The legend of Aunt Nancy cursing this tunnel is as eerie as the abandoned tunnel itself.

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*WARNING: Under no circumstances should you enter this property. By doing so you risk bodily harm and/or prosecution for trespassing on private property.* 

The Abandoned Spurlington Tunnel

Located in Taylor County, Kentucky about five miles outside of Campbellsville sits an old tunnel, that was once a bustling railroad. Columbia Magazine says that the Spurlington Tunnel is 1900 feet long,  and at one point there were four trains a day that would utilize this particular railroad, so many people have passed through the Spurlington Tunnel.

According to Kentucky Atlas, the Spurlington Tunnel was completed in 1874, and was named for a local family.  The old railroad tunnel now sits abandoned, but local legends surrounding this tunnel are still alive and well, especially the legend of Aunt Nancy.

The Legend of Aunt Nancy

Legends surrounding a cursed treasure inside of this tunnel have been passed down for generations. There are a few different variations of the legend (like this one from ParanormallyCorrect on Tik Tok), but they all have one thing in common, Nancy Bass.  Nancy was believed to be a part of a prominent family that resided in the area, she is often referred to as "Aunt Nancy."  Local lore says that Nancy was brutally murdered in the tunnel after witnessing a crime,  but before her untimely death, she cursed the tunnel and the treasure that was hidden within it.

An article by Columbia Magazine claims that the famous outlaw Jesse James and his gang were hiding some loot, when Nancy Bass spotted them and unfortunately she was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

People claim "Aunt Nancy" as some called her, may have been related to several prominant families in the settlement had witnessed a group of robbers led by notorious Jessie James were digging a hole to hide some stolen silver and gold that had been taken in a train robbery that occurred in the Cumberland Mountains.

The men noticed that Bass was being a witness to a crime so the James gang robbers killed Bass, burying her body with the treasure somewhere on top of the tunnel,there are no grave markers.

Columbia Magazine has an excellent article about the history of the Spurlington Tunnel and the legend of Aunt Nancy, you can see the full article here for a much more in-depth look at the legend.