Phillips' Ferry (Merced River)
Phillips' Ferry, on the Merced River was one of the three main crossings of that river on the Stockton - Los Angeles Road. They were located within 2 miles (3.2 km) downstream of the rapids called, Merced Falls. Later the town of Merced Falls was located downstream from these rapids. Closest to the falls was Phillips' Ferry, then Belts Ferry (later Murray's Ferry near the later town of Merced Falls), and then Young's Ferry a mile and a half below Murray's Ferry. [1]
History
John Phillips was an Englishman who came overland to California in 1849. After a while in the mines he came to Mariposa County and then returned to the East in 1851 and brought out his family the next year to Mariposa County on the Merced River where he established his ferry and a store.[2] [3]
In 1853, John Phillips' ferry was taken as the point for the new Merced County's boundary marking the boundary between it and the parent county of Mariposa. Eventually Murray replaced his ferry with a $12,000 bridge. After a while the ferries lost the economic struggle with the bridge and Phillips moved to Hornitos.
The site of Phillips' Ferry across the Merced River is now marked by the bridge that carries the Hornitos Road across the Merced River.
References
- ↑ John Outcalt. History of Merced County, California, Historic Record Co., Los Angeles, 1925; CHAPTER IX
- ↑ John Outcalt. History of Merced County, California, Historic Record Co., Los Angeles, 1925; CHAPTER VI
- ↑ JOHN W. PHILLIPS FAMILY CHRONICLE - by Glenn Burghardt MARIPOSA COUNTY FAMILY CHRONICLES; CALIFORNIA HISTORY AND GENEALOGY RESEARCH website accessed February 17, 2012
Coordinates: 37°31′29″N 120°19′16″W / 37.52472°N 120.32111°W
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