| The above image was taken from A Travel Through Time. Click on the image for a larger view. Click here to see the animated trailer that includes shots of the bridge in 1957. |
The Dumbarton Bridge
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The Dumbarton Bridge in the 1950's is quite different than the one of today. Located toward the southern neck of the bay, the original bridge opened to traffic in January 1927. At a cost of $2.5 million, it was the first bridge to span across the San Francisco Bay.
The Hart Case
In 1933, 22-year-old Brooke Hart, the son of popular department store owner, Alex J. Hart, was kidnapped in the store's parking lot. The young man was taken to the Dumbarton Bridge and thrown off.
Soon after, John M. Holmes and Thomas H. Thurmond, were arrested for the murder of Hart. During their incarceration in the county jail, a mob forced their way in and dragged the two men out.
Holmes and Thumond were stripped naked and taken to downtown San Jose's Saint James Park, where they were hung on two sycamores. Gov. Rolph vowed that if any of the lynch-mob participants were prosecuted, he would pardon them.
Shady Deals
Before the bridge was constructed, the swamp lands made access into the area difficult. On the east end, small shacks were constructed. During a period of prohibition, many back room deals were discussed within these structures that not only effected local politics but that of the state.
On the other side of the bay, a small strip of bars and liquor stores, known as Whiskey Gulch, served the Stanford University community.
The Bridge Today
By the 1940's, traffic congestion began to overload the old bridge. The state of California purchased the structure in 1951. But as the wheels of government slowly turned, it took over 30 years. In 1983, a replacement span opened.
