3. The Tunnel to the Battery was the First Vehicular Tunnel in New York City
To get to the water battery from the visitor’s center inside Fort Totten today, visitors walk through a long dark tunnel covered in scratched in graffiti, some messages dating back over 100 years. This tunnel, which runs alongside the torpedo battery, was constructed in 1870.
This tunnel was used to carry ammunition into the Main Magazine, a series of tunnels and vaults near the water battery, where it was stored. According to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, this tunnel is reportedly the first vehicular tunnel to ever be built in New York City.
