The Eastman tunnel was an ambitious engineering project aimed at improving the water flow from the Mississippi River to the milling operations in the Minneapolis area. As workers began excavating the tunnel in 1869, they encountered unstable soil conditions that required careful navigation. On October 5 of that year, a critical failure in the tunnel's structure led to a catastrophic collapse. The resulting landslide wreaked havoc on the surrounding area, with debris cascading down toward the iconic St. Anthony Falls, which was a crucial source of power for the local milling industry. Thankfully, while the falls sustained damage, the full scale of destruction was somewhat mitigated by timely evacuations and emergency responses.The materials excavated created challenges for ongoing construction and heightened concerns among local residents about the potential risks of future landslides. This incident triggered a re-evaluation of underground excavation techniques and safety protocols in civil engineering projects throughout the region. The lessons learned from the Eastman tunnel collapse would ultimately inform future infrastructural endeavors not only in Minnesota but across the United States as urban centers expanded and required more advanced engineering solutions.