Fremont, California - Silent Movie Walk of Fame

The Niles district prides itself as the home of the movie making industry BEFORE Hollywood. The District used to be called Niles Station and was a busy rail junction. In the silent film days, many films were shot in Niles featuring legendary actors Ben Turpin, Fatty Arbuckle and even Charlie Chaplin. The district hosts an annual Charlie Chaplin Days celebration. You can't swing a dead cat in Niles without hitting something that resembles Chaplin. On the sidewalks around town they have painted markers noting where different movies were shot, and a Niles version of the Hollywood walk of fame, with painted stars enclosing the name of famous silent film actors. [Kelly Doren, 03/28/1999]