8th Street Tunnel Entrance (1904-1956)

From 1904 to its closure in 1956, this was the site of a downtown opening for a streetcar tunnel that connected downtown with the West Bottoms. The first tunnel was completed in 1888 and was one of the most impressive infrastructure projects in 19th-century Kansas City. In 1904, this new tunnel entrance opened after an effort to expand the route and reduce the steepness of the grade down to the West Bottoms. Both the original 1888 tunnel and the modified tunnel that opened in 1904 allowed cable cars and street cars to move at a less steep grade than the previously completed 9th Street Incline.

After completing his innovative 9^th Street Incline in 1885, Robert Gillham created a second cable car line that connected downtown Kansas City to the West Bottoms via a tunnel through the bluffs. The tunnel was completed by over 100 workmen in 1888, and was one of the most impressive construction projects in Kansas City during the late 19th century. The new line was able to accommodate electric streetcars in later years because it operated at a less steep grade than the 9th Street and 12th Street Inclines, which required cable and braking systems for safety. A 1904 construction project extended the opening to Broadway along with a re-digging of the tunnel to allow for an even less-steep grade. When riders reached the end of the tunnel in Quality Hill, they could easily connect to many other lines, as Kansas City had the third-largest streetcar system in the United States in terms of track mileage.

When compared with the 18 percent grade of the 9th Street Incline and the 20 percent grade of the short-lived 12th Street Incline, the streetcar that passed through this tunnel was safer with an eight percent grade when the original tunnel was dug in 1888. The 1904 re-digging and extension to Broadway resulted in a 5.5% grade. The tunnel also reduced exposure to the elements. This made the tunnel's streetcar route safer and easier to maintain than the two inclines. While the 9th Street Incline operated until 1904, the 12th Street Incline continued to operate until October of 1913. The 12th Street Incline required cable for safety along with a brakeman and a conductor. The two inclines required more frequent maintenance compared to the tunnel owing to the exposed track. When the 12th Street Incline closed, all streetcar traffic between downtown and the West Bottoms moved through the tunnel.

According to Cody Newill of NPR of Kansas City, the 9^th Street Incline was not only a harrowing experience for first-time riders, given the elevation of the track, but it was also vulnerable to occasional cable breaks. If the brakeman or conductor was unable to stop a disconnected car, there were a few instances where passengers crashed into the West Bottoms depot. The tunnel was considered safer and more sustainable than the 9th and 12th Street Inclines, but all routes were used simultaneously until 1913, when the 12th Street Incline carried its last passengers.

With automobiles and busses surpassing streetcars, the tunnel was blocked off, and all traffic followed the elevated roads that connected the West Bottoms to downtown. On the final day of operations through the 8th Street Tunnel on April 19, 1956, over three thousand Kansas Citians took advantage of the offer to enjoy one last ride, and no fares were charged. By the end of that year, each of the remaining streetcars in the downtown area had ceased operations, as had the extended streetcar line down Troost Avenue, which once had the highest ridership in the city. The last three streetcar lines in Kansas City, the Country Club Line, Rockhill Line, and Dodoson Line operated until 1957.

The 1950s signaled the age of the automobile, and while some consideration was given to operating a road through the tunnel, new roads made this an unnecessary proposal. Downtown business leaders were happy to reclaim the space once used by the streetcar lines. DST Systems purchased the building west of this location and discovered that their building was directly above the tunnel. The company has allowed journalists occasional access to the tunnel. In 2017, 175 ticket-buying residents enjoyed a special tour and history exhibit that was part of a fundraiser for historic preservation. Despite an occasional news story or feature, the tunnel remains one of the best-kept secrets of downtown Kansas City history, and there is no historical marker or plaque that reveals the location of the former tunnel opening.

Monroe Dodd, A Splendid Ride: The Streetcars of Kansas City, 1870-1957 Kansas City Star Books,

Editors, kchistory.org. “8th Street Tunnel Entrance | KC History.” Kchistroy.Org, 2024, kchistory.org/image/8th-street-tunnel-entrance.

Cody Newill. “The 8th Street Tunnel Is a Gateway to Kansas City’s History - but You Probably Can’t Get In.” KCUR, 16 Sept. 2016, www.kcur.org/arts-life/2016-09-15/the-8th-street-tunnel-is-a-gateway-to-kansas-citys-history-but-you-probably-cant-get-in. 

Bernard, Katie. Could the 8th Street Tunnel Ever Be Restored? Your KC Q Answered., Kansas City Public Library. June 12th 2019. Accessed September 29th 2021. https://kclibrary.org/blog/could-8th-street-tunnel-ever-be-restored-your-kc-q-answered.

Blogger. Kansas City's 8th Street Tunnel, History KC. April 16th 2017. Accessed September 29th 2021. http://www.historykc.com/2017/04/kansas-citys-8th-street-tunnel.html.

Donovan, Alyssa. 8th Street Tunnel Gives a Glimpse into Kansas City History., KSHB. November 9th 2017. Accessed September 29th 2021. https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/8th-street-tunnel-gives-a-glimpse-into-kansas-city-history.

Pooper, Joseph. 8th Street Tunnel, 8th Street Tunnel - Underground Ozarks. Accessed October 1st 2021. https://www.undergroundozarks.com/8thstreetkcs.html. .