If you’ve been in Columbia for any length of time, you’ve probably heard talk of the underground tunnels that are rumored to run under the city. There’s lots of differing information floating around about where the tunnels go + what they were originally constructed for. But in short, the rumors are true – there are tunnels that lie beneath our city.

The idea of an underground tunnel system has always intrigued and been a mystery to us. So we dug in to unearth the facts and find out what we could about the tunnels, where they are, and what their purpose is. With the help of a couple Reddit threads, some ghost story websites, and a few cool videos (we weren’t quite brave enough to go explore the tunnels ourselves), we’ve broken down the truth of Columbia’s underground.

A tunnel entrance at the Riverfront Park | Photo via COLAtoday

While there are many different theories as to why the tunnels were originally constructed, it isn’t clear what their initial purpose was or where they originally spanned to and from. Many believe the tunnels were used to transport items (or carriages) to and from the river, while others say their construction was more political in nature.

Nonetheless, it appears some portion of the tunnels have since been restructured into storm and sewage drains.

So where are the tunnels located?

In 2010, Anderson Burns from ABC Columbia created two segments for the Hidden Columbia series that explored different sections of the tunnel system. In the first segment, they appeared to find entrances on the riverfront near the Gervais Street Bridge and near the Colonial Life Arena.

The tunnel the team entered in the first segment is constructed of brick and has a wooden floor that’s been preserved well throughout the years. They eventually reached sections that turned into storm drains + found a few exits, which appeared to lead to manhole covers.

The Hidden Columbia team also explored tunnels underneath Five Points in the second segment of the series. These tunnels look much different than those by the river; they’re constructed with concrete and look much more cave-like. These tunnels also appear to flood frequently with the streets above them.

One common myth about Columbia’s underground tunnel system is that it’s one large, interconnected system. While this may have been more of the case when the tunnels were originally built, this is not the case today.

According to many Reddit users, the tunnels under UofSC’s campus are not connected to other parts of the city and not a part of the other tunnels. In fact, the tunnels under UofSC are solely utility tunnels that are used to connect steam pipes to multiple buildings. We also hear it’s illegal to enter these tunnels, so while there is information to be found on where the entrances to these tunnels are, we recommend not looking into it.

For over 70 years, stories of the Third Eye Man have circulated Columbia and UofSC’s campus in connection to the utility tunnels. Back in November of 1949, a strange man in bright silver clothing was spotted entering the tunnels through a manhole on campus. Months later, the man was spotted standing over chicken remains by a university police officer near Longstreet Theatre. When the officer shined his flashlight at the man, he noticed a third, small eye on the man’s forehead. (Check out a sketch of him here.) Before backup could arrive, the Third Eye Man disappeared into the tunnels.

Many sightings of the Third Eye Man have since been reported, especially in the 80s and 90s; however, most sightings were dismissed by campus police. What’s your take – do you think the Third Eye Man is still living in the tunnels under UofSC?

Another common myth around the Columbia tunnels is that one of the entrances is in front of the arcade mall with a metal door and lock on it. While the locked door does lead underground, it doesn’t lead into a tunnel; it leads to the former Down Under Columbia restaurant and bar space, which was open from 1972 to 1974. Check out this video from WLTX exploring the abandoned underground space.

So all in all, while the full answers to Columbia’s underground tunnels aren’t completely clear, we do know that they exist in some capacity. And maybe there’s a little fun in not having all of the answers.