On Tuesday, the owners of White’s Ferry put out a formal offer to donate it and its operation to Montgomery County.
It is part of an effort to reopen the Ferry, which has been shut down for more than three years.
“This is not what we had originally envisioned, but we recognize the importance of White’s Ferry to our region,” said Ferry owner Chuck Kuhn — who bought the Ferry in February 2021 — in a written statement Tuesday. He said the goal was always to get the Ferry reopened. “With this donation, we believe that Montgomery County will be able to work with Virginia to get the ferry moving again.”
In a written statement, County Executive Marc Elrich said he looks forward to finalizing the arrangements: “I am optimistic that we can reach an agreement on the terms of the donation and build momentum toward a complete solution to the issues that led to the cessation of ferry service over three years ago.”
The Ferry has been shut down since December 2020 — after more than 230 years of operation — over a legal dispute between the ferry operator and Rockland Farm, the Virginia property where the Ferry operates.
“This is great news! I look forward to working with Montgomery and Loudoun Counties to reopen a ferry as soon as possible!” Rockland Farm Manager-in-Chief Libby Devlin said in a statement to MCM on Tuesday.
The Fair Access Committee for Western Montgomery County stated, “After three years of numerous announcements and statements from various parties about how to move forward to get the boat running again, our community has learned to be cautious and careful about how it looks at each statement and announcement.”
“If Montgomery County government leaders take Chuck Kuhn’s offer seriously – as a means of working out an agreement to get the ferry open again and ensure that will never let this happen again – then it may have promise,” reads the statement from the Committee.
According to Tuesday’s announcement, the donation of White’s Ferry would be contingent on Montgomery and Loudoun counties working together to figure out how to access the Virginia shoreline and resume service “in a timely manner.”
“Despite many good faith efforts to work with the Virginia landowners to make ferry access available, donating the operation became the only solution that made sense to ensure the ferry has a chance to become a functioning part of our lives and local economy,” Kuhn stated. Devlin last year said an offer to buy the Virginia landing area was turned down because it was a flat fee instead of a volume-based fee.
In a statement, County Councilmember Evan Glass, who is chair of the council’s Transportation and Environment Committee, said, “I appreciate the Kuhn family’s offer and steadfast efforts to reopen the ferry. I will continue working with the County Executive and council colleagues, community and business leaders, and other stakeholders to find a resolution. The economic and climate impacts from the closure have plagued communities along the Potomac River for three years. Reopening White’s Ferry will significantly bolster our regional economies and improve our environment.”
Last year, White’s Ferry owners pursued selling the land and operation to Montgomery County.
