses, fires, and floods.In 1865 a man named Ringo Kelley prematurely detonated nitroglycerin before two of his fellow
workers (Brinkman and Nash) were able to escape. Both men were buried alive. 10 days later,
Kelley himself was found strangled near the same spot. His death was never solved, which
fueled rumors of supernatural revenge.
In 1867, the deadliest incident came when nitroglycerin use triggered an explosion that caused
rock and iron to cave in and water flooded the shaft.Rescue efforts stopped when survivors were
thought to be gone, until months later it was discovered that some had lived long enough to builda raft.The tunnel developed a deadly reputation and was nicknamed ‘The Bloody Pit’. Was this
the Hoosac resisting to be pierced?
The Ghost Stories
Stories of restless spirits soon followed. Workers claimed to hear phantom voices calling for help
long after the men were sealed inside. They saw apparitions of miners walking in and out of the
tunnel, some who appeared to be covered in soot. They heard muffled screams, footsteps and
saw lantern lights in the darkness only to vanish when approached. Still today, ghost stories
continue among rail workers and curious visitors. Even outside of the tunnel, disembodied voices
have been reported to be calling out in anguish into the quiet of the night.Locals began avoiding the tunnel altogether, especially after dark insisting that the air carries
more than just the rumbles of a train passing through. Paranormal investigators still visit and
some claim EVP (electronic voice phenomena) recordings of miners' cries. The combination of
history and tragedy makes it one of New England’s most haunted places! Perhaps the
Algonquian name has more meaning than originally believed. In the place of stones, every rock
seems to echo the memory of the men who died within.Sources:
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Hoosac Tunnel. In Wikipedia. Retrieved August 30, 2025, from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoosac_Tunnel
Johnson, A. (2025, July 29) The Haunted Hoosac Tunnel. Museum Hack.
https://museumhack.com/haunted-hoosac-tunnel/#easy-footnote-bottom-1-15828
