White’s Ferry January 4, 2020

Crossing the Potomac River near Poolesville, Maryland and Leesburg, Virginia this ferry (Facebook) has been in operation since 1796 and the last of 100 that once crossed this river.

It was known as Conrad’s Ferry before being purchased by Elijah V. White after the civil war. The ferry boat was named in honor of his former commander, General Jubal Anderson Early, a name which has stuck through successive ferries.

More information about this ferry can be found on this Loudon History page on the ferry.

The ferry itself can carry up to 24 cars and makes a 5 minute crossing not including roughly 2 minutes on each side for loading and unloading. One way for a vehicle is $5 cash only.

A single operator handles everything from directing vehicles on and off and operating the ferry which follows a cable. I didn’t get the gentleman’s name but he was friendly and helpful.

The ferry normally operates from 5am to 11pm but weather and river conditions can modify that schedule. Check their facebook page above for their current status.

Although out of the way unless you’re aiming to cross the river at this point I definitely recommend visiting this ferry. A pedestrian can cross round trip for $2 and makes for an interesting experience.

I plan to return sometime in the future to get more photos and video as it was raining pretty good during my visit. Check out my video below.

You can view my photography (more than just ships!) here and more videos here.