Imagine This…
It’s 1755. You’ve traveled more than 300 miles by Conestoga wagon. Your family reaches the Yadkin River, but there is no bridge—only a flat ferry guided by poles and ropes. Everything you own must be loaded onto the ferry before your journey can continue into the North Carolina frontier.
A Surprising Family Connection
There are currently no active public transportation ferries operating in Davie County.
Historically, the county relied on several of them, including Hartley’s Ferry on the Yadkin River, Bringle, Long, and Stokes, to cross the Yadkin and South Yadkin rivers.
You can just imagine my reaction when I was looking for information on ferries and saw that the very first post mentioned my family’s ferry!
In any case, it’s interesting to discuss a subject that was such an important part of our history.
Before Ferries: Following the Great Wagon Road
Long before ferries were invented, animals often made trails by walking to watering holes. Eventually, people coming south followed those same trails, one of which became the Great Wagon Road. Early settlers like the Boones and the Bryans used this route to reach our area, and many chose to settle here.
These early settlers had to figure out how to get their people, wagons, and animals across the rivers they encountered. They often crossed at places called fords, where the water was shallower than at other spots. Close to us are Shallow Ford and Trading Ford. Eventually, ferries became a more reliable and convenient way to cross the rivers.
The Hartley Ferry and Family History
My dad’s ancestors lived across the Yadkin River in Davidson County, first on Horseshoe Neck Road and later on Roy Hartley Road, as they are named today. Their house sat on a bluff overlooking the river.
My great-grandfather built a ferry boat so he could cross the river to the Davie County side, where my grandparents lived. The ferry was connected to a cable, which I remember seeing when I was a child playing in the river while my dad and grandfather fished. We had to walk about half a mile to reach it.
How the Ferries Worked
Ferries in this area were made of wood and were large enough to carry both people and animals across the river. Fortunately for travelers, the North Carolina legislature established rates based on the type of traveler and cargo.
In 1839, the rates included:
- Loaded wagon: 50 cents
- Empty wagon: 37½ cents
- Man and horse: 6½ cents
- Man on foot: 5 cents
- Cows, pigs, and horses: 3 cents each
| Did You Know? Before the first bridge crossed the Yadkin River, crossing by ferry could take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours, depending on weather and water levels. Why It Matters The routes chosen by early settlers helped shape the locations of today’s roads, communities, churches, and farms throughout Davie County. |
Ferries and Community Life
Tom Magnuson, in his book The Historic Trails of Davidson County, notes that by the end of the 19th century, there were at least 20 ferries operating in Davie, Davidson, and Rowan counties.
I believe one reason Yadkin College was built where it was is that the Fulton Ferry allowed students from Davie County to cross into Davidson County. The Hairston family, of course, also operated their own ferry.
The Last Days of the Hartley Ferry
Magnuson writes that the Crump/Barnes/Hartley/Ives Ferry was probably last operated by the Hartley family, as their name appears on the 1915 soil survey.
I have visited the road where they lived, but have never gone down to the river itself, although I imagine the old approach road is still there. I also believe parts of the old family land in Horseshoe Neck—named for the shape of the river at that point—may now be included in the area once proposed for the Duke Power plant.
Preserving the Memories
However, we all know that times change. While the ferries are gone, the stories remain. The rivers still flow through the landscape, and those of us whose families were connected to these crossings will continue to treasure the memories and the important role ferries played in the history of our community.