Elwell Ferry

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I had the wonderful opportunity to ride the Elwell Ferry yesterday. I didn't know until now exactly what I was riding. It turns out I was aboard a large piece of history that is over 100 years old. The Elwell Ferry is one of the last three cable ferries operating in North Carolina, one of the twenty four in the United States and the only cable ferry on the Cape Fear River. The ferry can only carry two cars at a time. You are allowed to get out of your vehicle while it makes its journey across the river. It's free to ride.

The Russ family started the ferry back in 1905. It was not long before the North Carolina Department of Transportation took ownership of the ferry. Unfortunately, Mr. Walter Russ was the first person to die on the ferry and it was due to an explosion in 1942 that ironically Mr. Russ warned about. A year later another ferry was built.

Fortunately modern technology has built in safety features that prevent other deaths, like the ones of the past, from occurring. For example, we no longer have to worry about cars and trucks slipping out of gear and falling into the river or people pushing over sized cars on the ferry as had been done in the past.

There is no danger, at this time, of a bridge being built to transport people and vehicles across the Cape Fear River. The cost of building a bridge to replace the five minute ride across the river in the cable ferry is too steep to justify.

For now we all can enjoy the nostalgia and convenience the Elwell Ferry gives.

If you have the opportunity to travel to this part of North Carolina, I hope you will visit this piece of history.