Abercrombie in Richland County, North Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Ferry Crossing
Photographed By Connor Olson, June 14, 2021
1. Ferry Crossing Marker
Inscription.
Ferry Crossing. . Straight ahead of you and down along the bank of the river is the approximate location of the ferry crossing that served Fort Abercrombie. This photograph shows the ferry as it crosses the Red River. You are in roughly the same spot as the photographer who took this picture. Look closely at the photograph. How does the ferry move across the river? What types of people are using the ferry? In addition to horses, what other types of animals are using this ferry?
Heading east from the ferry crossing, the trail would have taken you southeast to Fergus Falls, St. Cloud, and St. Paul. From Fort Abercrombie, trails also headed northwest to Fort Totten and southwest to Fort Wadsworth (later known as Fort Sisseton).
Civilian Travelers
Both soldiers and civilians used the ferry crossing to get across the Red River. During the 1860s, many civilians traveling through Fort Abercrombie were on their way west to the gold fields in what is now Montana and Idaho. Expeditions of gold seekers led by James Fisk passed through Fort Abercrombie in 1862 and 1863.
Straight ahead of you and down along the bank
of the river is the approximate location of the ferry
crossing that served Fort Abercrombie.
This photograph shows the ferry as it crosses
the Red River. You are in roughly the same spot
as the photographer who took this picture.
Look closely at the photograph. How does the ferry
move across the river? What types of people are
using the ferry? In addition to horses, what other
types of animals are using this ferry?
Heading east from the ferry
crossing, the trail would have
taken you southeast to Fergus
Falls, St. Cloud, and St. Paul.
From Fort Abercrombie, trails also
headed northwest to Fort Totten
and southwest to Fort Wadsworth
(later known as Fort Sisseton).
Civilian Travelers
Both soldiers and civilians used the ferry
crossing to get across the Red River.
During the 1860s, many civilians
traveling through Fort Abercrombie
were on their way west to the gold fields
in what is now Montana and Idaho.
Expeditions of gold seekers led by James
Fisk passed through Fort Abercrombie
in 1862 and 1863.
Erected by State Historical Society of North Dakota.
Location. 46° 26.7′ N, 96° 43.032′ W. Marker is in Abercrombie, North Dakota, in Richland County. Marker can be reached from Broadway North near Abercrombie Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 935 Broadway N, Abercrombie ND 58001, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 6, 2021. It was originally submitted on July 6, 2021, by Connor Olson of Kewaskum, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 96 times since then and 6 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on July 6, 2021, by Connor Olson of Kewaskum, Wisconsin. • Mark Hilton was the editor who published this page.