Comments on: Urban exploration in Las Vegas

Urban exploration in Las Vegas

crazymonk — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 12:33:10 -0800

Beneath the Neon is a book-length account of author Matt O'Brien's exploration of most of the 400+ miles of flood-control tunnels underneath the glitzy lights of Las Vegas. This excerpt contains an interview with one of the hundreds of people who manage to live in these tunnels, despite the lethal floodwaters that sometimes wash through. Here's another excerpt, and there's also a Flickr gallery of images from the book's photographer, including graffiti galleries, enterprising inhabitants, and rarely seen perspectives of the Strip.

By: metasonix

metasonix — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 13:03:53 -0800

Once long ago, a history teacher told me "to learn what will happen to a civilization, start by examining its sewers." The more people you find living in those sewers, the more unstable the society is.

By: loquacious

loquacious — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 13:19:55 -0800

PREPARE FOR THE COMING OF C.H.U.D. MUTANTS, ARISE!

By: carter

carter — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 14:13:57 -0800

Ooh, excellent - thanks, crazymonk!

By: acro

acro — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 14:36:29 -0800

Amazon

By: mystyk

mystyk — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 15:18:00 -0800

Ick. My sister lives in those tunnels. She's been under the influence of rather heavy drugs for quite a few years, despite our best efforts to help, and stays with her equally drugged-out husband in a section not far from UNLV where the tunnels go topside and become open washes. It's been nearly six months since we've heard from her, and every day we worry slightly that the cops will call to have us identify her body. Those tunnels are most likely going to be her grave.

By: sugarfish

sugarfish — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 18:33:35 -0800

This is really interesting. I'm fascinated by tunnels underneath cities -- maybe I've read Neverwhere too many times, I don't know. Thanks for the post.

By: rmm

rmm — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 19:21:19 -0800

Fascinating find. Thanks so much for this. Mystyk, that must be a horrible nightmare. Dunno what to say, other than I'm so sorry to read that and I hope for the best...

By: randomstriker

randomstriker — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 19:56:16 -0800

Reminds me of the documentary Dark Days, about the homeless folk who live underneath New York City. Definitely worth watching.

By: phaedon

phaedon — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 20:32:07 -0800

Sorry to hear about that, mystyk. That is tragic.

By: hattifattener

hattifattener — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 21:22:17 -0800

Previously, on Metafilter: The Mole People