Residents of Montgomery County may learn about the history of the region’s ferries and the C & O Canal at a forum on Wednesday, July 17. This event, organized by the Historic Medley District, Montgomery History, and the Fair Access Committee, will take place at Poolesville Memorial United Methodist Church at 6:30 p.m.
Ralph Buglass will present research highlighting the impact of ferries and the canal on Montgomery County’s development. A panel of local historians, including William Bauman, Jim Poole, Jon Wolz, Rod Mackler, Mary Ann Kephart, Link Hoewing, and Charles Jacobs, will offer insights and commentary.
Key topics of discussion will include:
- Contributions of African American farming communities, especially post-Civil War.
- Plantations in Montgomery County and their dependence on ferries and the canal for transporting crops.
- Historical ties between Northern Loudoun County and Leesburg and Western Montgomery County and Poolesville, facilitated by key ferries such as Edwards, White’s, and Spink’s.
- The evolution of ferry use from agricultural transport to automobiles, focusing on White’s Ferry.
This forum promises to provide a deeper understanding of the historical forces that shaped Montgomery County. Poolesville United Methodist Church is located at 17821 Elgin Rd.
