Farewell to Fred. Last day of the Fredericktown ferry.

History of 'Fred' the Ferry

The Fredericktown Ferry is the last of three original ferries to run across the Monongahela River in Washington County. It was the last (or at least one of the last) of the cable-driven ferries east of the Mississippi River. The ferry, affectionately called "Fred," operated under private ownership until 1969, 

when it closed. In 1979, the ferry was re-opened, through the efforts of the community and a Ferry Boat Commission, formed during its period of closure. For the ferry to remain open, both Fayette and Washington counties would contribute 50% of the costs using Liquid Fuel dollars, with the Fayette side in charge of operating and maintaining the ferry. This agreement was later amended in 2003.

"Fred" is located in Fredericktown, Pennsylvania. The ferry boat landing is located near the Bower Brothers Bar. While it is suggested that passengers remain in their cars, the ferry does offer pedestrians and bicyclists the ability to cross the river between Fayette and Washington Counties without a vehicle.

The ferry is large part of history, playing an important part in cross-river traffic for residents and the coal mines, as well as allowing employees of local businesses a faster way across the river.The purpose of the ferry is convenient travel across the Monongahela River.Due to an increase in maintenance and operation costs, the loss of a federally-funded grant, the closing of surrounding mines, as well as the opening of a new bridge spanning the river about five miles away causing a decline in ridership, the ferry has closed, possibly forever, after its last ride on August 28, 1:45pm. The future of the ferry is up in the air; will it be sold for scrap? Face life as part of a museum dedicated to "Fred" and others like it? Or just be dry-docked and left to rust? 

The 'Farewell to Fred' party on August 28, 2013 brought riders from all over the are, wanting one last ride on the ferry before it was taken out of operation. One couple traveled to ride the ferry as part of their anniversary celebrations. Others just came to relive some of their favorite moments and reminisce about ferry memories and discuss what it meant to them. Some expressed sadness that their children and grandchildren would have such a short time to have been able to ride the historic ferry, and other children would never get the chance. Reporters from the Herald-Standard, Observer-Reporter, and Tribune-Review all arrived with photographers to capture the last hurrah of Fred and his loyal fans. 

The local police provided traffic control 

Both the Trib and Herald-Standard reporters

Luzerne Twp. supported the ferry on its last day

Happy Trails To You.....

We have quite a few blogs on this and other ferry boats of the area.   Just type in "ferry" in the little search box, or follow a few of these links....

http://swpare.blogspot.com/2012/12/end-of-year-ride-on-fredricktown-ferry.html

http://swpare.blogspot.com/2011/07/ferry-boat-festival-fredericktown-pa.html

http://swpare.blogspot.com/2012/06/final-word-on-nekoda.html

http://swpare.blogspot.com/2012/09/and-we-thought-we-were-done-talking.html

http://swpare.blogspot.com/2012/01/visits-margaret-mitchell-crucible-ferry.html

Millsboro/Ten Mile Bridge Demolition

　

Today, on September 12, 2011, the Millsboro bridge, located at the bottom of Greene County hill on PA-88 was demolished by implosion at 5:07 pm. The bridge, built in 1932, was one of the last remaining bridges left in Pennsylvania with a double X heavy lattice style of portal bracing.

The 313'-long, skewed, 2 simple span, riveted Pratt thru truss bridge is supported on reinforced concrete abutments with flared wingwalls and a concrete pier. The upper chords are built-up members. The bottom chords, vertical members, stringers, and floorbeams are rolled section. A lattice railing is inside the downstream truss, and the sidewalk cantilevered off the upstream truss also has a lattice railing. The bridge has no innovative or distinctive details, including the use of rolled sections for most truss members which was introduced in the mid 1920s, and it is an example of common period technology. Neither the bridge nor its setting are historically or technologically significant.

 (Information from Pennsylvania's Historic Bridge Inventory, courtesy of HistoricBridges.org. All bridge info courtesy of HistoricBridges.org, also.)

Video footage from bridge implosion.

On the morning of September 12, I headed out with my dad to watch the bridge implosion, only to arrive and find out after an hour and a half that the demolition time had been moved from 10 am, to 4pm, so home we went. We arrived back at the site at 3pm to make sure that we didn't miss anything important.

The first set of pictures is from our great hilltop view (from the ridge alongside Greene County hill) of the bridge and the preparations leading up to the demolition. This was our intended filming spot, but the construction company and the State Police didn't agree, as they kicked us and the owners of the property out and told us it was 'too close.' Anything under 1000 feet, or 'close enough to see it' was considered too close. So, off we went to find a new spot.

If you look inside the bridge, you can see the construction worker inside the bridge, checking on everything.

 

Construction worker(in yellow cage) checking the explosives.

Checking the bridge and surrounding area.

Clearing people from their yards.

And the construction team and the state police telling us to get outta here.

One of the many 'eyes in the sky'

We headed down to Ten Mile Park, to see if we could find a good viewpoint down by the river. And we did, joined by others who had been kicked out of their spots. We waited over another hour, when at 5:07pm, the bridge was imploded.

The view from our new spot, in Ten Mile Park.

Minutes before implosion.

Boom!

And the beginning of the clean up...

Almost two months later

Fredericktown, PA riverboat J. L PERRY or W. P. SNYDER JR Circa 1948

     Today, I scanned a bunch of old pictures for an upcoming blog.  I'm still waiting for some more before I can do a proper post, but I found this one in the mix and thought it would fit in with the winter season and my recent winter rails to trails walk blog.

      The date on the back read 1948.  The picture was taken from the Fayette County side of the Monongahela river opposite Fredericktown, PA. Note the ice covering the river.  The waste piles of the Clyde mine can be seen in the background.
More coming soon, we promise.

Click here  or on  this other interesting one to see two brief histories of the steam boat above.

Chip just posted some more riverboat pictures here!

These two informative E mails came to me today about the boats history.

Evan,

   The W.H. Clingerman (launched under that name on February 21, 1918) was renamed the J.L. Perry in May, 1938.  In the spring of 1945 she was renamed the A-1.  That fall the Crucible Steel Company of America bought her and renamed her W.P. Snyder, Jr. after the president and CEO of the company.  She towed her coal barges to Crucible’s plant at Midland, PA and in 1954 she was laid up. (Due to competition from diesel tows, she saw less and less work.)

  She arrived in Marietta under her own steam on September 16, 1955, was shut down for the last time, and has been in permanent residence here at the Ohio River Museum, leaving occasionally for repairs.

  I hope this helps.  Thank you for your interest.  We are very proud to have the W.P. Snyder, Jr. in residence here.  She is now on the National Registry of Historic Places.  If you ever have the opportunity, please visit the Ohio River Museum.

  Thank you, Glenna

Glenna Hoff, Educator

Campus Martius/Ohio River Museum

...and...

Evan,

  There were actually 2 boats named the J.L. Perry.  The picture of the J.L Perry that you have, with the 1948 date on the back means that this boat probably was the Allegheny originally.  It was built at Ambridge,PA in 1927.  The Carnegie-Illinois Steel Co. people renamed her in June, 1945 and called her J.L. Perry.  She was dismantled in 1957.

   I am sorry for the confusion. 

        Thanks,   Glenna

Glenna Hoff, Educator

Campus Martius/Ohio River Museum

As always, click on the picture to enlarge.