The Last Georgia Ferry

Here is a slice of Georgia history. A bit I was happy to preserve. These are photos of Georgia's last operating river ferry. It was on the Flint River about four miles from Marshalville on Georgia Route 127. It helped link Georgia highways' 96 and 49. The ferry was first establisshed in 1850 and operated until 1988.



I photographed it one Sunday afternoon in 1976. I had made several trips to photograph it, but on the other occasions it was not operating due to high water. It normally provided 24 hour service. You pulled up
to the crossign and the 55 foot ferry came to get you.



During the last years it was manned by two brothers, Homer and Lester Cromer, for the Georgia Department of Transportation. The day I went Lester was ill and Homer was running the ferry. These show Homer with the ferry. I don't know who the folks were in the two cars shown crossing the river.



The ferry was a metal barge with wooden plank decking. The ride across was powered by a 1954 Cheverolet engine and only took a few minutes.

Thirty years ago, I really didn't think I was capturing a chunk of history. It was more a really cool Sunday afternoon adventure.