Wright's Ferry

Wright's Ferry was a ferry established by John Wright in the early 18th century to transport goods, animals, and people across the Susquehanna River in south central Pennsylvania, between the two towns that came to be known as Columbia and Wrightsville. The ferry was located immediately south of the present-day Veterans Memorial Bridge along Route 462. Because of the ferry, the town that grew up around it on the river's eastern shore became known by the same name. (It was later renamed Columbia).

Wright was a Quaker who first came to the area in 1724 to explore the land and preach to the local Native Americans. In 1730, he was granted a patent to operate a ferry across the river and subsequently established the ferry with Robert Barber and Samuel Blunston. He also built a ferry house and a tavern on the eastern shore of the Susquehanna, north of Locust Street, on Front Street in Wright's Ferry, as the town was then known. The two-story log tavern, operated by John Wright, Jr. until 1834, consisted of a large room on either end connected by a passageway. When John Jr. married, he moved to York County’s western shore at Wright's Ferry West (later to be named Wrightsville), and built another ferry house and tavern. The ferry itself consisted of two dugout canoes fastened together with carriage and wagon wheels. When numerous cattle were moved, the canoeist guided a lead animal with a rope so that the others would follow. If the lead animal became confused and started swimming in circles, however, the other animals followed until they tired and eventually drowned.

Traffic heading west from Lancaster, Philadelphia, and other nearby towns regularly traveled through Wright's Ferry, using the ferry to cross the river. As traffic flow increased, the ferry grew, to the point of including canoes, rafts, flatboats, and steamboats, and was capable of handling Conestoga Wagons and other large vehicles. Due to the volume of traffic, however, wagons, freight, supplies and people often became backed-up, creating a waiting period of several days to cross the river. With 150 to 200 vehicles typically lined up on the Columbia side, ferrymen used chalk to number the wagons. Typical fares were as follows: Coach with four passengers and drawn by five horses-9 shillings, 4-horse wagon-3 shillings and 9 pence, man and horse-6 pence. Fares were reduced in 1787 due to competition from Anderson's Ferry, located further upstream, near Marietta.

In later years, Wright rented the ferry to others and eventually sold it. Due to increased competition from the railroad in the 19th century, the ferry finally ceased operations in 1901.

External links

*http://www.rivertownes.org/Features/Crossings/Crossings.htm
*http://www.ydr.com/ntbf/ci_4336784

References

*"Fire on the River, The Defense of the World’s Longest Covered Bridge and How It Changed the Battle of Gettysburg", George Sheldon, 2006, Quaker Hills Press, Inc. ISBN 0-9779315-0-1, 978-0-9779315-0-7.

*Town Historical Markers and Plaques provided by Columbia Borough and Rivertownes PA USA.