The BodyChute has been a major subject of discussion among people who have been to visit Waverly Hills. For some reason this tunnel has come to be called "the body chute." Actually however, this is an incorrect term because a chute is a slide. Bodies of deceased patients were never slid down this tunnel and piled up at the bottom in heaps.

The tunnel was originally a steam tunnel that had pipes running through it which supplied the sanatorium with hot steam for the radiators. The original boiler room was located at the bottom of the hill, because of the black smoke produced by the coal fed boilers.

The tunnel was also a good way for employees to get up and down the hill during the winter and keep warm at the same time. Transporting the bodies of deceased tuberculosis patients was only ONE of the uses of the tunnel.

During the peak years of tuberculosis there were a lot of deaths at the sanatorium, and the staff realized that it would be very discouraging for patients to look out the windows and see hearses pulling up and taking away people who had died.

Due to the lack of electricity, there is total darkness inside of the tunnell after about thirty feet down. Good strong flash lights are needed. The accoustics are interesting too. There is a strong echo when you talk.

You can get a good idea just how dark it is down inside this tunnel from these photos. The light only shines down or up so far, and then it goes into total darkness.. Studying the photos closely, you can see that there are steps on one side, and a smooth slab on the other. At one time there were rails on the smooth side, somewhat similar to what a coal mine has. They had gurney tables with wheels which rode on those tracks. A motorized winch system would gradually lower the bodies of deceased patients down the tunnel.

The tunnel is approximately 500 feet long. It has vent shafts the stick up above the ground about every 100 feet. These shafts let in some light and fresh air.