Our Story
Two Centuries on the Susquehanna
The Story
A Living Piece of American History
Long before highways carved through the Pennsylvania mountains, the Susquehanna River was both a barrier and a lifeline.
1817, when James Monroe was sworn in as the fifth President, a ferry began carrying travelers across the mile-wide stretch of river at Millersburg. It wasn’t remarkable at the time — hundreds of ferries dotted America’s waterways.
But one by one, they disappeared. Bridges replaced them. Engines outpaced them. Highways went around them.
The Millersburg Ferry kept running.
Today, it stands alone, the last wooden double stern-wheel paddle boat ferry operating in the United States. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, recognized not just as a transportation service, but as a national treasure.
Every crossing is a connection to over two centuries of American life the same water, the same wooden hulls, the same gentle rhythm of paddle wheels turning against the current.
Key Moments
Our Journey Through Time
The Fleet
Meet the Boats That Make It Possible
Our two historic vessels, the Roaring Bull and the Falcon — are the heart of the Millersburg Ferry. Each one is a handcrafted piece of engineering and tradition.
