Hand-pulled ferries across the Sabine and Rio Grande

Los Ebanos Ferry

At certain places on the Sabine River, I try to keep an eye out for evidence of the ferries that once allowed people (and wagons and livestock) to cross the river before bridges became an option.

If the water in the Sabine wasn’t so brown and murky, you could probably locate some of the old ferries decaying on the riverbed, where they sank after being abandoned in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. I heard about them from my friend and collaborator Jacob Botter, whose ancestors operated a ferry at the end of what is now Waldons Ferry Road, a dirt trail in rural Harrison County. His great-great-great-great-grandpa (give or take a great or two) ran a rope from one side of the river to the other and used the rope to pull himself across whenever a paying customer wanted passage.

I’m not sure when that ferry ceased to exist, but Gaines Ferry, the last ferry on the Sabine River, operated until 1937. It transported travelers along the old Camino Real, where Texas Highway 21 meets Louisiana Highway 6. The ferry was replaced by a bridge, which was inundated by the creation of Toledo Bend Reservoir a little more than half a century ago.

I was reminded of the Sabine River ferries when my friend Sean Kimmons shared photos from his recent crossing of the Rio Grande. Sean and his parents loaded their car onto a ferry in Los Ebanos, Texas, and were pulled across the river by a team of men tugging a rope stretched from one bank to the other.

11045840_10152737844064639_8285343147670787036_n
Photo by Sean Kimmons
988896_10152737843829639_2848637590997078739_n
Photo by Sean Kimmons
1505130_10152737843979639_4919310892235105657_n
Photo by Sean Kimmons

 

According to the Texas Department of Transportation, the Los Ebanos Ferry is the only remaining hand-pulled ferry on the Texas-Mexico border.

The Los Ebanos Ferry is a popular tourist attraction since it is the only remaining hand-pulled ferry on the U.S.-Mexico border. It can accommodate only three cars and 12 pedestrians at one time.

The crossing is also known locally as Los Ebanos-San Miguel Camargo, Ferry Gustavo Díaz Ordaz and Ferry Díaz Ordaz-Los Ebanos.

Although the crossing has been in operation since the 1950s, the current ferry has been operating since 1979. It was recognized with a state historical marker in 1975.

And here’s a photo of a Sabine River ferry taken in 1916.

sabtnferry

 

Here’s a random video that shows how the Los Ebanos Ferry works.


22,156 responses to “Hand-pulled ferries across the Sabine and Rio Grande”

  1. Appreciating the dedication you put into your site and detailed information you present. It’s good to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same unwanted rehashed information. Excellent read! I’ve saved your site and I’m including your RSS feeds to my Google account.

  2. Today, while I was at work, my sister stole my iphone and tested to see if it can survive a thirty foot drop, just so she can be a youtube sensation. My iPad is now broken and she has 83 views. I know this is entirely off topic but I had to share it with someone!

  3. One thing I have actually noticed is that often there are plenty of misconceptions regarding the banks intentions any time talking about foreclosures. One myth in particular is the fact that the bank wishes to have your house. The bank wants your hard earned cash, not the house. They want the funds they gave you along with interest. Avoiding the bank will still only draw the foreclosed summary. Thanks for your article.

  4. Definitely consider that that you stated. Your favourite reason seemed to be at the internet the easiest thing to take note of. I say to you, I definitely get annoyed whilst folks think about concerns that they just do not know about. You controlled to hit the nail upon the highest and defined out the whole thing with no need side-effects , folks could take a signal. Will likely be again to get more. Thank you

  5. What i don’t realize is in reality how you’re now not actually a lot more well-liked
    than you may be right now. You are very intelligent. You recognize
    thus significantly relating to this subject, made me personally believe it from
    so many numerous angles. Its like men and women aren’t
    involved until it is one thing to accomplish with Woman gaga!
    Your individual stuffs nice. Always deal with it up!

  6. Great work! This is the type of information that should be shared around the internet. Shame on the search engines for not positioning this post higher! Come on over and visit my site . Thanks =)

  7. Does your blog have a contact page? I’m having trouble locating it but, I’d like to shoot you an e-mail. I’ve got some creative ideas for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great blog and I look forward to seeing it expand over time.

  8. One thing I’ve noticed is the fact there are plenty of myths regarding the financial institutions intentions whenever talking about foreclosed. One fantasy in particular is the fact the bank wishes to have your house. The financial institution wants your money, not your property. They want the funds they loaned you along with interest. Avoiding the bank will draw a new foreclosed realization. Thanks for your article.

  9. Thanks for your strategies. One thing I’ve got noticed is banks in addition to financial institutions know the spending behavior of consumers and as well understand that a lot of people max outside their credit cards around the getaways. They properly take advantage of this specific fact and then start flooding your own inbox along with snail-mail box having hundreds of Zero APR card offers shortly after the holiday season concludes. Knowing that if you are like 98 of American public, you’ll jump at the possible opportunity to consolidate card debt and move balances towards 0 APR credit cards.

  10. Good write-up, I am regular visitor of one?s web site, maintain up the nice operate, and It is going to be a regular visitor for a lengthy time.

  11. In this grand pattern of things you receive a B- for effort and hard work. Where exactly you actually lost me personally was on the particulars. You know, as the maxim goes, details make or break the argument.. And it couldn’t be much more correct right here. Having said that, allow me say to you just what did deliver the results. Your text is actually really engaging which is most likely why I am taking the effort in order to opine. I do not really make it a regular habit of doing that. Secondly, whilst I can easily notice the jumps in reason you come up with, I am not necessarily sure of how you appear to connect your details that make the final result. For right now I shall yield to your issue but hope in the near future you actually link your dots much better.

  12. Thanks for your helpful post. As time passes, I have been able to understand that the symptoms of mesothelioma are caused by your build up connected fluid between lining on the lung and the upper body cavity. The infection may start in the chest spot and propagate to other limbs. Other symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include fat loss, severe breathing trouble, fever, difficulty swallowing, and puffiness of the face and neck areas. It ought to be noted that some people having the disease don’t experience just about any serious symptoms at all.

  13. What i don’t understood is actually how you are not really much more well-liked than you may be now. You are so intelligent. You realize thus considerably relating to this subject, made me personally consider it from a lot of varied angles. Its like men and women aren’t fascinated unless it is one thing to do with Lady gaga! Your own stuffs excellent. Always maintain it up!

Leave a Reply to where to buy render token Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *