The Chicago Sewers: East Peterson Tunnel and Manhole (Gallery 15)

These photos were taken on June 7, 2009. However, I wanted to take them on April 26, 2009. On my way here, I got caught by a police car and had an incident. The story is actually many paragraphs and fit for another page on that. It was my 2nd collision with the Chicago Police Department regarding the sewers. So I had to go back home that day. I was caught on Lincoln street, so what did I do this time? This time, I went residential.

June 7, 2009 4:53 a.m.

I was going north, and I saw a manhole to the left and a manhole to the right. However, this photo is facing east. The manhole on the west is at the bottom and the manhole at the east is at the top. I went into the bottom 1 1st.

This place is actually close distance to an intersection. So 90% of the time, there were cars waiting for the green light. So I had to wait of course until they gone and before the new cars come before making my move. Sigh.

4:33 a.m. This is the 1 to the left.

And this is what looks inside it.

And this is the manhole to the right. Oh, I forgot to take a photo of it. But I will someday (in the day time) and post it here.

July 6, 2009 2:17 a.m.

4:40 a.m. But this is the inside of what that manhole looks like.

By the way, I have a joke to tell you. I was standing with my Mom, Dad, and sister, in an intersection in downtown San Francisco on Saturday, May 23, 2009, waiting for a green light, around 5:30 p.m., and in the street, there were several manholes, with 1 of them having steam coming out.

I said to my sister, "See how that 1 manhole has steam coming out, but not the other manholes."

She did not seem very interested. That's when my Dad said to my sister "See how your brother specializes in manholes, but he doesn't specialize in woman holes."

Photos of manhole 1:

4:43 a.m. Let's do it.

4:44 a.m.

Look at what I am standing on. Yup, a tunnel. Looks like a 4-foot diameter tunnel.

The water below, while shining with my flashlight, actually had a depth of some 3 feet, including right below the tunnel. My own private swimming pool. :]

4:46 a.m. The view up. Look at the sky. See the color of it? It is black. Okay, remember that.

Sticking the camera down while sitting, this is the photo of the tunnel I could get.

4:48 a.m. So I had to climb down to actually put a foot onto this and another into the tunnel.

4:50 a.m. If you notice closely, the tunnel actually turns to the right.

Anyways, I did not go through the tunnel. Why? Afraid I might drop my camera on water. Not really. But just that once I have a lot of photos taken, my emphasis is to go home asap in case some incident happens, like a police officer having me delete all my photos on my camera and stuff. This tunnel I will reserve to explore for another time.

From my experiences now, I have a feeling I know what the tunnel will lead to. I was thinking, a dead end, but then I also thought, I already am in a dead end (sort of), so that makes it a bit less unlikely that it will lead to a dead end. Oh well.

So the next time I come down, I can cut straight to the tunnel! Learn the art of patience, man. So next time if something happens, like I drop my camera or get caught by police, I at least still have this gallery up!

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The view up, hey, what do you notice about the sky? It is no longer black! Different color.

4:51 a.m.

Photos of manhole 2:

4:57 a.m. This is going back to that other manhole. Man, cars are out there all the time.

4:58 a.m.

This is the 1st time I ever seen steps on both sides. Cool.

4:59 a.m. Doesn't actually look like there's much down there.

So I was down at Peterson from 4:30 a.m. to 5 a.m. on a Sunday, but you know what, so much traffic! The place was along the street so there were cars almost at all times.

If there's traffic at 4:30 to 5 a.m. on a Sunday morning, what makes I think there's less traffic at 2 a.m.?

So when will be the next time I come here? You guessed it - probably in the winter. But not when it's so much under freezing 32, but under 0. The sad thing is (sort of), is I'm moving out of my apartment this month, so if I come back in the winter, it'll be a bus ride or something for me.

This page to be updated in some half a year later.

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But I lied.

July 6, 2009, 1:50 a.m.

1:54 a.m. Now there was something I did not want to see. Or maybe. A bottle there means someone came in after the 1st time I came in. I posted this site in the SkyscraperCity forums, Chicago section, so maybe someone there came down and did it!

1:56 a.m.

I made the mistake of coming here after a rain. This place was muddy and packed with earthworms. This made me not crawl so I hurt my legs and back real hard. I had to stop and take a rest and break every once in a while.

1:59 a.m.

2:01 a.m.

2:03 a.m.

2:05 a.m.

2:08 a.m.

Lambrecht is a region in Germany. And various other usages in Chicago. The 36" suggests the tunnel is 3 foot tall, which I agree with. I brought my tape measure even though I did not use it. :/

2:09 a.m.

And up.

2:15 a.m. Me outside at the end of it, sweaty as hell.