Jamestown-Scotland Ferry: Crossing the James River Since 1925

Jamestown-Scotland Ferry: Crossing the James River Since 1925

Ferries transport passengers, vehicles and cargo across bodies of water. The ferry between Virginia's Surry County and Jamestown has been in operation since 1925 when Captain Albert Jester sailed the Captain John Smith, the first motorized automobile ferry crossing the James River.

Today, the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry System is operated by the Virginia Department of Transportation and provides a view of the shorelines on either side of the river.

In this lecture, Frank Jester, Jester’s great-grandson and local historian, highlights the history of the ferry as well as its connections to Isle of Wight County.

Credit to Naval historian William A. Fox for his research for this presentation.

www.historicisleofwight.com

Recorded and produced in April 2025.