"Hollow sidewalks" secrets below Sacramento streets: What they are and where they came from
SACRAMENTO -- Below the streets of Sacramento is a world many people have no idea exists. They are called "hollow sidewalks."
They are a complex system of corridors below older buildings in downtown, spanning from old town to the capital -- and they've been there for more than 100 years.
While some people refer to them as tunnels, they're actually a portion of older buildings that were the original ground level.
The structures were built more than 100 years ago to prevent buildings from flooding. The confluence between the Sacramento and American rivers would flood after heavy rain or spring snowmelt.
But it wasn't until the major flood in 1861 when a solution was needed. Instead of moving the city, they lifted each building up using hundreds of jack screws and then filled them in with brick walls, creating hollow corridors.
Now, the Sacramento History Museum provides tours to a few of them in Old Sacramento.
"They're considered hollow sidewalks because even though they feel like a tunnel, they do have a property line that ends with a solid brick wall," tour guide Agnus Jaycoax said.
With more modernization of Sacramento, many of these are being destroyed or filled in.
Also, over the past week, Sacramento Fire says they've responded to five fires inside the hollow sidewalks on K Street.
Those corridors aren't considered critical infrastructure, so the city can't just go and relocate the homeless people. In this case, before the city can do anything, the fire marshall has to do an investigation. After that, the findings will be forwarded to the city - who can then go in and begin closing them down.
