Open April 15 to October 15th Saturday and Sunday from 9AM to 5PM.
For more information please call 434-296-1492
HATTON FERRY
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This is the site of one of the last two remaining poled ferries in the United States. This ferry is still in operation from mid April through mid October. One may still ride on this bygone relic free of charge on Saturday and Sunday from 9 AM to 5 PM in season. It is interesting to note that 5 modes of transportation are represented here at Hatton Ferry which is quite rare: travel by canal, ferry, railroad, river, and state highway. A river outfitter's shop is in the old store that was built by the original ferry owner. The store has been operated as a railroad depot, post office, and general merchandise business and was built in 1882. Old canal lock stones, pressed tin walls, and heart pine flooring and countertops are still utilized as parts of this historic building. Located within a short drive is Monticello, Ash Lawn, the Blue Ridge Mountains, and The University of Virginia. |
| James
A. Brown began operating a store and ferry at this site on
rented property in the
late 1870's. In 1881, he bought the land from S.P. Gantt at which time
the store became a stop on the Richmond and Allegheny Railroad (now
CSX). Two years later, Brown was authorized to open a post office in
his store, which was named Hatton for the young federal postal officer
who signed the authorizing statements. Following the death of Brown
and his widow, James B. Tindall purchased the store, ferry, and ferry
rights in 1914. He operated the ferry until 1940 when it was taken over
by the Department of Highways.
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Hurricane Agnes destroyed the ferry in 1972 and almost ended service. An interested public persuaded authorities to continue this historic ferry, and a new one was built by highway department staff. It was dedicated in September 1973 with the assistance of Richard Thomas, star of the TV series, "The Waltons". A record flood in 1985 sunk the new ferry boat, but The Virginia Department of Transportation replaced it with a metal one launched in June 1986. The operator's building was renovated by the Albemarle County Historical Society to appear as it may have in its early days. |
| The
James River is the longest waterway that is wholly contained in one
state (Virginia) in The United States. This river is formed by the confluence
of The Cowpasture and Jackson Rivers in the foothills of the Allegheny
Mountains and after 340 miles of meandering through the Virginia countryside
and eventually empties into the Chesapeake Bay. Jamestown was developed
on the banks of The James in 1607 and is well known as the first permanent
English settlement in colonial America. As the settlers moved west,
the river was a focal point for numerous small villages, especially
showing itself to be substantially productive as a food, travel, and
water power source. The James is located in the Triassic Basin area
and to this day petrified wood is in abundance and an occasional fossil
may be found on sandbars and along its shores.
In central Virginia, The James River offered such tremendous benefits to humans that the Monacan Indians made their home along its banks long before the white man appeared on the scene. Indian artifacts may still be found along its shores and include arrowheads and pottery as the most common tools (some over 2000 years old) found by lucky amateur archaeologists . Fishing for many species of fish and having abundant game nearby enabled these Indians to have a very productive lifestyle along the banks of this historical river. It has been said that at times during the annual shad run that the water was so choked with fish that one could "walk across the river on top of the fish"! Since then, dams have been built in Richmond preventing the westward migration of the previously indigenous migratory species of fish. However, through efforts of conservationists and governmental agencies, new fish "ladders" have been built allowing these fish to go upstream past the dams with the last ladder completed at Bosher's Dam. Sometime in the near future, these long absent species of migrating fish will again abound in the upper James River. The James is nationally known for its excellent smallmouth bass fishing today. |
Batteau History In the 1800's, long wooden boats were "poled" in the treacherous, rocky waters of The James River, transporting other passengers and goods downriver from Lynchburg to Richmond. The passenger boats were known as "packets" while the poled boats transporting rye whiskey, hogsheads of tobacco, flour, and other trading products were known as "batteaux". Sluiceways and other evidence of this long forgotten activity may still be found while floating the river. While the batteaux and packet boats were able to float downstream at ease, the upstream move was a little more complicated. So during the early part of the 1800's a canal was built that stretched back upstream from Richmond to Lynchburg, a distance of 140 miles. This canal was originally the brainchild of George Washington who envisioned a canal stretching all the way west through the mountains of Virginia. While his dream was never completely realized, The James Kanawha Canal was an engineering marvel of its time. Evidence of the canal that may still be seen by riverside includes excellent archway style aqueducts and culverts, rockwork, and some crumbling lock stone areas that are evidenced on the north side of the river where tributaries empty into The James. More evidence may be found a little further off stream in the form of man made rocky areas built for locks used in the western movement of the batteaux. During The Civil War , this canal was so important to the Confederacy that General Grant ordered Generals Custer and Sherman to destroy this significant transportation medium of goods and munitions. The invading northern troops actually encamped 10,000 strong in and near the small river community of Scottsville in 1865. This action effectively closed the link between the canal and Richmond, a very important logistical city for the Confederacy that was besieged by Yankee troops. The history of the batteau is so interesting that a "Batteau Festival" is held each year in June enticing as many as 25 of the hand made 40 foot boats to participate in a 7 day float from Lynchburg to Maidens Landing. |
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