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.


9,114 responses to “Hand-pulled ferries across the Sabine and Rio Grande”

  1. I have learned quite a few important things by means of your post. I’d also like to say that there will be a situation that you will have a loan and do not need a cosigner such as a Government Student Aid Loan. But if you are getting a loan through a regular finance company then you need to be made ready to have a co-signer ready to enable you to. The lenders are going to base that decision using a few elements but the most important will be your credit history. There are some loan companies that will likewise look at your job history and decide based on this but in almost all cases it will depend on your rating.

  2. Wow that was unusual. I just wrote an extremely long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Regardless, just wanted to say superb blog!

  3. It’s perfect time to make some plans for the future and it’s time to be happy. I’ve learn this publish and if I may I want to counsel you few attention-grabbing things or tips. Perhaps you could write subsequent articles referring to this article. I wish to read even more issues approximately it!

  4. Just about all of what you claim is supprisingly accurate and that makes me ponder why I had not looked at this in this light before. This piece truly did turn the light on for me personally as far as this issue goes. However there is actually one position I am not really too comfortable with and while I attempt to reconcile that with the actual core idea of the issue, allow me see what the rest of your subscribers have to say.Well done.

  5. Coming from my investigation, shopping for technology online may be easily expensive, yet there are some tricks and tips that you can use to help you get the best products. There are often ways to find discount deals that could make one to come across the best technology products at the smallest prices. Interesting blog post.

  6. Appreciating the commitment you put into your website and in depth information you offer.
    It’s good to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same out
    of date rehashed material. Fantastic read! I’ve bookmarked your site and
    I’m adding your RSS feeds to my Google account.

  7. Based on my research, after a foreclosed home is offered at an auction, it is common for any borrower to still have the remaining balance on the personal loan. There are many loan merchants who try and have all expenses and liens paid back by the subsequent buyer. However, depending on specified programs, rules, and state guidelines there may be some loans that aren’t easily solved through the shift of financial loans. Therefore, the responsibility still falls on the lender that has had his or her property in foreclosure. Thank you sharing your ideas on this blog.

  8. You’re so awesome! I don’t believe I have read a single thing like that before. So great to find someone with a few original thoughts on this subject. Seriously.. many thanks for starting this up. This web site is one thing that is required on the internet, someone with a bit of originality.

  9. I’d like to thank you for the efforts you’ve put in writing this blog. I’m hoping to view the same high-grade blog posts by you in the future as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my own, personal website now 😉

  10. Thank you for the good writeup. It in truth was once a entertainment account it. Glance complicated to far delivered agreeable from you! By the way, how can we keep in touch?

  11. The very next time I read a blog, I hope that it doesn’t fail me just as much as this particular one. I mean, I know it was my choice to read through, however I genuinely believed you would have something helpful to say. All I hear is a bunch of whining about something you could possibly fix if you were not too busy looking for attention.

  12. Great ? I should definitely pronounce, impressed with your web site. I had no trouble navigating through all tabs and related info ended up being truly easy to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it in the least. Reasonably unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or something, website theme . a tones way for your client to communicate. Nice task..

  13. you’re really a good webmaster. The website loading speed is amazing. It seems that you are doing any unique trick. Also, The contents are masterpiece. you have done a magnificent job on this topic!

  14. It’s a shame you don’t have a donate button! I’d certainly donate to this brilliant blog! I guess for now i’ll settle for book-marking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to fresh updates and will share this website with my Facebook group. Talk soon!

  15. Great blog here! Also your web site loads up very fast! What host are you using? Can I get your affiliate link to your host? I wish my site loaded up as quickly as yours lol

  16. You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this matter to be actually something that I think I would never understand. It seems too complex and very broad for me. I am looking forward for your next post, I’ll try to get the hang of it!

  17. I’m extremely impressed with your writing skills and also with the layout on your weblog. Is this a paid theme or did you modify it yourself? Either way keep up the excellent quality writing, it is rare to see a great blog like this one these days..

  18. hey there and thank you for your information – I’ve definitely
    picked up anything new from right here. I did however expertise several technical
    points using this site, since I experienced to reload the web site lots of
    times previous to I could get it to load correctly.
    I had been wondering if your web hosting is OK? Not that I’m complaining, but slow loading instances
    times will often affect your placement in google and could damage your high-quality score if
    advertising and marketing with Adwords. Anyway I am adding
    this RSS to my e-mail and can look out for a lot
    more of your respective intriguing content.
    Make sure you update this again soon.

  19. Thanks for revealing your ideas. I’d personally also like to convey that video games have been ever before evolving. Modern technology and innovations have made it simpler to create sensible and active games. These kinds of entertainment video games were not that sensible when the actual concept was being tried. Just like other areas of electronics, video games too have had to develop by means of many decades. This itself is testimony for the fast development of video games.

  20. Good article. It’s very unfortunate that over the last one decade, the travel industry has already been able to to tackle terrorism, SARS, tsunamis, flu virus, swine flu, as well as the first ever true global recession. Through all of it the industry has proven to be effective, resilient plus dynamic, getting new approaches to deal with misfortune. There are continually fresh difficulties and opportunities to which the market must just as before adapt and act in response.

  21. It is really a great and helpful piece of info. I?m glad that you shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.

  22. I think everything published made a lot of sense. However, think about this, suppose you were to write a awesome headline? I am not saying your content isn’t solid, however what if you added a title to maybe get people’s attention? I mean BLOG_TITLE is a little vanilla. You might peek at Yahoo’s home page and see how they write news titles to grab people to click. You might try adding a video or a picture or two to grab readers excited about everything’ve written. Just my opinion, it would make your website a little livelier.|

  23. Appreciating the commitment you put into your website and detailed information you present. It’s awesome to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same old rehashed information. Fantastic read! I’ve bookmarked your site and I’m adding your RSS feeds to my Google account.|

  24. Unquestionably believe that which you said.
    Your favorite reason seemed to be on the web the simplest factor to be aware of.
    I say to you, I certainly get annoyed while other people think about concerns that they plainly do not realize about.
    You controlled to hit the nail upon the highest as neatly
    as defined out the entire thing without having side effect
    , other people can take a signal. Will likely be again to get more.

    Thanks

  25. Thanks on your marvelous posting! I genuinely enjoyed reading it, you are a great author. I will make certain to bookmark your blog and will come back someday. I want to encourage that you continue your great work, have a nice weekend!|

  26. Very nice post. I simply stumbled upon your weblog and wished to mention that I’ve truly enjoyed browsing your weblog posts. After all I?ll be subscribing to your feed and I am hoping you write once more soon!

  27. We’re a group of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community. Your website provided us with valuable info to work on. You’ve done a formidable job and our whole community will be grateful to you.

Leave a Reply

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