Star City Ferry

Star City Ferry. , From Humble Beginnings , Until the construction of the first Star City Bridge in 1951, Star City residents and travelers crossed the Monongahela River by ferry. The earliest recorded operator of a ferry at Star City was Jesse Martin, listed in the 1792 Virginia statute for the regulation of ferries. Martin owned a ferry that ran between the east bank of the Monongahela River and the property of David Scott. Scotts Run is the namesake of David Scott who operated a nearby mill., All Hands on Deck , In the early 19th century, James Hamilton also operated a ferry here. Local histories name John Dawson as a ferry operator in the mid-19th century whose ferry sank for unknown reasons. Other ferry operators in the 20th century include Frank Wilkins; and Harvey Sechler, a former streetcar operator from Uniontown, Pennsylvania., A Ferry for Everyone , Most residents crossed the Monongahela River to reach the post office, located in Jimtown/Hamilton. Travelers also took the ferry on their way to Wheeling on the Ohio River. Back then, the ferry was a flat-bottomed wooden scow, most likely with a hull eleven feet wide, thirty feet long, and two feet deep. This ferry would have accomodated a heavy farm wagon with two horses or a carriage with four horses and crossed the river using a guide rope., A Critical Connector , With the expansion of coal mining in the 20th century, many residents of Scotts Run, Star City, and the Greater Morgantown area commuted by ferry to their work in the mines. Eventually the ferry was guided by a steel guide wire which was lowered beneath the water's surface when not in use., (Captions):, View of Star City From Across Monongahela River, Monongalia Co., W. Va. (Date Unkown) , West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries , Source: Ruby Le Pera - Collection 4045, Jimtown, Monongalia County, W. Va. (ca. 1960-1970) , West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries , Source: Morgantown Post-West Virginia History OnView, A Car Waits to Board the Ferry to Cross the River (Date Unknown) , The Aull Center for Local History and Genealogy Research, Annex of the Morgantown Public Library System., Two Children Play in Snow, Scott's Run, Pursglove, W. Va. (1937) , West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries , Source: Dick Duez-Collection: A&M 394-ADD, The Wooden Scow Approaching Star City (Date Unknown) , The Aull Center for Local History and Genealogy Research, Annex of the Morgantown Public Library System., Shack Community Center (Date Unknown) , West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries , Creator: Lewis Hines - Collection: A&M 2178