Rocky Hill - Glastonbury Ferry
Encyclopedia
The Rocky Hill – Glastonbury Ferry is a seasonal ferry
crossing the Connecticut River
between the towns of Glastonbury
and Rocky Hill, Connecticut
and is part of Route 160
. It is believed to be the oldest continuously operated ferry service in the United States
. The river crossing has an annual average daily traffic of 400.
,
only shutting down in the winter when the river freezes over.
Started in 1655, it actually began before the foundation of the towns of Glastonbury and Rocky Hill, both towns being part of Wethersfield
at that time.
Originally a raft
that was poled across the Connecticut River, it was then for a while powered by a horse on a treadmill
before being upgraded to a steamship in 1876. Today's ferry is a 3-car barge
named the Hollister III towed by a diesel
towboat named the Cumberland.
The ferry landings and the ferry itself are included in the Glastonbury-Rocky Hill Ferry Historic District
, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 2005. The National Register listing was proposed in 2005 to help preserve the historic ferry. The historic district
also encompasses farmscapes of the Great Meadows in South Glastonbury that preserve 17th-century land use patterns and Colonial and Greek Revival farmhouses, as well as the homes of shipbuilders and merchant traders near the two landings, including several examples of Colonial and Italianate architecture.
The Ferry was to be closed by the state on August 25, 2011 because of budget cuts. Though service was not cancelled when savings were found elsewhere in the state budget, the State Department of Transportation has been meeting with residents who wish to find a way to have the ferry be self financing to at least a small extent.
and Middletown
, preventing what would otherwise be a thirteen mile (19 km) detour for them.
Operating between May 1 and October 31, the toll for cars is $3 and for cyclists & pedestrians is $1.
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
crossing the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
between the towns of Glastonbury
Glastonbury, Connecticut
Glastonbury is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States, founded in 1693. The population was 31,876 at the 2000 census. The town was named after Glastonbury in Somerset, England. Glastonbury is located on the banks of the Connecticut River, 7 miles southeast of Hartford. The town...
and Rocky Hill, Connecticut
Rocky Hill, Connecticut
Rocky Hill is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 17,966 at the 2000 census. Rocky Hill was part of Wethersfield, the neighboring town to the north, until it was independently incorporated in 1849....
and is part of Route 160
Connecticut Route 160
Route 160 is a state highway in Connecticut running for from the Berlin Turnpike in Berlin to Route 17 in the South Glastonbury section of Glastonbury. The road crosses the Connecticut River on the Rocky Hill - Glastonbury Ferry...
. It is believed to be the oldest continuously operated ferry service in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The river crossing has an annual average daily traffic of 400.
History
The ferry is the oldest continuously running ferry service in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
,
only shutting down in the winter when the river freezes over.
Started in 1655, it actually began before the foundation of the towns of Glastonbury and Rocky Hill, both towns being part of Wethersfield
Wethersfield, Connecticut
Wethersfield is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. Many records from colonial times spell the name Weathersfield, while Native Americans called it Pyquag...
at that time.
Originally a raft
Raft
A raft is any flat structure for support or transportation over water. It is the most basic of boat design, characterized by the absence of a hull...
that was poled across the Connecticut River, it was then for a while powered by a horse on a treadmill
Treadmill
A treadmill is an exercise machine for running or walking while staying in one place. The word treadmill traditionally refers to a type of mill which was operated by a person or animal treading steps of a wheel to grind grain...
before being upgraded to a steamship in 1876. Today's ferry is a 3-car barge
Barge
A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
named the Hollister III towed by a diesel
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
towboat named the Cumberland.
The ferry landings and the ferry itself are included in the Glastonbury-Rocky Hill Ferry Historic District
Glastonbury-Rocky Hill Ferry Historic District
Glastonbury-Rocky Hill Ferry Historic District is a historic district in Glastonbury and Rocky Hill, Connecticut. It includes the ferry landings and water traversed by the Rocky Hill – Glastonbury Ferry....
, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2005. The National Register listing was proposed in 2005 to help preserve the historic ferry. The historic district
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
also encompasses farmscapes of the Great Meadows in South Glastonbury that preserve 17th-century land use patterns and Colonial and Greek Revival farmhouses, as well as the homes of shipbuilders and merchant traders near the two landings, including several examples of Colonial and Italianate architecture.
The Ferry was to be closed by the state on August 25, 2011 because of budget cuts. Though service was not cancelled when savings were found elsewhere in the state budget, the State Department of Transportation has been meeting with residents who wish to find a way to have the ferry be self financing to at least a small extent.
Use
The ferry is the only river crossing accessible to pedestrians and bicyclists between HartfordHartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
and Middletown
Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, 16 miles south of Hartford. In 1650, it was incorporated as a town under its original Indian name, Mattabeseck. It received its present name in 1653. In 1784, the central...
, preventing what would otherwise be a thirteen mile (19 km) detour for them.
Operating between May 1 and October 31, the toll for cars is $3 and for cyclists & pedestrians is $1.
In popular culture
- This ferry was used in the music videoMusic videoA music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for Billy JoelBilly JoelWilliam Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
's "River of Dreams".
See also
- List of crossings of the Connecticut River
- Chester–Hadlyme Ferry, the second oldest continuously running ferry service in Connecticut operating just 25 miles (40.2 km) downstream.
- Glastonbury-Rocky Hill Ferry Historic DistrictGlastonbury-Rocky Hill Ferry Historic DistrictGlastonbury-Rocky Hill Ferry Historic District is a historic district in Glastonbury and Rocky Hill, Connecticut. It includes the ferry landings and water traversed by the Rocky Hill – Glastonbury Ferry....