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Tates Creek Road connects Richmond, KY to Lexington, KY via Jessimine County and is a major route for Madison Co. Commuters. An interesting feature is that the road has no bridge over the Kentucky River but cars must cross via car ferry at the town of Valley View.
The Valley View Ferry has the reputation of possibly being the oldest operating ferry in the world as a ferry of one type or another has been operating at this same sight SINCE 1785!! A bridge has never been built here to replace the ferry because when the ferry was first chartered in the 1700's the Commonwealth of KY gave the ferry legal right to operate at this sight UNTIL THE END OF TIME ITSELF. Therefore no bridge has ever been built here.
The tower sticking up out of the water in the background is a support tower for a railroad bridge built by the RIN&B Railroad in the 1880's, operating until 1934 when the railroad was abandoned. The ferry and the tower can be seen in a short scene in the 1960's George C. Scott film "The Flim Flam Man".
The Valley View Ferry has the reputation of possibly being the oldest operating ferry in the world as a ferry of one type or another has been operating at this same sight SINCE 1785!! A bridge has never been built here to replace the ferry because when the ferry was first chartered in the 1700's the Commonwealth of KY gave the ferry legal right to operate at this sight UNTIL THE END OF TIME ITSELF. Therefore no bridge has ever been built here.
The tower sticking up out of the water in the background is a support tower for a railroad bridge built by the RIN&B Railroad in the 1880's, operating until 1934 when the railroad was abandoned. The ferry and the tower can be seen in a short scene in the 1960's George C. Scott film "The Flim Flam Man".
Category Photography / Miscellaneous
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 1280 x 960px
File Size 287.6 kB
That photo reminds me of a ferry outside of Salem Or. that is set up the same way. The last I knew it was still operating. It's drive system was electric and the feed was off the power lines that crossed the river at the ferry crossing.
This is a neat bit of history to say the least. I wonder how much trafic is sees daily?
femm
This is a neat bit of history to say the least. I wonder how much trafic is sees daily?
femm
Valley View Ferry is actually diesel powered and pushed by a chain driven paddle wheel no less. You can't see it in the photo because of the angle, the paddle wheel is directly behind the wheel house on the far side of the barge. Those orange cables merely keep the ferry in the same place and not drift down the river.
Doesn't get really bad at anytime I've noticed. The ferry can load, cross, and unload in around 4-5 minutes a circuit, fairly quick for a car ferry. It's been set up so that the outfit is literally drive three cars on, take off across the river, drive three cars off, and repeat without any tieing down or preping. You don't even have time to turn your engine off for any amount of time really.
The only it gets bad is if some jackass causes an accident which shuts-down I-75 which leaves Tates Creek Road and US 25 as the only two roads that connect Lexington to the south. It gets bad then.
The only it gets bad is if some jackass causes an accident which shuts-down I-75 which leaves Tates Creek Road and US 25 as the only two roads that connect Lexington to the south. It gets bad then.
Not as far as I know, but he does enjoy visiting historical sites around the Wilmore and Lexington area taking photos of interest with his tablet phone. He prefers visiting flea markets, especially the Richwood one, and of course lives for "Court Days" and the Mount Sterling events. I'm going to have to see if I can get him to visit and photograph the sites you shared with us.
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