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Goshen looks to buy land for cemetery, and to protect mysterious tunnel
the Gazette ^ | Thursday, August 26, 2010 | Rebecca Everett

Posted on 08/28/2010 5:00:14 AM PDT by SunkenCiv

Mysterious tunnel
The tunnel that exists on the 2-acre lot is a well-like shaft 3.5 feet in diameter that descends 14 feet straight down, and then extends in two tunnels that are tall enough to stand upright in. One of those tunnels extends 16.5 feet north before it ends in a cave-in, while the other tunnel runs south for 62 feet before it also caved in. The walls, ceiling and floor of the tunnels are all lined with large stones, some as big as 5 feet in length.

Excavations were conducted in 1972 and 1980 to determine the age and purpose of the tunnel, but were not very successful. In 1980, the late James Whittall, then the director of archaeology for the Danielson, Conn.-based Early Sites Research Society that excavated the tunnel, said that based on the evidence from stones, it may have been created as early as 500 to 900 B.C.

Margaret Waggoner said that the Goshen Historical Commission hopes that the purchase passes so that the land, including the tunnel, will not be used as a building lot. "We sure don't need a building there, you could imagine what the construction could do to the tunnel," she said.

The tunnel's entrance, which is now hidden by a boulder to discourage vandals, will probably remain sealed, Waggoner said, because it has already been extensively excavated in the past without yielding many clues about its original purpose.

Brian Noess contacted the town about purchasing the land last fall.

(Excerpt) Read more at gazettenet.com ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: godsgravesglyphs
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To: SunkenCiv

Obviously, since the tunnels run in two directions the builder(s) either had no objective in mind and just liked to dig, discovered they were going in the wrong direction at the end of 15 feet, or found the treasure at the end of the short tunnel.

Now that it is sealed it will be a mystery for the ages...at least in the Land of Goshen.

(Must’ve been a slow day at the Gazette—and at GGG)


21 posted on 08/28/2010 6:02:06 AM PDT by wildbill (You're just jealous because the Voices talk only to me.)
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To: calex59
A very common thing at one time for various expressions . . .

. . . like "o'clock"! Really.

22 posted on 08/28/2010 6:20:53 AM PDT by maryz
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To: calex59

Land o’ Goshen. Godfrey Daniels! I believe you’re right. One of my relatives born in the 1880s used it frequently.


23 posted on 08/28/2010 6:48:48 AM PDT by DeFault User
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To: stumptalker
Where is Goshen?

It's not far from Zoan and Succoth. Here's a map: Goshen

24 posted on 08/28/2010 7:31:47 AM PDT by Bernard Marx (I donÂ’t trust the reasoning of anyone who writes then when they mean than.)
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To: SunkenCiv

If the tunnel is that old, maybe it wasn’t a tunnel to begin with but an above-ground structure. Perhaps excavating the areas alongside the tunnel will yield more information than the tunnel itself.

Just sayin’.


25 posted on 08/28/2010 7:39:14 AM PDT by Monkey Face (If you think health care is expensive now, wait till it's free.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Sounds like a prime, secret party location for local teenagers to have created. Well?

On another note, maybe a shelter for a handful of the indigenous peoples of the region to hide in when another peaceful, nature loving tribe of indigenous peoples decided to “visit” and take whatever they wanted.....


26 posted on 08/28/2010 7:45:31 AM PDT by john drake (Roman military maxim; "oderint dum metuant," i.e., "let them hate, as long as they fear.")
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To: SunkenCiv

As a child we discovered a tunnel system under our local cemetary here in MA.
We had some fun times down there.
I believe it was a dranage system although it was never wet down there.


27 posted on 08/28/2010 8:18:53 AM PDT by mowowie
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To: Daffynition; abner; victim of circumstance

Thanks for the ping!

Beautiful picture of America One!

She is a Grand Old Flag!


28 posted on 08/28/2010 11:21:31 AM PDT by Taxman (So that the beautiful pressure does not diminish!)
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To: Taxman

You’re very welcome ...you’re still my favorite aeronaut! ;D


29 posted on 08/28/2010 11:37:14 AM PDT by Daffynition ("Life Imitates Bacon, but Bacon does not imitate Life. Bacon IS life." ~paulycy)
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To: wildbill; SunkenCiv
Both side tunnels end at cave ins; not at an end wall. The tunnels are rock lined & floored, using large slabs. up to 5' long.

This makes it obvious that Romans made it to the new world, and immediately began building a qanat aqueduct system, to carry water from who knows where, to anybody's guess, for who knows why!

Extend the tunnels routes on the surface, and look for more 'wells'.

Other, more likely explanations (though less sensational) exist, but why destroy a chance to create a great tourism myth? This could be bigger than Paul Bunyan!

30 posted on 08/28/2010 6:32:18 PM PDT by ApplegateRanch (Made in America, by proud American citizens, in 1946.)
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To: SunkenCiv

BTTT


31 posted on 08/28/2010 6:38:31 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar (*)
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To: john drake

Originally there were signs at the bottom of the ‘well’:

<-— Men Women -—>


32 posted on 08/28/2010 6:48:32 PM PDT by ApplegateRanch (Made in America, by proud American citizens, in 1946.)
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To: mowowie

A lot of colleges have those (hence the total lack of overhead lines), fun to explore.


33 posted on 08/28/2010 9:11:23 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Democratic Underground... matters are worse, as their latest fund drive has come up short...)
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To: A. Morgan

Some drivers use their horns instead of the stuff that actually controls their cars.


34 posted on 08/28/2010 9:25:10 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Democratic Underground... matters are worse, as their latest fund drive has come up short...)
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To: SunkenCiv

Years later we discovered tunnels under our town square.
A boaded up tiny brick building in an alley next to the local movie theater had a spiral staircase leading down.

Once we got down there there were 4 tunnels leading in different directions.
The best part of it was one tunnel lead to a boarded up doorway which we got through which led us into the back end of the movie theater. This part of the theater apparently was closed off for YEARS. there were old dressing rooms back there, prop rooms, ladders going way up the high wall, 3 inches of dust on everything.
It was really cool.

My buddy told a friend about it a few days later and he ended up on the front page of our local paper with 3 cases of Reeses in his hands.
Dumbass.


35 posted on 08/28/2010 9:34:54 PM PDT by mowowie
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To: ApplegateRanch

Depends on whose ox gets gored, Babe.


36 posted on 08/28/2010 10:28:25 PM PDT by wildbill (You're just jealous because the Voices talk only to me.)
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To: Daffynition

LOL! Thanks! You are my favorite range companion.


37 posted on 08/29/2010 2:06:43 PM PDT by Taxman (So that the beautiful pressure does not diminish!)
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To: Taxman
Bitter sweet memory ... you shooting my pistol for the first time and hitting the *X* ring ....and me using your weapon and not even hitting the target. I'm not even sure I want a re-match. ;)


38 posted on 08/29/2010 2:31:52 PM PDT by Daffynition ("Life Imitates Bacon, but Bacon does not imitate Life. Bacon IS life." ~paulycy)
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To: mowowie

Somewhere on FR there’s a topic about the tunnels connecting the businesses of Chinatown. They were used years ago to transact, uh, business.


39 posted on 08/29/2010 5:43:10 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Democratic Underground... matters are worse, as their latest fund drive has come up short...)
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To: SunkenCiv

Tunnels were not uncommon in the colonial era. They were that era’s version of safe rooms and met the function of safety from bandits and roving bands of soldiers. Some were used as stores of wealth or smuggling.


40 posted on 08/29/2010 5:47:57 PM PDT by bvw
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