From Fox News: Under the floorboards of the U.S. Capitol lie hidden staircases and passageways left over from the iconic building’s original construction in the 18th century, a viral video posted by Republican North Carolina Rep. Tim Moore shows.
“Construction started in the 1700s and there are all sorts of little hidden passageways. As you saw, I just pulled this cover up, and you can see,” Moore said in a video posted to his official congressional X account on Friday, showing a secret door in the floor of the Capitol.
The U.S. Capitol’s construction was commissioned in 1793, with President George Washington laying the cornerstone that same year. The original building was completed in 1826, with various expansions made across the decades, such as a visitor center that opened in 2008.
Moore took viewers inside the Capitol’s Lincoln Room, which he said is one of his favorites to show visitors to Washington, D.C., noting it’s where Abraham Lincoln would sit by a fire and read letters when he served as a congressman representing Illinois from 1847-1849.
“Come with me to see one of the hidden secrets of the Capitol! The Lincoln Room is one of my favorite spots to bring visitors — when President Lincoln was serving in the House, he sat by the fireplace in this room to read his letters, but the most interesting part of the room is underneath the floorboards,” Rep. Moore wrote, as he posted the stunning video.
In a follow-up post on Saturday, Moore joked, “Folks are reaching out to tell me I’ve accidentally revealed where @JakeSherman and the other members of the Capitol Press Corps live.”
WATCH:
Come with me to see one of the hidden secrets of the Capitol!
The Lincoln Room is one of my favorite spots to bring visitors — when President Lincoln was serving in the House, he sat by the fireplace in this room to read his letters, but the most interesting part of the room is… pic.twitter.com/hp36jfQrk4
— Congressman Tim Moore (@RepTimMooreNC) May 9, 2025
Moore has been criticized by some for posting the video. Monday morning, he shared a new update to clarify some important details.
“So many misconceptions about this old staircase since I posted the video! To clear things up: while it’s now beneath a newer floor, this is not a tunnel. It’s a sealed-off exit that once led directly from the Capitol’s second floor to the outside. It’s been closed off for decades and is public information. I always enjoy sharing pieces of history with folks back home, and it’s great to see so many people interested in it!” he wrote.
So many misconceptions about this old staircase since I posted the video!
To clear things up: while it’s now beneath a newer floor, this is not a tunnel. It’s a sealed-off exit that once led directly from the Capitol’s second floor to the outside. It’s been closed off for… https://t.co/yuBOzKYtd1
— Congressman Tim Moore (@RepTimMooreNC) May 12, 2025
READ MORE from Fox News.
Congressman reveals hidden secret passageway from America’s founding under Capitol floorboards https://t.co/3dNzRc3kLp
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 11, 2025
Follow us on X (Formerly Twitter.)
The DML News App: www.X.com/DMLNewsApp
The Dennis Michael Lynch Podcast archive is available below, with the most recent on top. Never miss an episode. Subscribe to the show by downloading The DML News App or go to Apple Podcasts.
