You’ll find five distinct ghost towns scattered across the Bay Area, each with its own story of rise and decline. Drawbridge, established in 1876 on Station Island, literally sank into the marshes due to groundwater extraction. Wingo began as a monorail experiment in Sonoma’s wetlands, while Holy City served as cult leader William Riker’s roadside community until 1969. Alviso transformed from San Jose’s maritime gateway to a flood-prone remnant, and Port Costa still clings to life along the Carquinez Strait with 250 residents preserving its grain-shipping heritage. Each location offers unique insights into California’s forgotten chapters.
Key Takeaways
- Drawbridge, established 1876 on Station Island, featured 90 stilted cabins but succumbed to subsidence from groundwater withdrawals by the 1940s.
- Wingo began as Norfolk in 1876, accessible via 2.8-mile hike, with five buildings remaining and one safe wooden bridge.
- Holy City was founded in 1919 by cult leader William Riker, controlling 300 followers until decline from freeway construction and fires.
- Alviso, established 1845, served as San Jose’s maritime gateway and housed America’s third-largest canning company before flooding challenges halted development.
- Port Costa, commanding Carquinez Strait since 1879, was a major grain shipping point with eighteen saloons and approximately 250 current residents.
Drawbridge: The Sinking Railroad Town
In 1876, the South Pacific Coast Railroad established a single cabin on Station Island in the southern reaches of San Francisco Bay, marking the humble origins of what would become Drawbridge. This outpost served the drawbridge operator managing crossings over Mud Slough and Coyote Creek. The bridge was operated using ropes connected to a windlass, allowing trains to pass when lowered and providing a barrier when raised.
What began as Saline City grew into a weekend retreat for hunters and fishermen, expanding to 90 cabins by 1926. Up to 600 visitors arrived by train during peak years, sustaining two hotels and a vibrant community. The town’s unique layout featured cabins built on stilts above the marshland, connected by wooden walkways.
However, Drawbridge history took a dark turn when groundwater withdrawals caused thirteen feet of subsidence over fifty years. Salt ponds and sewage pollution destroyed the ecosystem by the 1940s.
Groundwater extraction sank Drawbridge thirteen feet while salt ponds and sewage turned a thriving settlement into an ecological wasteland.
Today, you’ll find only sinking structures slowly disappearing into the marshlands—a ghost town legally off-limits within the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
Wingo: The Accessible Alternative
Unlike Drawbridge’s legally forbidden marshlands, Wingo offers Bay Area explorers a rare opportunity to witness an abandoned settlement without trespassing.
You’ll find this ghost town nestled in Sonoma County’s tidal marshes, accessible via a 2.8-mile hike from Larson Family Winery through debris-strewn Millerick Road.
Wingo history begins in 1876 as Norfolk, a steamship landing transformed by Joseph S. Kohn’s ambitious monorail project.
Peter Donahue’s railroad takeover in 1879 brought the name change—possibly referencing local winds or Native American mythology.
By the early 1900s, travelers could reach San Francisco in under three hours. The Golden Gate Bridge‘s 1937 opening decimated ridership, and devastating 2003 floods displaced the last resident.
Wingo accessibility distinguishes it regionally.
Five buildings remain visible, though “Do not trespass” signs complicate its legal status. The town is deteriorating rapidly, with only one wooden bridge deemed safe to cross among the three that once connected its structures. Freight trains still rumble through the area today, passing over the old train trestle that once made Wingo a vital junction.
Holy City: A Cult Leader’s Abandoned Vision
Along Highway 17 in the Santa Cruz Mountains, a different kind of ghost town emerged not from economic collapse but from the dissolution of a religious cult.
William Riker established Holy City in 1919, controlling 300 followers by 1930 through manipulative cult practices that demanded celibacy from disciples while he maintained different standards.
His racial ideology permeated everything—billboards proclaiming “Our California Belongs Only To The White Race Man” and radio station KFQU broadcasting white supremacist views until Washington revoked its license in 1931.
You’ll find that followers surrendered all possessions, labored at roadside businesses, and lived under Riker’s absolute authority.
After freeway construction isolated the compound and fires destroyed buildings, Holy City declined.
The community once attracted visitors with nine giant Santa Claus statues, a service station, and a dance hall before falling into obscurity.
Riker died in 1969, leaving behind physical remnants of authoritarian control.
The property remained in the hands of three elderly investors who had owned it since 1966 before eventually being sold in 2016.
Alviso: Where History Meets Wildlife
Established in 1845 and incorporated in 1852, Alviso stands as one of Santa Clara County’s oldest settlements, though its historical significance predates even these formal designations.
Named after Ignacio Alviso, whose father rode with the De Anza Party in 1775, this former port city once served as San Jose’s maritime gateway.
The Alviso history unfolded through distinct eras:
- Port dominance (mid-1800s) until the Jenny Lind disaster and railroad competition
- Canning prosperity featuring Bayside Canning Company, America’s third-largest cannery
- Modern preservation alongside Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
You’ll discover Alviso wildlife thriving across 30,000 acres of protected marshlands, while historic buildings remind you of pre-Silicon Valley existence.
The railroad expansion to San Francisco during the late 1800s transformed the area, bringing economic growth that established Alviso as a vital transportation hub.
Alviso’s location below sea level created persistent flooding challenges that hindered investment and prevented the town from achieving the same level of development as neighboring Silicon Valley communities.
This isn’t suburban sprawl—it’s authentic 19th-century California surviving within metropolitan boundaries.
Port Costa: Vintage Charm on the Carquinez Strait
While Alviso served San Jose’s maritime ambitions through the South Bay’s shallow waters, Port Costa commanded the strategic narrows of Carquinez Strait from 1879 onward, functioning as the linchpin where Central Valley grain met oceangoing vessels bound for Europe.
You’ll find this marine heritage preserved along winding oak-shaded roads where 3,000 stevedores once loaded six to eight tall-masted ships daily.
The town’s historical architecture recalls eighteen saloons, seven hotels, and dance halls that served Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, and Irish workers—a raucous port Jack London immortalized in *John Barleycorn*.
The strategic location saved farmers $1,000,000 on freight and taxes compared to shipping through San Francisco, making Port Costa California’s premier wheat shipping point by the 1880s.
After five fires and the 1932 opening of Sacramento channels bypassed the port, 83 donated acres became Carquinez Shoreline Park, where hiking trails traverse what transcontinental railroad ferries once accessed, preserving remnants of California’s wheat export empire.
Today’s population of approximately 250 residents maintains the town’s eclectic character, with the Warehouse Cafe hosting motorcycle clubs and live music events amid quirky taxidermied decor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are There Any Ghost Towns in the Bay Area That Allow Overnight Camping?
Bay Area ghost towns don’t offer overnight stays or ghost town camping facilities. You’ll find established camping at Calico Ghost Town near Yermo, while nearby Virginia City and Glen Alpine Springs provide historical exploration without accommodations.
What Caused Most Bay Area Ghost Towns to Be Abandoned Originally?
Drawbridge’s weekend visitors plummeted from 600 in 1926 to zero by 1979. You’ll find environmental decline and resource depletion triggered economic decline, forcing population migration as pollution, subsidence, and vanishing wildlife destroyed the town’s hunting economy.
Can You Legally Explore Abandoned Buildings in Bay Area Ghost Towns?
You can’t legally explore most abandoned Bay Area buildings without owner permission. Urban exploration of ghost towns carries serious legal implications—trespassing penalties include fines up to $2,000 and jail time, regardless of how accessible structures appear.
Which Bay Area Ghost Town Is Closest to San Francisco?
Drawbridge, hidden in southern marshlands near Fremont, stands as your closest ghost town to San Francisco. You’ll discover ghost town history spanning 1876-1979, though local legends fade as this stilt-built settlement sinks deeper into protected wetlands.
Are Guided Tours Available for Any Bay Area Ghost Towns?
Yes, you’ll find guided tours through the San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society at Drawbridge ghost town, plus Travel Dream West offers small-group excursions exploring Gold Country ghost towns’ historical significance from San Francisco.
References
- https://carte-urbex.com/en/blogs/infos/top-10-abandoned-places-in-the-bay-area
- https://tisqui.github.io
- https://www.visitcalifornia.com/road-trips/ghost-towns/
- https://www.camp-california.com/california-ghost-towns/
- https://californiahighsierra.com/trips/explore-ghost-towns-of-the-high-sierra/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Ghost_towns_in_the_San_Francisco_Bay_Area
- https://www.7×7.com/small-bay-area-towns-lost-in-time-2669360964.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drawbridge
- https://secretsanfrancisco.com/ghost-town-bay-area-drawbridge-history/
- https://cityofdust.blogspot.com/2016/01/my-mother-was-marshland-drawbridge-ca.html
