Kooky Kampus Presents
STEAM TUNNELS
As with many old establishments, there tends to be legends or myths that are created over time. One of these legends that I can bet almost every student at WSU has heard is the legend of the steam tunnels. While admittedly, the temptation to find a way down inside these tunnels has crossed my mind multiple times, the risk of expulsion as I am nearing my last semester of college is just too great. The steam tunnels were created long ago when steam was used to heat the buildings on campus. The main line runs all the way from the steam plant below Sloan up College Ave, and then breaks off into smaller lines that go to the basements of the various buildings. Many of the older buildings are still heated by steam to this day so most of the lines are still functional.
The appeal of going down into the steam tunnels can be mostly attributed to the fact that it is one of the few places on campus that is completely inaccessible. The fear of getting caught can be outweighed by the thrill of exploring the unknown. Not only that, but a rebellious attitude is one of the many redeeming qualities of college aged kids, and what better way to exercise that mentality? I certainly can’t think of anything. Now it would be wrong of me to suggest that anyone reading this break the law, but if it so happens that you accidentally found your way down one of those manholes I would not be opposed to hearing the story of your adventure.
Although I do hope to hear stories from other people who found their way down there, I was able to find a website about a group of explorers who documented their travels below. According to the website, a group calling themselves Molenet, explored the WSU steam tunnels dozens of times from 1994 to 1997 and managed to map out most of the tunnels that run throughout campus. The most interesting part about this exploration in my opinion is some of the history they discovered about the school that remained in the tunnels. Underneath Bohler Gym there is an abandoned bomb shelter apparently build during the Cold War in case of a nuclear attack. You can even see in a picture they took, a sign on the wall that says “Fallout Shelter”. If reading these guys’ story doesn’t want to make you go explore the steam tunnels for yourself, I don’t know what will. Another discovery that I found somewhat comical was the tagging “Reagan Sucks!” on one of the walls of the tunnels. Who knows if that was actually written during his presidency, but it is quite funny nonetheless.
The legend of the steam tunnels will continue to be told for many more generations of WSU students and I hope that the people that do end up exploring them will continue to share their experiences. These kinds of things are what gives WSU its identity and add to its rich history.