The historic White’s Ferry, the last remaining ferry service to travel between Virginia and Maryland across the Potomac River, announced Monday that it would cease operations.
DCist reported that the ferry service, which has operated since the late 1700s, was closed due to a centuries-old legal dispute over the landing site along the Virginia River. The website reported that the conflict stemmed from the location of the landing site at Rockland Farm, which was delivered to the ferry in 1871, although the location was never properly marked on the map.
“White’s Ferry regrets to inform the public that it will stop operating the Potomac River Ferry between White’s Ferry Road, Montgomery County, Maryland, and White’s Ferry Road, Loudoun County, Virginia, with immediate effect,” the service wrote. ferry on their Facebook page. “The Circuit Court of Loudoun County, Virginia, has ruled, in the case of Rockland Farm, LLC, et al. V. White’s Ferry, Inc., that there is no public landing off the coast of Virginia on White’s Ferry Road and White’s Ferry Road. transhipment is prohibited from landing in that place in Virginia. “
Herb Brown, whose father relaunched the ferry service in 1946 after a decadent hiatus, said his family made the decision to end the ferry service because a court order would have forced the ferry service to end. next week.
“We knew there was a court order that we couldn’t land in Virginia, so we made the decision. It wouldn’t make sense to open up for a week,” he told DCist.
Last month, Judge Stephen Sincavage ruled in favor of Rockland Farm, writing that it was not certain whether the landing was actually on public land.
“The evidence that the ferry landing has been in the ‘same place’ for a long period of time, even up to 1871, may have persuasive value on the broader question of location, but it does not provide reasonable certainty. on the more specific issue of this location, “Sincavage wrote.
One of the owners of Rockland Farm, Lily Devlin, told DCist that her family had no intention of closing the service and that she had tried to reach several agreements previously.
“The owners decided they would just get away from the business. We didn’t close the ferry. We tried everything to make it work,” he said.
Brown said the deals were too expensive for the ferry to continue operating. He did not say whether even if the ferry service would work again.
DCist noted that many local politicians influenced the closure of the ferry.
Danica Roem, a Virginia state, wrote on Twitter, “It needs to be fixed immediately. White’s Ferry maintains so many 15, 495 and 270 vehicles every day. It’s an important part of our transportation infrastructure.”
It needs to be fixed immediately. White’s Ferry keeps so many vehicles out of 15, 495 and 270 each day. It is an important part of our transportation infrastructure.
Also: if you’ve taken it (backups aside), it’s usually a quiet, peaceful experience floating through the Potomac. https://t.co/PzGSTliioI– From. Danica Roem (@pwcdanica) December 28, 2020
Commissioners in the city of Poolesville, Maryland, said in a statement on Facebook, “Poolesville commissioners are actively working with officials in Montgomery County and the state of Maryland, in an attempt to keep the shuttle operational.”