Until 1983, visitors from the East to Mountain Home, Arkansas, had to ride a ferry over Lake Norfork on both State Highway 101 and US Highway 62. This unique experience can still be had if visitors will take Arkansas State Highway 14 west from Yellville to State Highway 125 north to Missouri. Known as the Peel ferry, this boat ride is the last operating public ferry in the state.
The two most photographed ferries in Arkansas are probably the ones that crossed Norfork Lake at Highway 62 and Highway 101. As you can see, I have found numerous photo postcards of each.
Historically, most major rivers in Arkansas were crossed by ferries. As some of those rivers were dammed and lakes created, they were crossed by public ferries.
I can remember, when I moved to Mountain Home in 1979, crossing the ferry to head east and what a novelty it was. It was in the early 1980s when funds were released to build both the bridge connecting both sides of US Highway 62 and Arkansas State Highway 101 over Lake Norfork. Before the bridges were in place all traffic, including semi-trucks, had to take the ferries operated by the AHTD (Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department). If a semi was carrying hazardous cargo, it had to be transported by itself, often backing up traffic from that side of the bridge.
You can see by this real photo postcard and the others I've shared that vehicles of all descriptions used the ferries to cross Norfork Lake. Believe it or not, for a short while before Norfork Dam was built, there was a beautiful bridge across the lake. It was covered as the lake filled and is now a popular scuba diving spot.
You can see the bridge in the distance. When it was decided that the dam would be built, the bridge was only about 10 years old when it was covered by the waters of Lake Norfork.
I love the old Woody wagon in this one. It was one of my first postcards of the ferry in full color.
Both ferries were within sight of each other. This postcard shows how close both were located to each other. The one you see to the left went to Gamaliel on Hwy. 101. The ferry coming, closest to the dock, went to Henderson and was U.S. Hwy. 62. It carried a lot of traffic since it was a major east-west artery across the northern part of Arkansas.
I would love to hear your memories of crossing the ferries. Most people who lived in the area before the bridges were built in 1983 remember riding the ferries. It was the only way one could head east out of Mountain Home without going south first through Norfork.
You will see the name Wingard at the bottom of several of the postcards. The family still has a photography studio in the Twin Lakes area.
For more information:http://www.norforklakechamber.com/henderson.htm
My memory is a bit hazy after all these years, but I believe in the 1950s both the 62 and 101 ferries came in to one dock, Cars waiting for the ferry would line up to the right for Henderson and on the left for 101 with a single lane in the middle for cars leaving the ferry. We felt absolutely modern when the second landing with its own access road was added.
ReplyDeleteThat might have been our woody wagon! We had one in 1954 when we moved to MH, and dad ran an excursion boat out of Henderson for the first two years or so, crossing the ferry every day in the woody (but the sedans on the ferry look like models from the 40s).
Thank you so much! I didn't know until several folks here told me that both ferries used to leave from the same landing.
DeleteAfter a few Stone County childhood years riding White River ferries at Sylamore and Guion, my Dad drove us across 62. While it was the same color (AHTD orange) as the White River ferries, I couldn't believe my eyes at how large the ferry on Lake Norfork was. And it had an engine!
ReplyDeleteAh...sophistication.
I have a postcard of the ferry at Sylamore. It certainly was much smaller than the Lake Norfork ferries. Thanks! I love reading about your memories.
DeleteAfter a few Stone County childhood years riding White River ferries at Sylamore and Guion, my Dad drove us across 62. While it was the same color (AHTD orange) as the White River ferries, I couldn't believe my eyes at how large the ferry on Lake Norfork was. And it had an engine!
ReplyDeleteAh...sophistication.
Earlene Hodges Barth, I rode the 62 ferry back and forth from Henderson every day on the school bus to get to Mt. Home High School. Both 62 and 101 Ferries did come into the same dock for many years.
ReplyDeleteIn August 1962, my Mother & Father, my Mother's Sister and her husband & I had been to Mountain Home for the weekend. We had just crossed the ferry on 62 headed back to Jonesboro and had stopped at a little drive in restaurant that had a lighthouse structure for a bite to eat when we heard on TV Marilyn Monroe had been found dead.
ReplyDeleteI rode the 62 ferry back and forth to school every school day for 12 years. One interesting fact is after midnight only one ferry ran for all 3 and later 4 landings. If there wasn't any traffic they would often just sit and watch for lights. I wasn't late getting home much, but when I was I had a great built in excuse.
ReplyDeleteMy sister Earlene has posted above. Jim Hodges
Jim Hodges
Thank you, Jim. I remember several folks I met when I first moved to the area telling me the same thing about the ferry. I also remember one friend getting in trouble for using that excuse once too often!
DeleteI remember riding the ferry in its last days and you could see the bridges that were almost open. Dad used to drive us across in a 71 Superbeetle.
ReplyDeleteI remember riding the ferry in its last days and you could see the bridges that were almost open. Dad used to drive us across in a 71 Superbeetle.
ReplyDeleteI rode the 101 ferry from the mid 60's when we lived in Gamaliel until we moved to Flippin in 1972. Then I rode the 62 ferry from 1981 until the bridges were built. I remember my high school age son being rather put off they took the kids out of school and had them ride the last run of the ferry. They came home that afternoon over the bridge. I was going to college in Harrison so had many 5am ferry rides. I would use my "ferry time" (waiting for it and riding on it) to get my homework done. Then the bridges opened and there went my homework time! I also remember the mane of the tugboat that usually pilled the 101 ferry was "W. W. Zass" I always thought that was so funny! The men who worked on the ferries would get to know the regulars and one night even changed a flat tire for my sisters during a crossing.
ReplyDeleteWe lived in Paragould, Arkansas and would come tot Home on vacation in the early 60's. The highlight of the trip for my sister's and me was the Ferry. We got to stand on the barge and look at all the boats. We stayed at the Graceland Motel usually and It's hard to believe that it is still standing after all these years. Thanks for the memories. Lisa Bullock Mings
ReplyDeleteNothing like getting to Grandma's house after a long ride from St. Louis and being treated to a ferry ride just before hitting Mountain Home. Like an amusement park ride everytime we went there. Absolutely loved it!
ReplyDeleteHa! I was just recalling this, but could not remember the whats or wheres. It was summer 82, just graduated from HS and was being truck driver/mover with my stepdad. We had a deliver into Mt home and had to take this ferry in. No way in heck I thought as our 70Klbs rolled on, but it did. AT first I was convinced it was flipping over on us and my coffin would be the cab of a kenworth. but the ride was cool from the deck
ReplyDeleteI remember the ferry very well growing up as my dad was the boss at AHTD there in Henderson. I would get to ride in the tug boat to meet my mom (divorced) on the other side. It was cool.
ReplyDelete