Wilkes Street Tunnel

According to legend the Wilkes Street Tunnel is haunted by an old ghost train.
The Wilkes Street Tunnel was part of the eastern division of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, founded in 1848 to promote trade with western Virginia. The Orange and Alexandria Railroad inaugurated it's track in Alexandria on 7 May, 1851 with a run from the north end of union street to the Wilkes Street Tunnel. The tunnel linked the railroad to the warehouses and wharves along the water front. Located nearby,the Smith and Perkins Foundry manufactured locomotives for the Orange and Alexandria and other railroads.

The Wilkes Street track continued in operation until 1975 when declining industrial activities along the waterfront no longer warranted rail service.

Some people say the tunnel is haunted but....I didn't notice anything. And it empties out right onto the Waterfront. IT was built as a railroad track to link the main lines to the waterfront. The rails were removed in 1975 and it was made into a walkway after 6 months of work.

Wilkes Street Tunnel is a pretty neat little section underground leading from Wilkes Street out towards the park. There weren't very many people walking through when we were there. If you're in the area, it's worth a quick walk through - pretty decent amount of history that passed through there.

Sweet spot! Lots of kind people going through when I visited (early morning) and the tunnel has a really unique build. Great spot for engagement photos!

- Jason Montoya Photography

I love visiting Wilkes Street Tunnel with my clients. It is a great place for family or engagement sessions. It's usually a pretty clean area and provides a nice backdrop all year round.

This is a very cool, historic place. The tunnel is longer than I was expecting and very well-maintained. Fun place to wander through on walks or to do a photo shoot.

Very neat place to visit! Situated in the middle of Wilkes Street, this tunnel spans a length of about 170 feet. It has an interesting past, dating back to the mid 1800s. It was used as a railway passage between DC and Richmond, shepparding troops and supplies to and from the front lines during the Civil War. The tunnel was also used considerably during World War I. The tunnel also has history with accidents of several persons around and during the time of the Civil War, where one person was stabbed to death. For this reason, there continues to be speculation that this tunnel is haunted at night!

Beautiful tunnel perfect for a photo shoot or walk through. If you are driving through Alexandria, stop by for a quick pic!

This is too cool. Great addition to Old Town's uniqueness..

It was an absolutely beautiful location for photos, a little busy but its understandable with the location. Definitely will be back to shoot there again!

It was perfect!
Not so clean but was able to enjoy going in and out with my wife, which she also enjoyed!
Be respectful to others, walk on your right side...

Pretty cool. Birds nest and flock on the west side exit of the tunnel and the plaques illustrate the neat historical nature of the tunnel. It looks dark and ominous from the outside but once you enter your focus shifts and you can see everything in either direction. I walk through this tunnel about once a week and I love it every time.

very nice place. Easy to get too with the free bus in Alexandria. nice city in general. Metal plate was a bit hard to read by rhe entrance but thats it

Very beautiful tunnel. Informative plaques and great photospot.

Lovely place for a photoshoot.

It's free. It's popular. It's picturesque.

Great place to take unique photos. Watch out to bicyclists and other pedestrians as you take photos.

Wilkes Street Tunnel is commonly used as a bike/running path in Alexandria, but many may not know the history about it. It's a tunnel used as part of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad that was incorporated in 1848. It was used to transport items to and from the nearby port in Old Town. Now it's part of a biking path and the site for many photo shoots.

Pretty amazing spot at night . Be sure to bring cash and wear your Mamas Pearls . Covid hit us all and go fund me is onto me .. god bless

Love walking historical trails. Continued down to the waterfront. Nice relaxing breeze.

nice spot for a photoshoot :)