South Ferry (Shelter Island)

Last updated
The South Ferry Company, Inc.
Company type Private Company
Industry Transportation
Founded1830;195 years ago (1830)
Headquarters Shelter Island, New York
Area served
 Long Island, New York
Key people
Clifford Clark, William Clark, Samuel G. Clark
ProductsFerry service
Website https://www.southferry.com/

The South Ferry Company, Inc., locally referred to as South Ferry, operates a year-round [1] public ferry service between Shelter Island and North Haven on Long Island, New York. [2]

The company was founded in 1830, [3] however the first owner, Samuel G. Clark, had operated a ferry service in that location since at least 1793. [1] [4] Exact dates are not widely known, but the Clark family has owned the company continuously since at least 1845, making it possibly the oldest continuously family-owned ferry service in the United States. [5] The company was added to the New York State Historic Business Preservation Registry (HBPR) in 2022. [6]

As of 2025, the company operates five boats:

Vessel NameDeliveredStatus
Capt. Bill Clark [7] 1951Reserve
Lt. Joe Theinert [8] 1998Active
Sunrise [9] 2002Active
Southside [10] (recently renamed Capt. Nick Morehead) [11] 2008Active
Southern Cross [12] 2020Active

References

  1. 1 2 Marks, Peter (6 July 1994). "Island Gatekeepers; Across Two Centuries on the Ferry". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  2. ↑ "Review of South Ferry Company, Inc. Petition for 2019 Rate Increase". Suffolk County Legislature Budget Review Office. 31 May 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  3. ↑ "This island has no bridges. Can it survive with no ferries?". Chicago Tribune . The New York Times. 23 September 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  4. ↑ "Passenger Vessels: To the North, South —And a Little Island Sheltered". MarineLink. 15 January 2003. Retrieved 14 March 2025.
  5. ↑ Dempsey, Susan Carey (7 October 2021). "Clark family and South Ferry honored for tradition of dedicated service". Shelter Island Reporter. Retrieved 14 March 2025.
  6. ↑ Kotz, Stephen J. (19 April 2022). "Hildreth's, South Ferry Named to State Registry Of Historic Businesses". 27 East. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  7. ↑ "Capt. Bill Clark 329". MarineLink. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  8. ↑ "Lt Joe Theinert 329". MarineLink. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  9. ↑ "Sunrise 329". MarineLink. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  10. ↑ "Southside 329". MarineLink. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  11. ↑ Brush, David (1 August 2023). "South Ferry boat renamed to honor Nick Morehead: Large gathering to celebrate his life". Shelter Island Reporter. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  12. ↑ "Blount Boats Wins Ferry Build Contract". MarineLink. 7 September 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2025.

41°2′42″N72°19′2″W / 41.04500°N 72.31722°W / 41.04500; -72.31722

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