The City of Richmond marked the 100th anniversary of the Church Hill Tunnel collapse on October 2, 2025. The event was organized by the Friends of Jefferson Park and the Church Hill Association, who aimed to honor those lost in the disaster and raise public awareness about its historical significance.
Mayor Danny Avula issued a formal proclamation for the centennial, stating: “WHEREAS, on October 2, 1925, a section of the Church Hill Tunnel catastrophically collapsed during a railway upgrade project, tragically entombing a steam locomotive, work cars, and an unknown number of laborers; and
WHEREAS, this disaster reveals a significant and somber chapter in the history of the City of Richmond, a permanent reminder of the risks undertaken in the building of our infrastructure and the profound cost of progress; and
WHEREAS, the tunnel was subsequently sealed, leaving a piece of our city’s industrial heritage and the final resting place of those lost, preserved beneath the ground of what is now Jefferson Park; and
WHEREAS, the Friends of Jefferson Park and the Church Hill Association have taken the lead in organizing this commemoration to honor the memory of those lost and to educate the public on this significant historical event;
WHEREAS, NOW, THEREFORE, I, Dr. Danny TK Avula, Mayor of the City of Richmond, do hereby recognize October 2, 2025, as a day of commemoration for the ‘100th Anniversary of the Church Hill Tunnel Collapse.’
I urge all citizens to pause and remember this event and the individuals whose lives were lost, and I commend the Friends of Jefferson Park and the Church Hill Association for their dedication to preserving this important part of our shared history.”
The collapse occurred during an upgrade project on October 2, 1925. It resulted in workers being trapped underground along with equipment. The tunnel was later sealed beneath what is now Jefferson Park.
The city’s observance highlights both remembrance for those affected by infrastructure projects in Richmond’s past and ongoing efforts by local organizations to keep such histories present in community memory.
