Galveston in Galveston County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Galveston-Port Bolivar Ferry System
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, April 13, 2024
1. Galveston-Port Bolivar Ferry System Marker
Inscription.
Galveston-Port Bolivar Ferry System. . Ferry service between Galveston Island and the Bolivar Peninsula began on April 12, 1930. Six daily round trips were made and only daylight service was provided. The ferries Galveston and Jefferson were operated by Southern States Transportation Company for approximately two years before being sold to Galveston County. The county operated them for the next six months and then turned them over to the State of Texas. , A nominal toll was charged until 1950, when two new boats were built and the original ones sold. Built by Todd Shipyards in Galveston, the two boats cost $1,210,000. The R.S. Sterling was delivered in May, the Cone Johnson in June. A third boat, the E.H. Thorton Jr. was added to the service in February 1959. The Cone Johnson was retired from active service on February 2, 1995, having been replaced by the Dewitt C. Greer. , Originally 185 feet long and 55 feet wide, each boat carried approximately 52 vehicles. In 1977, they were lengthened 60 feet and widened 11 feet. Now 245 feet long and 66 feet wide, each boat carries approximately 70 vehicles. , A fourth ferry entered service in April 1977. The Gibb Gilchrist was built by Jeffboat, Inc., in Jeffersonville, Indiana, at a cost of $5,000,000. , The Robert C. Lanier was christened on April 4, 1991. The Dewitt C. Greer was christened on January 27, 1995. The Ray Stoker, Jr. entered into service on November 12, 1997. The Stoker is a replacement vessel for the R.S. Sterling. The Stoker was constructed at a cost of $8.3 million. , The Robert H. Dedman entered into service on February 18, 1999. The Dedman was constructed at a cost of $9.7 million. , The Lanier, Greer, Stoker, and Dedman have a unique propulsion system manufactured by Voith-Schneider America, Inc., of Heidenheim, Germany. There are no conventional propellers or rudders., All ferries are double-ended. The captain changes from one pilothouse to the other to go in the opposite direction. , This free service of the Texas Department of Transportation operates 24 hours each day in all weather conditions. A link in State Highway 87, the ferry route across Galveston Bay is 2.7 miles long. The crossing takes approximately 18 minutes, a round trip approximately 50 minutes. Records for the greatest number of vehicles and passengers carried on any one day is 12,733 vehicles on July 4, 1993 and 43,472 passengers on July 3, 1994. ,
Bolivar Lighthouse. In 1872, the Bolivar Lighthouse was built near the west end of Bolivar Peninsula. The light guided ships for 61 years before being retired in 1933, and replaced by the South Jetty Light. Standing 117 feet high, built of brick, and sheathed in riveted cast iron plates the Bolivar Lighthouse had a 52,000 candlepower beacon. The great intensity lamp was fueled by kerosene that was turned into gas. Eight rays of light were produced every 15 seconds during the night. During the 1900 Storm, the winds caused the lighthouse to sway so much that the light failed to rotate. H.C. Claiborne, the first keeper, rotated the light by hand and saved the lives of 125 people. During the 1915 Storm, the lighthouse withstood winds of 125 miles per hour, Sixty-one people found refuge there while 11 foot tides battered the lighthouse. In 1970, the Bolivar light appeared in the television movie “My Sweet Charlie” which was filmed in Galveston and on the peninsula.
Ferry service between Galveston Island and the Bolivar Peninsula began on April 12, 1930. Six daily round trips were made and only daylight service was provided. The ferries Galveston and Jefferson were operated by Southern States Transportation Company for approximately two years before being sold to Galveston County. The county operated them for the next six months and then turned them over to the State of Texas.
A nominal toll was charged until 1950, when two new boats were built and the original ones sold. Built by Todd Shipyards in Galveston, the two boats cost $1,210,000. The R.S. Sterling was delivered in May, the Cone Johnson in June. A third boat, the E.H. Thorton Jr. was added to the service in February 1959. The Cone Johnson was retired from active service on February 2, 1995, having been replaced by the Dewitt C. Greer.
Originally 185 feet long and 55 feet wide, each boat carried approximately 52 vehicles. In 1977, they were lengthened 60 feet and widened 11 feet. Now 245 feet long and 66 feet wide, each boat carries approximately 70 vehicles.
A fourth ferry entered service in April 1977. The Gibb Gilchrist was built by Jeffboat, Inc., in Jeffersonville, Indiana, at a cost of $5,000,000.
The Robert C. Lanier was christened
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on April 4, 1991. The Dewitt C. Greer was christened on January 27, 1995. The Ray Stoker, Jr. entered into service on November 12, 1997. The Stoker is a replacement vessel for the R.S. Sterling. The Stoker was constructed at a cost of $8.3 million.
The Robert H. Dedman entered into service on February 18, 1999. The Dedman was constructed at a cost of $9.7 million.
The Lanier, Greer, Stoker, and Dedman have a unique propulsion system manufactured by Voith-Schneider America, Inc., of Heidenheim, Germany. There are no conventional propellers or rudders.
All ferries are double-ended. The captain changes from one pilothouse to the other to go
in the opposite direction.
This free service of the Texas Department of Transportation operates 24 hours each day in
all weather conditions. A link in State Highway 87, the ferry route across Galveston Bay is
2.7 miles long. The crossing takes approximately 18 minutes, a round trip approximately 50
minutes. Records for the greatest number of vehicles and passengers carried on any one day
is 12,733 vehicles on July 4, 1993 and 43,472 passengers on July 3, 1994.
Bolivar Lighthouse
In 1872, the Bolivar Lighthouse was built near the west end of Bolivar Peninsula. The light guided ships for
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, April 13, 2024
2. Galveston-Port Bolivar Ferry System Marker
61 years before being retired in 1933, and replaced by the South Jetty Light. Standing 117 feet high, built of brick, and sheathed in riveted cast iron plates the Bolivar Lighthouse had a 52,000 candlepower beacon. The great intensity lamp was fueled by kerosene that was turned into gas. Eight rays of light were produced every 15 seconds during the night. During the 1900 Storm, the winds caused the lighthouse to sway so much that the light failed to rotate. H.C. Claiborne, the first keeper, rotated the light by hand and saved the lives of 125 people. During the 1915 Storm, the lighthouse withstood winds of 125 miles per hour, Sixty-one people found refuge there while 11 foot tides battered the lighthouse. In 1970, the Bolivar light appeared in the television movie “My Sweet Charlie” which was filmed in Galveston and on the peninsula.
Erected by Monument Square Partnership.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Communications • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Lighthouses series list. A significant historical date for this entry is April 12, 1930.
Location. 29° 17.966′ N, 94° 47.625′ W. Marker is in Galveston, Texas, in Galveston County. Marker is on Broadway Avenue J east of Rosenberg Street/25th Street, on the right when traveling east
Texas Department of Transportation (Public Domain)
3. The Dewitt C. Greer
. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2425 Broadway Avenue J, Galveston TX 77550, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Also see . . . 1. Galveston-Port Bolivar Ferry. Texas Department of Transportation website on the ferry system includes webcam links, photographs and vessel histories. (Submitted on April 25, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
2. History of the Bolivar Point Lighthouse. The Bolivar Point Lighthouse is one of the few 19th-century lighthouses remaining on the Gulf Coast, and one of only two remaining iron lighthouses in Texas. (Bolivar Point Lighthouse Foundation) (Submitted on April 25, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
Texas Department of Transportation (Public Domain)
4. The Esperanza “Hope” Andrade
The system's newest ferry was built in 2023.
Patrick Feller via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0), December 19, 2009
5. Bolivar Point Lighthouse
Credits. This page was last revised on April 25, 2024. It was originally submitted on April 25, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 56 times since then. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on April 25, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.