White's Ferry Donation Offered To MD County

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — After negotiations to get the White's Ferry service failed with the Virginia landing site's owner, the ferry owners have offered to donate the service to Montgomery County, Maryland.

"Our goal was always to get the ferry reopened," said Chuck Kuhn of JK Land Holdings, who owns White's Ferry with his wife, Stacy. "It’s a special crossing that serves as a local economic engine and piece of history. Too many businesses and residents have had their livelihoods impacted by its closure."

Historic White's Ferry was a key transportation link between Loudoun County, Virginia, and Montgomery County, Maryland, dating back to 1786, carrying hundreds of vehicles across the Potomac River each day. The ferry, an alternative to the busy American Legion Bridge and Point of Rocks routes, shut down in December 2020.

The service ended because former owner Herb Brown could not reach an agreement with the owners of Rockland Farm, which hosts the Virginia landing site for the ferry.

Rockland Farm had proposed to Brown a price of 50 cents per car in each direction, which the Kuhns say would make the ferry business "unviable." When Chuck and Stacy Kuhn bought the White's Ferry operation in February 2021, they hoped to restore service in April 2021. However, they also could not come to an agreement with the Rockland Farm owners. The ferry operators had already reached agreements with Loudoun and Montgomery County officials.

The last bid to Rockland Farm with Montgomery County and Loudoun County officials included $1.1 million from the counties, the Kuhns, and former ferry owner Herb Brown. The proposal would have limited use of the site to public use and passage along White’s Ferry Road, as well as keep open the possibility of future modifications to facilitate vehicles and ferry operations.

The Rockland Farm owners rejected the offer and sought $1.25 million, which the Kuhns say was well above the appraised land value.

"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," said Chuck Kuhn.

WTOP reported Rockland Farm owner Libby Devlin supports the donation to Montgomery County and wants to get the ferry service running.

The donation to Montgomery County is dependent on the two counties working to get access to the Virginia shoreline and reopen the ferry "in a timely manner." Montgomery County officials are working with the Kuhns on the donation.

On Tuesday, the Montgomery County Department of Transportation met with the Kuhn’s representatives to begin discussing the nature and timing of the donation, said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich.

"While the offer to donate the ferry is a major step forward, we need to continue efforts to restore public use of the ferry landing in Virginia. Without public access to the Virginia landing, our efforts to restore service remain stalled," Elrich said. "MCDOT, in cooperation with the Maryland Department of Transportation, is continuing conversations with the Virginia landowner, with Loudoun County and with the Virginia Department of Transportation as we seek a solution to this critical need."