Colorado River Ferry Crossing
Ballinger, Runnels County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Used in 1880s for travel on Ballinger - San Angelo Road. Rates fixed by the county court ranged from one cent for a head of livestock to one dollar for 6 horses and a wagon. Ferry was in use until building of first cedar and pine wood bridge, 1888.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In the 1880s this ferry carried travelers across the Colorado River on the Ballinger-San Angelo Road, with rates set by the county court ranging from a penny per head of livestock to a dollar for a six-horse wagon. It stayed in service until 1888, when the first wooden bridge finally spanned the river.
Why it matters
River ferries were essential links in the frontier transportation network, and their replacement by bridges marks the steady march of infrastructure across the settling West.
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Themes & tags
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