So we've been in a drought for much of the summer, and yes, we needed the rain we got last week. It's my considered opinion, however, that we did not need it all at once. I hope that those of you who gave the "Rainy Day in PA" crossword a try found it enjoyable, it was actually quite fun to make. Happily, the weather this week has been much kinder to me and I've been able to do a lot more of my usual stuff and nonsense.
For this week's quest, we're heading back to scenic Cumberland County to talk about a very old ferry road. The road is still there; the ferry, not so much. This post will probably be one of the shorter ones because in all honesty, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of information about the subject, but I'm going to share what I was able to find.
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| The marker stands at the intersection of Simpson and Walnut Streets |
As early as 1755, maps of the Cumberland region show the existence of a ferry connecting the community known today as Carlisle with the portion of Pennsylvania that sits east of the Susquehanna River. This was known as the southern ferry. Travelers and settlers who wanted to journey west of the Susquehanna generally followed the same trails which the Native Americans had used for generations. They had two main options for crossing the mighty river; the northern ferry, known at some point as John Harris's Ferry, brought them into the city which is named in honor of that man - Harrisburg. Crossing the river via this ferry brought travelers to the beginning of what was known as the Great Road, and led to Shippensburg. Much of the Great Road is today known as Carlisle Pike (Route 11). Eventually, when Harrisburg became the capitol in 1812, the northern ferry was replaced by a bridge, and the Great Road became a toll road. According to what I read on the official website of Cumberland County, one of the original stone markers of the Great Road can be seen in the community of Lemoyne, at 1249 Market Street. (If anyone happens to see this and wants to send me a picture, I'll add it to this post and credit you!)
The southern ferry is the focus of this blog post. It was known variously as the Carlisle Ferry, Tafte's Ferry, and Simpson's Ferry, and while I'm not clear who Tafte was, a man named Michael Simpson operated the ferry near the mouth of the Yellow Breeches Creek, which is a tributary of the Susquehanna. (Don't ask me why it's called that, because from what I've read, no one knows.) After crossing the river on this ferry, travelers would follow a different path to near modern-day Carlisle and thence into the west. The exact route of the ferry road shifted over time because of the changes caused by settlement, but in 1794 it was officially mapped out by the government, and given the name of Simpson Ferry Road. It ran from the mouth of the creek to Trindle Road, which sits just west of what today is Mechanicsburg.
Of the ferry itself, this is all I've really been able to uncover. Now, as to who Michael Simpson was, we have more information. He was a native of Paxtang, in what at the time was Lancaster County, born in 1740, and was a well-educated farmer of the time period. He joined the Continental Army in the American Revolution and served with distinction in the 1st Pennsylvania Battalion, eventually being promoted to the rank of captain. After the war, he retired to the western side of the Susquehanna, where he resumed farming and also took possession of the ferry. When orders came down to establish a provisional army, he was appointed to the rank of brigadier general of the Pennsylvania forces. He was also a personal friend of George Washington, who stayed as an overnight guest at the Simpson farm during his presidency. Michael was married to a woman named Elizabeth Roth Amos, though I can't find any confirmation of children born to them. He died in what is now Dauphin County in June of 1813 and is buried in the Paxton Presbyterian Churchyard of Harrisburg alongside his father, Thomas Simpson.
I can't find any information about exactly when the Simpson Ferry stopped running; the closest I've gotten states that it was used well into the 19th century. My guess would be that, like the northern ferry in Harrisburg, it was eventually replaced by a bridge. All that remains of it today is the Simpson Ferry Road, which is now known simply as Simpson Street, and of course this historical marker.
Edit 9/11/2024: This blog's good friend John Robinson reached out to me a few days ago to say that, while Mechanicsburg does just call their road Simpson Street, it's not the same in other communities! In both Camp Hill and Hampden Township, the thoroughfare is still known as Simpson Ferry Road, and thus the ferry is still remembered to this day. Thank you, John!
Except where indicated, all writing and photography on this blog is the intellectual property of Laura Klotz. This blog is written with permission of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. I am not employed by the PHMC. All rights reserved.
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