NADA
TUNNEL, Powell County, Kentucky
37° 49.04'N, 83° 40.96'W
Dug in 1910-11 for trains to haul logs through a mountain to a sawmill
on the other side, is considered the western gateway
to the Red River Gorge geological area of Daniel Boone National
Forest. Here's what a sign at the entrance of the tunnel says:
"Gateway to Red River Gorge, Nada tunnel (measuring 13'x12'x900')
was constructed to haul logs via narrow gauge railroad from
timber operations in the gorge. Construction began in Dec. 1910
and was completed in Sept. 1911. Rock and dirt were removed by
dynamite, steam drills and hand tools. One man was killed during
tunnel construction when he attempted to thaw frozen dynamite
which exploded when he set it near a fire."
"A 25-ton and a 35-ton Climax locomotive were used to haul
logs through the tunnel starting in 1912. The first load of logs
became
jammed in the tunnel and had to be dynamited free. It was enlarged
to accomodate the large logs common to the area.
The railroad carried the logs 15 miles to a mill at Clay City. At
one time it was the largest sawmill in the eastern United States." |
