Day 68 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways
Stumphouse Tunnel Park
We left Georgia for the northwest part of South Carolina today. Our first stop along the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway was at Stumphouse Tunnel Park to see Issaqueena Falls, a 200 foot cascade. Unbeknownst to me, the park also featured an unfinished tunnel, hence the name. The work on Stumphouse Tunnel began in the 1850s to provide railroad passage from Cincinnati, OH to Charleston, SC.
The granite rock proved a challenge and Irish immigrants were only able to progress 200 feet per month. As such, funds for the proposed 5,863 foot tunnel were depleted. Before more funds were acquired, the Civil War commenced, and the tunnel was never completed.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN!