Valley View Ferry facts for kids
 |
|
| Waterway | Kentucky River |
|---|---|
| Transit type | Cable ferry |
| Owner | Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government and Madison and Jessamine Counties |
| Operator | Same as owner |
| Began operation | 1785 |
| Travel time | 2-3 minutes |
| No. of vessels | One |
| No. of terminals | Two |
| Daily ridership | 350 passengers on average |
The Valley View Ferry helps people cross the Kentucky River in a quiet part of central Kentucky. You can find it on Kentucky Route 169. This ferry service connects cars between the main towns of Richmond in Madison County, Nicholasville in Jessamine County, and Lexington Kentucky. The ferry route takes you right into the downtown areas of Richmond, Lexington, and Nicholasville.
This ferry started way back in 1780. That was even before Kentucky became a state in 1792! Many people believe it's the oldest business in Kentucky that has been running non-stop since it began.
In 1780, a man named John Craig got land in the area. He was a veteran from Virginia who fought in the American Revolutionary War. In 1785, the government of Virginia gave Craig special permission. This permission allowed him to run a ferry forever. Famous people like Daniel Boone, Henry Clay, and Ulysses S. Grant have all ridden this ferry. For over 200 years, the ferry was owned by private families. Seven different families owned it one after another until 1991. Then, the governments of Lexington-Fayette Urban County, Madison County, and Jessamine County bought it together for $60,000.
This ferry doesn't have a rudder to steer it. Instead, it's a cable ferry. This means it's guided by strong cables that stretch between four tall towers, each 55 feet high. The whole ferry area was updated in 1998. That's when the old towers and cables were replaced with new ones. Two years later, the ferry got money from the government to make its barge better. The new barge is ten feet longer than the old one. This allows it to carry three cars at a time instead of just two.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet pays for the ferry. This means it's a free service for everyone to use. On average, about 250 cars cross the river on the ferry each day.
How the Ferry Works
The Valley View Ferry has two captains. One is Clayton Embly, who has worked on boats for a long time, even in the Military Sealift Command. The other is Shane Toomey, who started his career right here on the Valley View Ferry and worked his way up to become a captain. There are also four full-time deckhands. Deckhands help with the ferry's daily operations. Two more deckhands are available when needed. Before 2020, people from local jails used to work as deckhands. But now, the ferry board hires paid deckhands.
Two John Deere engines power the ferry's generator. This generator then powers all the ferry's moving parts. Only one engine is used at a time. The large paddle wheel is moved by special hydraulic motors. After a big update in 2023, these motors can move the boat across the river in about 2 minutes and 30 seconds, even when it's full of cars. The ramps that cars drive on and off are controlled by compressed air. This air helps the barge slide smoothly away from the river bank. This smart setup lets the engines run slowly, which helps them last longer and saves fuel.
The ferry runs 12 hours a day, every day of the year, except Christmas. It might also close if the weather is very bad. From Monday to Friday, it operates from 6 AM to 6 PM. On Saturdays and Sundays, it runs from 8 AM to 8 PM.
The Ferry Boats Through Time
The current boat that pushes the ferry is called the "John Craig II". It was named after the boat that came before it. This boat was put into the water in December 2014. The John Craig II is the biggest tug boat the ferry has ever had. It is 25.5 feet long and weighs about 48,000 pounds.
The John Craig II has two motors. The older "John Craig" only had one. Having two motors is a great backup. If one motor has a problem, the ferry can still run using the other one. The crew uses a different motor each day. This helps the motors rest and makes them last longer.
Building the John Craig II cost a total of $700,000. Most of the money, $600,000, came from federal grants. The remaining $100,000 came from local funding. In January 2023, the boat was taken out of the water for major repairs and updates. Captain Shane Toomey said that almost everything inside the boat is new. The paint job is fresh, and people are excited to use it. Even the boat's main frame, which wasn't replaced, got a lot of work done to it. In June 2023, the ferry board and captains started talking about getting a brand new barge.
The tug boat named "John Craig" was built in 1996. It was named after the original owner of the ferry. The boat it replaced was badly damaged. It sank under the weight of heavy snow and then got more damage when people tried to pull it out of the water.
