One Chicago crossover: Do Al Capone's tunnels exist in real life?

The mysterious tunnels played a big role in the story.
ByDanilo Castro|
CHICAGO FIRE -- "In The Trenches: Part I" Episode 13011 -- Pictured: Christian Stolte as Randy "Mouch" McHolland -- (Photo by: Peter Gordon/NBC)
CHICAGO FIRE -- "In The Trenches: Part I" Episode 13011 -- Pictured: Christian Stolte as Randy "Mouch" McHolland -- (Photo by: Peter Gordon/NBC)

One Chicago dished out one of its biggest disasters to date in its 2025 crossover. There was a huge explosion, victims trapped under rubble, and an entire train full of passengers who were under threat of having concrete structures collapse on them. It was a tense experience for all involved.

In typical One Chicago fashion, characters came up with clever and often genius methods to save lives and ensure the people responsible for the explosion were brought to justice. One aspect of the three-part story that may have taken some viewers aback, however, were Al Capone's secret tunnels. They were repeatedly referenced throughout, and proved to be play a pivotal role in the plot. So what is the deal? Are these tunnels real?

The Chicago tunnels are over 100 years old

Chicago P.D. - Season 12
CHICAGO P.D. -- "In The Trenches: Part III" Episode 12014 -- Pictured: Miranda Rae Mayo as Stella Kidd -- (Photo by: Elizabeth Sisson/NBC)

It's a point of debate throughout the crossover. Dante Torres (Benjamin Levy Aguilar) mentions the tunnels during the second half of the story, while people like IU boss Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) and firefighters express confusion/skepticism. Well, it turns out that the tunnels do exist.

According to Mental Floss, there are dozens of tunnels scattered throughout Chicago's North Side. They span from the Uptown Theater and the Aragon Ballroom, to the Green Mill Cocktail Lounge, and hit several other businesses along the way. Some scholars refer to them as the Uptown tunnels, but the point of historical contention is whether or not people like Al Capone had them commissioned.

Capone ruled the Chicago underworld with an iron fist during Prohibition in the 1930s. He contributed to the illegal transportation of alcohol throughout the city, which is what's led to theories that he had the tunnels made to lessen the police heat he was facing.

Al Capone used the tunnels to avoid police

Chicago P.D. - Season 12
CHICAGO P.D. -- "In The Trenches: Part III" Episode 12014 -- Pictured: Steven Weber as Dr. Dean Archer -- (Photo by: Elizabeth Sisson/NBC)

This is not true. While Capone may have very well used the tunnels, he did not have them made for the expressed purpose of transporting booze. Prohibition historian Bill Savage told the outlet that it's misleading to suggest Capone or any other gangster had a had in the Uptown tunnels' creation.

"This is mythmaking, based on assumptions of organized crime that are not true," Savage noted. The tunnels existed prior to Capone and criminal peers like Frank Nitti, and were merely used in their now iconic capacity out of convenience. Today, they have been thoroughly explored, and rumors about a Capone tunnel stretching all the way to Lake Michigan have since been debunked.

One Chicago has always been good about taking real Chicago history and locations and weaving it into their storylines. The crossover event is the latest example of this, and it may well spark brand new interest in the Uptown tunnels from viewers.

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