For the adventurous and the brave, ghost town exploring is an enjoyable hobby. There are several ghost towns in California with questionable stories of abandonment but the following may be the most fascinating of them all, keep reading to learn more.
Formerly known as Saline City, the ghost town of Drawbridge can be found on Station Island within the southern region of the Bay Area. The town is located on a marshland and was founded in 1876 by the South Pacific Coast Railroad.
At first, Drawbridge was home to just a single operator that controlled the railroad's drawbridges. This attracted hundreds of people to the island many of which were hunters.
The island's rich wildlife made it very attractive for hunting enthusiasts. At its peak, thousands of people would visit the town on a weekend just to hunt.
However, the town was unfortunately destined for demise. With a lack of hunting regulations, the island's waterfowl population became endangered. In addition to this, the bay was becoming polluted by the sewage of nearby cities and the drawbridge itself.
On top of all of this, the town itself was sinking into the marsh. People began to slowly move away after the Great Depression. The city was officially declared abandoned by 1979.
Today, you would never be able to tell hundreds of people once called Drawbridge home. Only about a dozen dilapidated buildings remain. Some are actually already sinking into the ground.
It is predicted that water levels will continue to rise up to 5.5 feet over the next century. This historic relic of the past will soon be gone forever.
While the 80-acre property isn't open to the public in an effort to protect the region's wildlife, you can still see the town from several train lines including the Altamont Corridor Express and the Mallard Slough Trail.
Comments / 5