Happy Hollow Tunnel, Bonnell, Indiana

Built in 1904 under the former Big 4 Railroad line is the Happy Hollow Tunnel and stream ford just outside of downtown Bonnell, Indiana. Headed west on Bonnell Road you’ll make a hard left hand turn before heading down to the stream crossing. The crossing is made out of concrete but there’s not much left to it anymore and the culvert pipes under the roadway are completely packed with dirt and rock so that now the water goes over instead of under the crossing.

The tunnel itself is about 100 feet long and is one of the highlights for those traveling on the back country roads in Dearborn County. Trains still rumble overhead twice a day on their way to and from the Greensburg Honda Plant.

On the north-side of the tunnel, to the right you’ll see large stones shoring up the hillside for the rail line. Look closely and you’ll find some of the stone have ornate markings. Word has it that many years ago a building was demolished in downtown Cincinnati and the ornate facade around the buildings was loaded onto coal cars, transported out here and stacked to stabilize the hillside.