There are many secrets in the U.S. Capitol. There have been smoky back-room deals, cloak-and-dagger subterfuge as politicians jostle for power, and endless horse trading as congresscritters try to get their own pet projects funded.

But did you know there were secret tunnels beneath the marbled floors? North Carolina GOP Rep. Tim Moore does, and he decided to give the public a little tour of what he found:

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

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.

Who knows what other secrets the building holds, considering it is almost 200 years old?

"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. 

But where does the tunnel go?

The North Carolina Republican opened a hidden door on the floor, revealing a dusty and historic staircase leading to what appeared to be another room below. 

"We're just off of what's called Statuary Hall, which at one time was the actual House chamber.… But this is just an example of some of the little hidden secrets in the Capitol," Moore said. 

If the rumors are true, the Brits actually used the staircase to almost destroy the revered building back in 1812:

The lawmaker added that he heard through Capitol building lore that the staircase under the Lincoln Room was used by British soldiers in the War of 1812 to set fire to the historic building. Known as the "Burning of Washington," British soldiers in August 1814 set fire to the U.S. Capitol, the Washington Navy Yard and the White House – which was then known as the Presidential Mansion – before storms put out the fires and military personnel were called to D.C. to defend it from British forces. The War of 1812 ended in 1815. 

Moore couldn’t help but have a little fun with his discovery though, poking fun at Jake Sherman, co-founder of Punchbowl News, and the rest of the Inside the Beltway journos:

Folks are reaching out to tell me I’ve accidentally revealed where @JakeSherman and the other members of the Capitol Press Corps live. https://t.co/KzMCDaJrcO

— Congressman Tim Moore (@RepTimMooreNC) May 10, 2025

I love history, and secrets, and hidden rooms. I would be highly interested to know what else lies beneath. Thanks, Rep. Moore—may I suggest you start a streaming series featuring more such fare? I would definitely watch.

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