If you've been following the blog for any amount of time, you know the ongoing mystery of the current location of the Nekoda...aka the Crucible Ferry. It started when I posted a photo of the ferry landing just above the location the site of the former Crucible Mine. A friend told me he heard the ferry was salvaged for restoration. When investigating, more...I was told it was scrapped awhile ago by Three Rivers Salvage. O.K, each quite possible.
Then, we were told it was salvaged and being used as a ramp for a Pittsburgh boat club.
Mostly,we're told its still in the Monongahela river, marked by a red buoy.
It seems every time it's mentioned, we're told a different story.
I do remember going with our dive team for a training session and swimming out to the ferry and standing on it. Well, these photos confirm my memory was right. They were taken in the 90's when the pool of the river was down, by my buddy, Tony Meza (more on Tony soon).
If you study these photos, you'll notice several things. The ferry is north of the original landing, in the current location of the red buoy. You'll also notice its not too far into the river, where the river is only 8-10' deep (not in the channel that is navigated by barges). Looking at the amount of sediment around the ferry, it has not likely moved on its own. So, if it IS still there, its only a few feet under. So, as soon as we get a boat...were gonna settle this once for all!
Thanks to Tony for the awesome photos! Look for more from his collection soon.
Then, we were told it was salvaged and being used as a ramp for a Pittsburgh boat club.
Mostly,we're told its still in the Monongahela river, marked by a red buoy.
It seems every time it's mentioned, we're told a different story.
I do remember going with our dive team for a training session and swimming out to the ferry and standing on it. Well, these photos confirm my memory was right. They were taken in the 90's when the pool of the river was down, by my buddy, Tony Meza (more on Tony soon).
If you study these photos, you'll notice several things. The ferry is north of the original landing, in the current location of the red buoy. You'll also notice its not too far into the river, where the river is only 8-10' deep (not in the channel that is navigated by barges). Looking at the amount of sediment around the ferry, it has not likely moved on its own. So, if it IS still there, its only a few feet under. So, as soon as we get a boat...were gonna settle this once for all!
Thanks to Tony for the awesome photos! Look for more from his collection soon.
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| Crucible ferry "Nekoda" in her sunken home |
I heard a story years ago that it was being towed away by the dark of night when the plans went bad and it sunk. The thieves abandoned their effort and the pics of it sure make that sound pretty accurate. Just my 2 cents.. Keep up the great work. We appreciate it..
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know,it was removed from the river by the Army Corps of Engineers in the early 80's and sat on shore where it sat until the 1985 flood moved it to the location of these pics.However...anything is possible!
ReplyDeleteThat is the spot we were at the other day, Danielle and I too went after you and I. Right across from Omaha Beach.
ReplyDeleteIt was raised in late 1999 early 2000 and towed (by me) to the mouth of ten mile creek where it sat for a few months, the dive company that bought it and raised it planned on making it their office down near Pittsburgh. I don't know if it ever made it down there of not I got sent to run the lower Mississippi right after that and have not been back up on the Mon since.
ReplyDeleteSteve,do you remember the name of the dive company? I'll hunt em down.If they did rescue it,we'd love to see it!
ReplyDeleteAny photos of the Raise The Nekoda! project?
ReplyDeleteAny pictures of it when it was still transporting cars across the Mon?
ReplyDeleteYep..... a few.... Just type in Crucible ferry over on the right hand side of this window, and it will pull them up. We have quite a few posts on the ferry.
DeleteAround late-summer 1972 I worked for a wholesale food distributor out of EightFour pa and the lady took me across the river since my truck was small. I remember her commenting on I would surely sink her ferry. I had told her that I was nearly empty but I wasn't. It saved me time on deliveries but the lady was not about to let me on her ferry again. I remember this often when I walk the trail along this site.
ReplyDeleteAbove comment made by Gary L. Shipley{glship21@gmail.com}
ReplyDelete