The Fort Gates Ferry is an auto ferry that crosses the St. Johns River in Florida, downstream of Lake George and just upstream of Little Lake George, at Fruitland Cove. The oldest operating ferry in Florida, it acts as part of the Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway.
The Fort Gates Ferry, also known as the Gateway Ferry,[2] connects Fort Gates Ferry Road near Pomona Park on the east bank of the St. Johns River with Forest Service Road 43, leading to Salt Springs in the Ocala National Forest, on the west bank. The ferry first entered service in 1853,[3] and it is the oldest ferry service still operating in Florida.[4] It was operated as a military ferry by the Confederate Army during the American Civil War.[5]
The current ferry began operation in 1914,[6] and is one of four still operating in the state of Florida.[4] The ferry, part of the Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway,[7] consists of a barge pushed by a tugboat converted from a 1910 Sharpie sailboat.[8] It has a weight limit of 15 tonnes (15 long tons; 17 short tons).[7] The tugboat, named Too Wendy,[9] is 18 feet (5.5 m) long and is powered by a 65 horsepower (48 kW) diesel engine.[10]Hurricane Gladys sunk the ferry's tugboat in 1968; service was suspended until it could be raised.[11]
In 1972, an automobile commercial featuring Paul Newman was filmed on the Fort Gates Ferry.[4] In 2009 the ferry was part of a route named the "World's Worst Commute" in a contest run to promote a brand of motor oil.[12]
Trafficedit
The ferry, with a toll of $10,[7] is one of four in Florida.[4] Operating daily except Tuesday during daylight hours, it has an estimated annual traffic load of 1,500 vehicles per year.[4] The ferry takes ten minutes to cross the one mile (1.6 km) span of the river;[4] it can carry two to four pickup trucks, a dozen motorcycles, or 38 dirt bikes or bicycles.[10]
The ferry is privately operated by the Fort Gates Fish Camp, and is funded by Putnam County as a public transportation service; the subsidy was set at $10,000 per year in 1995.[10] Putnum County is planning on replacing the ferry landings with new structures.[13]
Closureedit
The passage of Hurricane Irma in 2017 damaged the ferry and ferry landing, forcing the temporary suspension of the service; by February 2019 repairs had not yet been conducted.[14] In October 2019 the Putnam County Commission authorized funds for repairing the ferry landing,[15] but by late 2020 the ferry had not been repaired, and local residents believed it would never return to service.[16]
Referencesedit
Citations
^(PDF). Office of Maintenance Bridge Information. Florida Department of Transportation. June 29, 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-04-11. Retrieved 2012-09-07.
^van Trump, Bette (December 4, 1980). "Fish Attractors Installed". News from South Putnam. Daytona Beach, FL. p. 2. Retrieved 2012-08-31.
^Kopycinski, Jay (17 September 2013). "Crossing Florida: Part 1". Four Wheeler. El Segundo, CA: TEN: The Enthusiast Network. Retrieved 2017-12-04.
^ abcdefKlinkenberg, Jeff (August 23, 2009). "Fort Gates Ferry still crossing the St. Johns River 2012-09-03 at the Wayback Machine". Tampa Bay Times, St. Petersburg, FL. Accessed 2012-08-24.
^White, Gary (April 18, 2006). "Long-Serving Ferry Has Local, International Appeal". The Ledger. Lakeland, FL. Retrieved 2012-08-24.
^Hamaker, Elaine (July 30, 1989). "Fort Gates Ferry gets you there...just in time". Star-Banner. Ocala, FL. p. 11E. Retrieved 2012-08-24.
^ abcFort Gates Ferry. United States Forest Service. Accessed 2017-12-04.
^Tunstall, Jim (November 20, 2005). "Ocala forest has dark secret". The Tampa Tribune. Tampa, FL. Retrieved 2012-08-24.
^ abcVoyles, Karen (July 23, 1995). "Florida's oldest ferry boat still crossing the St. John's". The Gainesville Sun. Gainesville, FL. p. 1B. Retrieved 2012-08-24.
^"Winds Knock Out Ferry At Welaka". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Daytona Beach, FL. October 25, 1968. p. 7. Retrieved 2012-08-31.
^"Public Works Project Update" (PDF). Putnam County Public Works Department. August 2011. p. 3. Retrieved 2012-08-31.
^Osiadacz, Alexander (February 27, 2019). "'All dried up': Fort Gates Ferry damaged in Hurricane Irma still out-of-service". First Coast News. Jacksonville, FL. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
^Broschart, F.W. (October 10, 2019). "County OKs funding to repair ferry years after Irma". Palatka Daily News. Palatka, FL. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
^Foster-Turley, Pat (August 19, 2020). "Exploring Old Florida: Weekend in Welaka". The News-Leader. Fernandina Beach, FL. from the original on January 25, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
Bibliography
Franklin, Paul M.; Nancy Mikula (2009). Backroads of Florida. Minneapolis, MN: Voyageur Press. ISBN978-0760332269.
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The Fort Gates Ferry is an auto ferry that crosses the St Johns River in Florida downstream of Lake George and just upstream of Little Lake George at Fruitland Cove The oldest operating ferry in Florida it acts as part of the Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway Fort Gates FerryWaterwaySt Johns RiverTransit typeBargeRouteFlorida Black Bear Scenic BywayCarriesAutomobilesOperatorFort Gates Fish CampBegan operation1853Travel time10 minutesYearly vehicles2500Route ID764039 764043 1 Contents 1 Location and history 2 Traffic 3 Closure 4 References 5 External linksLocation and history editThe Fort Gates Ferry also known as the Gateway Ferry 2 connects Fort Gates Ferry Road near Pomona Park on the east bank of the St Johns River with Forest Service Road 43 leading to Salt Springs in the Ocala National Forest on the west bank The ferry first entered service in 1853 3 and it is the oldest ferry service still operating in Florida 4 It was operated as a military ferry by the Confederate Army during the American Civil War 5 The current ferry began operation in 1914 6 and is one of four still operating in the state of Florida 4 The ferry part of the Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway 7 consists of a barge pushed by a tugboat converted from a 1910 Sharpie sailboat 8 It has a weight limit of 15 tonnes 15 long tons 17 short tons 7 The tugboat named Too Wendy 9 is 18 feet 5 5 m long and is powered by a 65 horsepower 48 kW diesel engine 10 Hurricane Gladys sunk the ferry s tugboat in 1968 service was suspended until it could be raised 11 In 1972 an automobile commercial featuring Paul Newman was filmed on the Fort Gates Ferry 4 In 2009 the ferry was part of a route named the World s Worst Commute in a contest run to promote a brand of motor oil 12 Traffic editThe ferry with a toll of 10 7 is one of four in Florida 4 Operating daily except Tuesday during daylight hours it has an estimated annual traffic load of 1 500 vehicles per year 4 The ferry takes ten minutes to cross the one mile 1 6 km span of the river 4 it can carry two to four pickup trucks a dozen motorcycles or 38 dirt bikes or bicycles 10 The ferry is privately operated by the Fort Gates Fish Camp and is funded by Putnam County as a public transportation service the subsidy was set at 10 000 per year in 1995 10 Putnum County is planning on replacing the ferry landings with new structures 13 Closure editThe passage of Hurricane Irma in 2017 damaged the ferry and ferry landing forcing the temporary suspension of the service by February 2019 repairs had not yet been conducted 14 In October 2019 the Putnam County Commission authorized funds for repairing the ferry landing 15 but by late 2020 the ferry had not been repaired and local residents believed it would never return to service 16 References editCitations Florida Bridge Information PDF Office of Maintenance Bridge Information Florida Department of Transportation June 29 2012 Archived from the original PDF on 2014 04 11 Retrieved 2012 09 07 van Trump Bette December 4 1980 Fish Attractors Installed News from South Putnam Daytona Beach FL p 2 Retrieved 2012 08 31 Kopycinski Jay 17 September 2013 Crossing Florida Part 1 Four Wheeler El Segundo CA TEN The Enthusiast Network Retrieved 2017 12 04 a b c d e f Klinkenberg Jeff August 23 2009 Fort Gates Ferry still crossing the St Johns River Archived 2012 09 03 at the Wayback Machine Tampa Bay Times St Petersburg FL Accessed 2012 08 24 White Gary April 18 2006 Long Serving Ferry Has Local International Appeal The Ledger Lakeland FL Retrieved 2012 08 24 Hamaker Elaine July 30 1989 Fort Gates Ferry gets you there just in time Star Banner Ocala FL p 11E Retrieved 2012 08 24 a b c Fort Gates Ferry United States Forest Service Accessed 2017 12 04 Franklin and Mikula 2009 p 54 Tunstall Jim November 20 2005 Ocala forest has dark secret The Tampa Tribune Tampa FL Retrieved 2012 08 24 a b c Voyles Karen July 23 1995 Florida s oldest ferry boat still crossing the St John s The Gainesville Sun Gainesville FL p 1B Retrieved 2012 08 24 Winds Knock Out Ferry At Welaka Daytona Beach Morning Journal Daytona Beach FL October 25 1968 p 7 Retrieved 2012 08 31 Opperman Michael October 6 2009 Salt Springs woman wins World s Worst Commute Star Banner Ocala FL Retrieved 2012 08 24 Public Works Project Update PDF Putnam County Public Works Department August 2011 p 3 Retrieved 2012 08 31 Osiadacz Alexander February 27 2019 All dried up Fort Gates Ferry damaged in Hurricane Irma still out of service First Coast News Jacksonville FL Retrieved January 25 2021 Broschart F W October 10 2019 County OKs funding to repair ferry years after Irma Palatka Daily News Palatka FL Retrieved January 25 2021 Foster Turley Pat August 19 2020 Exploring Old Florida Weekend in Welaka The News Leader Fernandina Beach FL Archived from the original on January 25 2021 Retrieved January 25 2021 Bibliography Franklin Paul M Nancy Mikula 2009 Backroads of Florida Minneapolis MN Voyageur Press ISBN 978 0760332269 External links editA trip on the ferry 29 26 0 N 81 39 50 W 29 43333 N 81 66389 W 29 43333 81 66389 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fort Gates Ferry amp oldid 1220787321, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
