Drawbridge
San Francisco Bay's only ghost town
State: California
County: Alameda County
Founded: 1876
Abandoned: 1979
Drawbridge is San Francisco Bay's only ghost town—a hunting and fishing community on a salt marsh island, accessible only by railroad. At peak, 90 buildings stood on stilts over the tidal marsh. Subsidence, pollution, and rising tides forced everyone out by 1979. Off-limits but visible from wildlife refuge trails.
Timeline
- 1876 - Railroad South Pacific Coast Railroad built bridge.
- 1880s - Resort Resort community for hunters and fishermen.
- 1920s - Peak 90 buildings. Weekend population in hundreds.
- 1950s - Subsidence Ground sinking. Bay rising.
- 1979 - Last Resident Charlie Luce departed. Town abandoned.
- Present - Sinking Ruins visible but off-limits. Slowly sinking.
Plan Your Visit
Best Time: N/A - OFF LIMITS
Difficulty: N/A
Time Needed: N/A
Tips
- Closed to public - unstable structures
- Visible from Don Edwards NWR trails
- Best viewed from LaRiviere Marsh Trail
- Binoculars recommended
Quick Facts
- Only ghost town in San Francisco Bay
- Accessible only by railroad—no roads
- Houses on stilts over tidal marsh
- Still sinking into the bay
Location
Address: Don Edwards SF Bay NWR, Alameda County, California
Coordinates: 37.4667, -121.975