Monday, June 25, 2012

The Final word on Nekoda!

I just got off the phone with Engle's Holiday Harbor, near Millsboro,  PA.  I now know the whole story of what happened to the Crucible Ferry a.k.a. Nekoda.  This is a rough timeline so forgive me if it's not 100% accurate.
 After ceasing operation, the ferry sat on the concrete ramp leading into the Monongahela.  It ended up in the river at one point, either by flood waters or a theft attempt (!) but was removed by the Corps of  Engineers and placed on the bank near the ramp.  It sat there until the flood of '85 where it was washed slightly north and stuck on a shallow sandbar, just below the surface.
 The ferry was then towed to Engle's, as Steve Morris said in his comment.  There it was pumped out as it was filled with mud.  The ferry was then cut in two pieces and is being used as salvage/dive barges.  Among the many stories we heard, this was one of them.  The gentleman I spoke to at Engle's assured me that this is the full story and the ferry, although still technically in existence, is unrecognizable now.


 So, the only thing I can tell you is get to Fredricktown and ride the ferry while it's still there.  With the new bridge, I doubt it will be long.  Thanks to everyone who supplied stories and pictures of the ferry.  Ed Begovich may still have some photos in his collection which I will post if he finds them.  If anyone does know the current owner of whats left of the ferry, let us know...