A historic ferry that carries vehicles across the James River between Albemarle County and Buckingham County may have taken its last journey.
The Board of Directors for the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society has voted to decommission the Hatton Ferry which they have operated since 2010 since taking it over from the Virginia Department of Transportation. Here’s a story I wrote back in 2009.
Ted Coates, a member of the ACHS Board, said the closure has been considered for a while due to funding and operational issues.
“Although the ferry was only able to operate 12 to 20 days a year due to low water, safety issues with the cable system and the vessel itself continued year round,” Coates wrote in an email announcement on January 18.
Coates said the ACHS had been exploring the idea of a small vehicle that would allow the ferry to operate more frequently in low water.
“We also approached local organizations to see if one might be interested in taking over the ferry,” Coates said.
The ACHS will be holding a public meeting on Tuesday, February 4, 2025 at 5 p.m. at the Scottsville Town Hall to explain the decision and discuss the future of the sites. Are you going? Interested in recording it? I can pay!
To learn more about the Hatton Ferry, Hawes Spencer has this story behind a paywall in the Charlottesville Daily Progress. Or take a look at this 2022 video produced by filmmaker Lorenzo Dickerson.
Before you go: This article was originally sent out as part of the Charlottesville Community Engagement newsletter in the February 3, 2025 edition. Both are functions of Town Crier Productions. You can support the work by purchasing a paid subscription or contributing monthly through Patreon. You can also send in a check or send an email, but drop me a line first.
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