• Vancouver to Portland Ferry ...
• Early Maps ...
• Steamboats ...
• Need for a "Wagon Road" ...

In September 1846 John Switzler, an immigrant from Virginia who had a land claim on Hayden Island, began the first "regular" ferry service across the Columbia. This first ferry (rowing and probably sail) carried foot traffic to and from Hayden Island and the Hudson Bay Company's trading post at Fort Vancouver. Switzler and his sons ran this service for nearly a decade, with service being sporadic. In 1855 Switzler's son, John Jr., took over the ferry operation from his father and, for the next several years, Switzer Jr. provided a more regular service.

"... In April 5, 1855, the county commissioners of Multnomah County established the following rates of ferriage across the Columbia River to Vancouver for the Switzler operation: "For each foot passenger 50 cents; man and horse $1.00; wagon and span $2.00; each additional animal 25 cents. Each cart of buggy and animal, $1.50; each head of horses or cattle 50 cents; each sheep or hog 25 cents; each hundred pounds of freight not on wagon, 25 cents." For these fees, Switzler was required to pay $10 per annum. To continue the trip from Vancouver to Switzler Island it was necessary to take the Love ferry across the Columbia Slough - also referred to at that time by the paradoxical name of Love's Slough - to Portland. At that same meeting rates were set for Lewis Love as follows: "For wagon and animal 25 cents; man on horseback 10 cents; foot passenger 5 cents; loose animals 5 cents." He was required to pay a fee of $5 a year. ..." ["Columbian.com" website, 2005]

"CLACKAMAS COUNTY COURT.-- A special term of this Court was held last week, and some important business transacted. Mr. John Switzler was authorized to keep a public ferry on the Columbia river opposite Fort Vancouver." Source:    "Oregon Spectator" (Oregon City), October 15, 1846, courtesy Historic Oregon Newspapers Archives, University of Oregon Libraries, 2016.

Other settlers also got into ferry traffic during this time. In 1850 Mr. Forbes Barclay ran a ferry upstream of Vancouver at what was then called the upper landing at the Indian Village. In 1851 a license was granted to William Goodwin to establish a ferry from the head of Lady Island to above the mouth of the Washougal River. In 1854 David C. Parker was granted a license for a ferry in that same area. In 1855 licenses were granted to James Carty for a ferry on Lake River slough and O.W. Bozorth for a ferry on the Cathlapoodle River (today's Lewis River). William Ryan was granted a franchise to establish a ferry in the same area as Mr. Barclay (Ryan Point).

After the Switzlers quit ferrying between Vancouver and Hayden Island, Wesley Van Schuyver ran a service. It was discontinued it in a few months, due to lack of profits. For the next 16 years there was no regular ferry service across the Columbia River from Vancouver.

Regular Ferry service between Vancouver and Hayden Island (and then on to Portland) finally began in 1870. The "regular" ferry run was between the foot of "B" Street (today's Washington Street) and "Switzler's Landing" (on Hayden Island).

"... By the 1870s, with the improvement of rail transport into Portland, there was an increasing need for a dependable ferry system. In September, 1875, the Independent reported that a ferry that had '... recently put on a run between the government wharf and the Oregon shore as a venture was continuing to run, making hourly trips from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.' On Sept. 13, 1878, the ferry was again made mention of in that 'The ferry boat at Vancouver, tied to the bank, was sunk by alternation of the tides. Efforts to get it off the bottom failed due to mishaps. After three days she was raised and towed to Portland for repairs.' ... The Independent doesn't mention whether this ferry was the "Black Maria," the first steam ferry to make the crossing. Instead of being steered by a pilot at a wheel, he stood at the stern with along sweep and guided the boat. ... On May 7, 1879, franchise was granted to William H. Foster and Edwin A. Willis to operate a steam ferry on the Columbia River from the foot of "B" Street, Vancouver, to Switzler's Landing, upon the payment of an annual license fee of five dollars." ..." ["Columbian.com" website, 2005]

Many ferries and ferry franchises existed during the end of the 1900s. Most ran between Vancouver's "B" Street Landing and Switzler's Landing on Hayden Island. Between 1891 and 1905, two ferries named "Vancouver" were run between the "B" Street Landing and "Columbia Beach", a mile upstream on the Oregon side.

The opening of the Interstate 5 Bridge in 1917, spelled doom for the Vancouver Ferry.

"... Amidst all this joyous revelry over the new bridge, the faithful ferry made her last run from Vancouver to the Oregon side with Captain Frank Stevens piloting this last trip, as he had piloted others for 38 years. PRL&P had renewed its ferrying license in 1913, but the opening of the Interstate Bridge ended not only conflict between the company and Clarke County officials over ferry boating, but the ferryboat era itself. ..." ["Columbian.com" website, 2006]

The 1902 NOAA Chart #6146 "Columbia River Vancouver to Bonneville" shows the same as the 1888 NOAA Chart.

An 1888 platt map however shows no railroad bridge, and with a ferry from Vancouver (from the foot of "B Street") heading to the Oregon shore (passing around the upper end of Hayden Island) labeled "Steam Ferry".

"... As far back as 1850, Vancouver had been port for the little steamer "Columbia." In 1854, the "Eagle," a little iron propeller boat of ten tons that had been brought out around the Horn on the deck of a ship, was placed on the route between Portland and Vancouver. Under the command of Captain Woods, its fare was five dollars. In 1857, Vancouver became the terminus of a steamer operating on a regular schedule - the side-wheeler "Vancouver." Beginning in 1870, and running for nearly a decade, the "Vancouver" made the run to Portland. She was joined by the "Wasp," the "Carrie," and "Oneota." Several others were to follow in the years ahead. ..." ["Columbian.com" website, 2005]

From "A History of Clarke County", published in 1885:

"... As early as 1852-53 steamboats were wont to touch at Vancouver and among the first of these were the "Multnomah", Capt. Hoyt, which called twice a week for the mail on her passage to and from Astoria; and the "Fashion" and "Belle", that ran between Portland and the Cascades. In 1854 the "Eagle", a little iron propeller that had been brought out on the deck of a ship round Cape Horn, was placed on the route between Portland and Vancouver, under command of Captain Woods, with Deputy United States Marshal Frush as "the bo'sen tight, and the midshipmite, and the crew of the captain's gig" -- otherwise general factortem. -- Fare five dollars !

Prior to 1855 the steamboats calling were wont to make fast to the river-bank, but that year Barker & Stevens brought a wharf-boat and anchored it at the foot of Main street; while another of the same nature was placed at the foot of B street, where Moore's landing now is, by Hart & Camp. These floating sharves were large and flat, entirely surrounded with a wide gunwale to which were attached proper conveniences by which vessels could be tied, while at either end was a saloon and store with a twelve-foot wide passage between. They gave way to permanent wharves in the following year. ..."

[More Columbia River Steamboats]

Weather and floods often interferred with ferry service, increasing the mood of the area for a bridge across the Columbia. The winter of 1892-93 found the Columbia blocked with ice. The flood of 1894, the largest recorded on the Columbia, disrupted not only ferry and steamboat service but also train service.

"... The flood badly wrecked the Portland and Vancouver railroad trestle and it would have to be completely rebuilt. The last trip over the trestle by the electric cars was made on May 31st, and the ferry came up and tied to the trees in one local's yard. The flood also wrecked a large part of the elevated wagon road of the P & V road on the bottoms and the balance was under water. The entire road would have to be rebuilt and the teams could not cross for several months, cutting down on ferry loads. But the ferry still had plenty of work ahead of her carrying supplies for rebuilding back and forth. ..." ["Columbian.com" website, 2005]

The need for a "wagon road" to get across the Columbia became once again obvious when, during the 1905 Lewis and Clark Centennial, nearly 2,000 people swamped the ferry on their way from Vancouver to the Centennial in Portland. In 1917 the Interstate 5 Bridge opened. Ferry service across the Columbia River ended soon after.