Millersburg Ferry
Encyclopedia
Joseph Kramer, son of David Kramer, was granted by the Act of March 21, 1866 P.L. 358, the right to operate the ferry at his own expense. Part of the act stipulated that Kramer build and maintain landings on both shores of the river.
Steam powered ferry boats replaced the old pole boats in 1873. These boats were much heavier and required deeper water to cross the Susquehanna River. This was accomplished by building a ferry wall or dam
from shore to shore. These walls are still used today and are an important part of the ferry's designation as a Registered Historic Place.
The Millersburg Ferry grew in importance over the years and ownership was transferred from David Kramer to his sons George and Joseph. The ferry was sold at least ten times between the 1870s and 1907. Thomas Radel and his family and Warren "Pop" Hunter and his family operated the ferry from 1907 until 1968 when it was sold to Robert and Bud Wallis and Jim Zeiders. Robert Wallis became the sole owner in 1972. Wallis sold the ferry operation to Community Banks, N.A. of Millersburg in 1990. The bank then donated the historic ferry boat operation to the Millersburg Chamber of Commerce in 1990, which formed the Millersburg Ferryboat Association.
The construction of bridge
s over the Susquehanna River lead to the closing of all the ferries on the river. The Millersburg Ferry remains for its historic significance and for practical reasons as well. It is the only crossing of the river for forty miles between Duncannon
and Sunbury
.
through Millersburg and establishment of a station there increased the importance of the ferry. Citizens from the western shore used the ferry on a regular basis to transport their goods from Perry and Juniata Counties
to the commercial centers of Harrisburg
, Lancaster
and Philadelphia
. People on the eastern shore used the ferry to reach recreational destinations on the western shore.
The Millersburg Ferry used as many as four boats to shuttle produce, livestock, building supplies and people and their horses, wagons, and eventually motor vehicles. This boom period for the ferry lasted from 1905 until 1936. The Great Depression
resulted in the ferry service being cut to three boats. The ferry company now has a fleet of two boats.
Update: The Falcon has since been converted to a system identical to the one in the Roaring Bull. It is a diesel engine with a hydraulic drive system.
According to Captain Donald Lebo, the trip is 4785 feet (1,458.5 m) shore to shore, about nine-tenths of a mile, and takes about 20 minutes. Passenger traffic in 2009 was above normal because the water level was high and operations did not have to shut for low water. About 20,000 passengers, who were mostly tourists, were served, paying a one-way fare of $2 per person or $6 per car. Note: The rates have been increased for the 2011 season due to increasing fuel prices. They are now $3 for a one way fare, $5 round trip fare, and $7 for a vehicle including the driver. All other passengers in the vehicle are charged the $3 rate.
The Millersburg Ferry is reached from Pennsylvania Route 147
on the eastern shore in Millersburg and from U.S. Route 11/15 on the western shore just south of Liverpool
. It is open on weekends only beginning May 1 from 9:00 a.m. until dusk. The ferry operates daily June through Labor Day
11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and it returns to the weekend schedule through the end of September. The Millersburg Ferry does not operate during the months of October through April.
Steam powered ferry boats replaced the old pole boats in 1873. These boats were much heavier and required deeper water to cross the Susquehanna River. This was accomplished by building a ferry wall or dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
from shore to shore. These walls are still used today and are an important part of the ferry's designation as a Registered Historic Place.
The Millersburg Ferry grew in importance over the years and ownership was transferred from David Kramer to his sons George and Joseph. The ferry was sold at least ten times between the 1870s and 1907. Thomas Radel and his family and Warren "Pop" Hunter and his family operated the ferry from 1907 until 1968 when it was sold to Robert and Bud Wallis and Jim Zeiders. Robert Wallis became the sole owner in 1972. Wallis sold the ferry operation to Community Banks, N.A. of Millersburg in 1990. The bank then donated the historic ferry boat operation to the Millersburg Chamber of Commerce in 1990, which formed the Millersburg Ferryboat Association.
The construction of bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
s over the Susquehanna River lead to the closing of all the ferries on the river. The Millersburg Ferry remains for its historic significance and for practical reasons as well. It is the only crossing of the river for forty miles between Duncannon
Duncannon, Pennsylvania
Duncannon is a borough in Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,508 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. The center of population of Pennsylvania is located in Duncannon. It is named after the coastal town of...
and Sunbury
Sunbury, Pennsylvania
Sunbury is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city is located on the east bank of the Susquehanna River, just downstream of the confluence of its main and West branches. The population was 9,905 at the 2010 census...
.
Transportation
The Millersburg Ferry was a crucial part of transportation in the central Susquehanna River Valley from 1866 until 1956. The construction of the railroadRail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
through Millersburg and establishment of a station there increased the importance of the ferry. Citizens from the western shore used the ferry on a regular basis to transport their goods from Perry and Juniata Counties
Juniata County, Pennsylvania
Juniata County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 24,636. Juniata County was created on March 2, 1831, from part of Mifflin County and named for the Juniata River. Its county seat is Mifflintown....
to the commercial centers of Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
, Lancaster
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...
and Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. People on the eastern shore used the ferry to reach recreational destinations on the western shore.
The Millersburg Ferry used as many as four boats to shuttle produce, livestock, building supplies and people and their horses, wagons, and eventually motor vehicles. This boom period for the ferry lasted from 1905 until 1936. The Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
resulted in the ferry service being cut to three boats. The ferry company now has a fleet of two boats.
Fleet and operation
The Millersburg Ferry consists of two boats. The Roaring Bull V is a red paddle wheeler that was built in 1998. The "flat" of the ferry is 83 feet (25.3 m) long and the power unit is 50 feet (15.2 m). It is powered by a 57 hp Deutz Diesel Engine hydraulic system. The Falcon III was built in 1974. It is gray and is 8.3 feet (2.5 m) longer than the Roaring Bull V. The paddlewheel is powered by a Farmall M tractor engine on a chain and belt system.Update: The Falcon has since been converted to a system identical to the one in the Roaring Bull. It is a diesel engine with a hydraulic drive system.
According to Captain Donald Lebo, the trip is 4785 feet (1,458.5 m) shore to shore, about nine-tenths of a mile, and takes about 20 minutes. Passenger traffic in 2009 was above normal because the water level was high and operations did not have to shut for low water. About 20,000 passengers, who were mostly tourists, were served, paying a one-way fare of $2 per person or $6 per car. Note: The rates have been increased for the 2011 season due to increasing fuel prices. They are now $3 for a one way fare, $5 round trip fare, and $7 for a vehicle including the driver. All other passengers in the vehicle are charged the $3 rate.
The Millersburg Ferry is reached from Pennsylvania Route 147
Pennsylvania Route 147
Pennsylvania Route 147 is a north–south route that runs for along the east shore of the Susquehanna River in central Pennsylvania, United States. The northern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 80 and Interstate 180 in Turbot Township. The southern terminus is at an interchange...
on the eastern shore in Millersburg and from U.S. Route 11/15 on the western shore just south of Liverpool
Liverpool, Pennsylvania
Liverpool is a borough in Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States, about from Harrisburg. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. It is open on weekends only beginning May 1 from 9:00 a.m. until dusk. The ferry operates daily June through Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and it returns to the weekend schedule through the end of September. The Millersburg Ferry does not operate during the months of October through April.