Built in the 1930s under the direction of Robert Moses, the Freedom Tunnel runs from 125th to 72nd Street under Riverside Park. Until 1991 it was used as a homeless encampment, but after Amtrak resumed service through the tunnel it was completely cleared-- fifteen years later, the detritus of human habitation still haunts the place, but no one lives there. The walls of the tunnel are famous among graffiti-cognoscenti-- skylight grates every twenty or thirty feet create sun-lit exhibition spots. Deep inside the tunnel you can find some classic pieces by Freedom (whose nom de guerre gives the tunnel its name), Twist, Revs, Cost, and Sane/Smith-- and more recent stuff from Kuma and Deuce Seven.
Cool. I never knew about this tunnel. And isn't that first photo a portrait of DB Cooper??
Posted by: Steve | 05/10/2007 at 03:43 PM
I'm in Riverside Park pretty regularly and, hearing the rush of the train underneath, I always wondered what was down there. Fantastic shots, Jake. And I love the idea of the grates creating exhibition spots. Awesome.
Posted by: jellis | 05/10/2007 at 10:32 PM
Oh, no, that's the Unabomber. My bad.
Posted by: Steve | 05/11/2007 at 09:32 AM