2023.10.395

"The Old Chain Ferry" by (Mrs. Doc) May Francis Heath for my Betty May to use in future years. June 14-Flag Day 1931, Saugatuck, Mich. One of the most fascinating and charming, romantic spots in Western Michigan is the quaint, old Chain Ferry at Saugatuck and many tales it could tell of the village and its people nestled as it is under the shelter of the bleak old dune hills, as for more than eighty years, like a pendulum, it has gone back and forth- back and forth- across the Kalamazoo river It is the one thing that through the trend of years that has been kept almost the same as it was in the beginning, with its windlass and cable; though in those early days when the loads were not so heavy, the craft was of much lighter build, and it was easily operated by one husky fellow at the crank while now, with oft times four automobiles and twenty to forty foot passengers, it takes two men about four minutes to bring the scow & load across. This is the story of the early beginning of the ferry as told by pioneers many years ago and the story was handed down to me, and I put it in black and white. In 1857 the bridge that had been used to cross the river at Saugatuck stood right about where the ferry now is located, and it was abandoned because the schooners (and there were many in those days) in passing through the draw, would bump against it and knock the piles loose; so in that same year (1857) the Ferry was established, consisting of a scow, an endless chain which dropped to the bottom of the river, a windlass and a crank- and a row-boat the later carrying passengers only. Young Darius Billings wanted the job of running the ferry, but as he was only nineteen years old and not responsible on a contract being under-age, his father bid in the job from the town-ship for $300 and turned it over to Darius who became the first ferryman, and he operated it a year. This mode of crossing the river in the summer and driving over the ice in the winter (when it was thick enough) made the only connection between the two sides of the Kalamazoo (unless one drove to New Richmond where was a bridge- it being 7 miles east) until a bridge was completed in 1869 on the same site where stands today the Saugatuck and Douglas bridge. But bridge or no bridge the old chain ferry still has its charm and has never for long at a time been out of commission. Just to see it out in mid-river in summer time with a load of happy, brightly garbed young people enroute to the lake or the art colony, with the century old village to the east and nature's beautiful, wooded hills to the west, and old Mt. Baldhead beckoning, is an invitation none can resist; and by driving one's auto on the scow saves four miles. Natives well remember the several old ferrymen who for so many years faithfully served, and for sure one got one's money 's worth they would tell stories of early Indian days when the woods rang with the Indian war-whoop, or were traversed by the gruff black bear. They were Mayhew, Wheeler, Slater, Randall, and Jay Myers the latter serving more than twenty years. L.S. Brittain has been in charge since Mr. Myers death . And soon the resort season will open and the woods will echo the call "Ho Ye! Ho Ho"-which will bring the ferryman and his craft to the west shore to carry the passengers to town. Happy such a town as Saugatuck, which is equipped with all modern amusements and yet has preserved many historical places out of its past to give the summer guests.

1850 Chain ferries and landings/storesNauticalMay HeathTransportation: water

Winthers, Sally

01/11/2024

08/23/2024