There are indeed tunnels underneath Western Illinois University. A handful of them run across campus, working as conduits for steam pipes to provide energy for heating and cooling on campus. The tunnels run hot due to the steam, easily reaching a couple hundred degrees. The majority were put in during the 2000s and 2010s. Without the tunnels, the pipes would be exposed to the elements and more likely to corrode. Most of them are shallow and only encase the pipes, but some are walking tunnels that allow room for a person to walk through for maintenance purposes. The tunnels are rather simple but are inaccessible to students and faculty. 

However, one tunnel seems to stand apart. When the building that would come to be known as Simpkins Hall was constructed in 1937, a tunnel was made to connect it to Sherman Hall. Below is a picture of the tunnel’s construction, used by permission of John Hallwas from his book, “First Century: A Pictorial History of Western Illinois University.” Faculty and students were originally allowed to use the tunnel, especially in bad weather, up until the late 1950s when it became off-limits. Today it is just used for maintenance and steam pipes.

Luckily, I had the pleasure of seeing the tunnel in person. The tunnel is approximately 335 feet in length and wide enough for two people to comfortably walk side by side. It leads from the basement of Sherman Hall to a door on Simpkins’ ground floor, after going up some stairs. Pipes and wires line the sides and while it is a little warm, it does not run as hot as other tunnels on campus. 

Tunnels have always been a fun subject with an air of adventure and mystery around them. While the truth of the tunnels may seem unexciting, the knowledge of them adds a bit of whimsy to the campus- that beneath our feet lies something unseen.