Come join us at the Library!

Do you know about the ghost town of the salt flats?

Hidden on the edge of the salt flats, Drawbridge was founded in the late 1870s when a narrow gauge railroad was built from Dumbarton Point to Santa Clara, with two swing bridges connecting tiny Station Island to shore. A colorful community developed in this most unlikely environment along the railroad tracks. Come hear the fascinating story of this lost treasure.

The Fremont Main Library has teamed up with Celebrate Fremont to present Drawbridge: Ghost Town of the Salt Flats! It is the eighth program of the speaker series held in honor of Fremont's 50th Anniversary.

Patricia Anthony, a resident specialist on the history of the Drawbridge, will speak at the library on Wednesday, August 16 at 7pm. She will unveil the mysteries of Drawbridge, the unique town of our south bay marshes. Patricia is a volunteer at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay Wildlife Refuge and has worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife department since 1982. Patricia has also led many guided tours at Don Edwards and has become a specialist on the history of Drawbridge.

The beauty, the isolation and the intimate bond with humans that defined the life of Drawbridge are reflected in the 9,000 acres of South Bay salt ponds recently acquired by the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. LIke this old town, they are true children of both the surrounding wetlands and of human innovation and impact. But as mother marsh slowly reclaims her child, Drawbridge, we are reminded that she just may need some help with these new lands, which will soon become the focus of the largest wetland restoration ever attempted on the West coast.

The Fremont Main Library is located at 2400 Stevenson Blvd and is wheelchair accessible. No reservations are required! Just come and join us! For an ASL interpreter, call the library at least 7 working days before the event.

For more information, contact the Fremont Main Library at 510-745-1401 or Janet Cronbach at 510-745-1429.