Montgomery County, Md., has reached an agreement to acquire the White’s Ferry property and ferry business assets, clearing a major hurdle toward restoring service across the Potomac River between Maryland and Virginia, the county said in a statement.
The county will purchase the approximately 2.5-acre riverfront property at 24801 White’s Ferry Road in Dickerson, Md., from Potomac Crossing LLC for $1.5 million. The property includes a store, ferry ramp and boat launch, storage buildings and other structures.
Potomac Crossing owners Chuck and Stacy Kuhn will donate the ferry vessels, business assets and other equipment, valued at more than $7 million, to the county at no cost.
The transaction, however, does not mean ferry service can immediately resume. Landing rights at the end of White’s Ferry Road in Loudoun County, Va., still must be restored. Montgomery County does not have authority to acquire those rights and said it will continue working with Loudoun County officials toward reopening the crossing.
Once access to the Virginia landing is secured, Montgomery County intends to operate White’s Ferry as a publicly controlled service.
“We have done everything we can and have resolved the issues with control of the Maryland landing and the ferry itself,” Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said. “Now the ferry belongs to the residents of Montgomery County and this part is resolved.”
Established in 1786, White’s Ferry provided a Potomac River crossing between Montgomery and Loudoun counties. The ferry transported between 600 and 800 customers daily until operations were suspended indefinitely in 2020 following a legal dispute over use of its Virginia landing. The ferry can carry roughly 24 standard passenger vehicles per trip, along with bicycles and pedestrians.
The Kuhns acquired White’s Ferry in February 2021 with the intention of reopening the crossing but were unable to resolve the landing issue.
“After several years of work, it became clear that realizing this vision would require the leadership and partnership of the County and State,” Chuck Kuhn said.
Montgomery County and Maryland officials last year announced plans to provide up to $3 million toward restoring ferry service.
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation will next move the ferry vessels out of the river, assess their condition and begin necessary repairs in preparation for a potential return to service.
The county also plans to continue operating businesses at the site, including White’s Ferry Grill, while exploring additional recreational and public uses for the property.
