Imagine taking a late night drive. You come upon a tunnel in desperate need of repair; cracks are visible in the cement and graffiti is everywhere. Regardless, you choose to drive through, but your car suddenly dies. You try to restart it, but it won’t turn over. Glancing into your rearview mirror you see the shadow of a woman in your back seat. This is just one possibility of what could happen if you drive through the Sensabaugh Tunnel.
The Sensabaugh Tunnel is located just off Big Elm Road in Kingsport, Tennessee. It was constructed in the 1920’s along the Holston River on land owned by Edward Sensabaugh who also helped in its construction. A hill was blasted apart to make way for the road and tunnel, and to act as a support for the train tracks that ran over it for the C.C.& O. Railroad.
The tunnel is over twelve feet high, and three hundred and eighty feet long. As the Holston River swells with heavy rainfall, it spills up and through the tunnel, leaving the ground in a constant state of wet and slick. Today the exterior is littered with cracks and graffiti.
The Sensabaugh Tunnel is known as one of the most haunted locations in Tennessee, and is nationally recognized as an urban legend.
Legend has it that Edward Sensabaugh was a good Christian man. When he met a homeless man, he chose to help him by allowing him to stay in his home. What he did not expect was for the homeless man to also be a thief.
The homeless man filled his pockets with everything he could, including money and jewelry. When Edward caught him, he pulled a gun on the man, but the man wasn’t about to surrender. He grabbed Edward’s baby daughter and used her as a shield as he escaped the house.
The homeless man ran, but he knew he couldn’t keep the baby. Especially with Edward hot on his tail. As he reached the Sensabaugh Tunnel, he made the decision to toss her in the river, thereby removing one of his burdens, and causing a necessary distraction as he made his escape.
Another legend claims that Edward Sensabaugh went mad and killed his entire family. He carried their bodies into the tunnel where he ultimately took his own life.
The third legend revolving around the Sensabaugh family, which most believe to be the most accurate, claims that Edward lived a good life well into the 1950’s. His children all grew up and moved away, leaving him alone in his home by the tunnel.
By that time, teenagers had begun to use the tunnel as a popular make-out spot. It became the place to go for mischief makers.
Edward, being an old man by this time, was not happy about the kids’ use of his tunnel and decided it was time to do something. He began to hide at one end of the tunnel where he would shriek and yell loudly, hoping to scare them away.
That’s when the rumors started. People began to believe that the tunnel was haunted, and the sounds they were hearing were the restless spirits of the dead.
Other stories claim that a woman driving home one night during a thunderstorm reached the Sensabaugh Tunnel just as her car broke down. She ventured out toward the Sensabaugh home, but never made it.
The final legend states that a young pregnant woman was chased out of her home. As she walked she came upon the tunnel where she went into labor. She screamed out for help, but help never arrived. Both she and her baby died that day in the tunnel.
Those brave enough to visit the tunnel report that if your car dies, or if you choose to shut it off in the middle of the tunnel, it won’t turn back on. As you continue to try to get it started, you will see the ghost of Edward Sensabaugh approaching from behind. Just as he’s about to reach you, the car will start back up.
During the time you’re stuck, or if you’re on foot, you can hear the sound of Edward’s footsteps.
It has been reported that those who get stuck have sometimes seen the shadow of a woman in their backseat. Even those who haven’t gotten stuck in the tunnel have reported looking in their rear view mirror to catch sight of her.
Then there’s the cries of a baby.
Today, mostly locals use the tunnel, and even then most would prefer not to. If you’re ever in the area, stop and see for yourself if the legends are true.
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