White’s Ferry—until it was closed four years ago—was a living history example of a long tradition of Potomac River ferries tying together Montgomery County and northern Virginia. When the C&O Canal was operational for nearly 90 years, White’s Ferry, along with the Edwards and Spinks ferries upcountry, took on added importance. At 2 p.m. on Tuesday, July 30, ‘Crossing the River: The Historical Significance of Montgomery County’s Potomac Ferries’ will be a free, live virtual presentation of Montgomery History.
Historian Ralph Buglass will lead the presentation, which will offer a wealth of new research conducted to support reopening White’s Ferry, which operated between Poolesville and Leesburg, Va.,
Established in 1786, White’s Ferry was a significant transportation route between Maryland and Virginia, carrying nearly 800 daily users. It closed in late 2020 after a 16-year legal dispute could not be resolved. Montgomery County still hopes it can negotiate a way to reopen the operation.
White's Ferry is the last of 100 ferries that used to operate on the Potomac River. The ferry, named after the Confederate Civil War General Jubal A. Early, connects Whites Ferry Road in Montgomery County with a road by the same name in Leesburg, which is in Loudoun County. The cars on each side would line up on what looks like a boat ramp and drive down onto the ferry. Once loaded, the ferry followed a wire cable to the other side of the Potomac.
To view the presentation via Zoom, register at Webinar Registration - Zoom.
Montgomery History will host its third annual free Ice Cream Social at Shirley Povich Field in Rockville from 6:30-8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 31. The Montgomery History team and fellow history lovers will be present and ice cream and sundae supplies will be provided. Dairy-free options will be available, too.
Shirley Povich field is located at 10600 Westlake Dr. in Bethesda
To register to attend the event, go to Ice Cream Social at Povich Field (google.com).
