The upper deckhouse of the 1925 ferry Capt. John Smith was donated to the Surry County, Virginia, Historical Society and Museums, Inc. (the Society) in 2005. It is in fair to poor condition and in two sections, awaiting reconstruction and restoration for use as a museum. This structure is the surviving upper deckhouse of the James River ferry Capt. John Smith, built at Battery Park, Virginia, in 1925. This was the first modern (automobile) ferry running between Jamestown and Surry County. The Jamestown-Scotland Ferry, now operated by VDOT, is the only surviving 24-hour vehicle ferry system in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The Capt. John Smith, operated by system founder Capt. Albert F. Jester, connected Southside Virginia with the Virginia Peninsula in 1925, opening a vital highway artery that has served the communities of both regions for over 75 years. The deckhouse is the largest surviving artifact of the early days of the ferry system, which has become an area institution, carrying over 1,000,000 vehicles across the river each year. The ferry system is part of the modern historical fabric of the area, and it is an important component of local history and folklore.

After service on the Capt John Smith from 1925 until the early 1950s, the deckhouse became a private cottage for the Fred Beazley family on pilings in the Western Branch of the Elizabeth River in Portsmouth. In 2003 it was recovered (just ahead of almost certain destruction by hurricane Isabel) and returned to Surry County for use in a commercial project. When that project did not materialize, the structure was donated to the Society by Scott Wheeler in 2005. It deserves saving, to preserve the history of the ferry and of life in early 20th Century Tidewater Virginia.

The deckhouse was moved to the property of S. Wallace Edwards and Sons, Inc. by S. Wallace Edwards, Jr and was preserved in 2005. (The late S. Wallace Edwards, Sr, son-in-law of Capt. Jester, was captain of the Capt. John Smith.) In 2009 the Society received a $20,000 grant from the Beazley Foundation to construct a platform foundation and to move the deckhouse onto Society property in Surry. The platform was completed and the deckhouse was moved onto it in June 2009. On June 16, 2009, the Commonwealth Transportation Board approved $160,000 in Transportation Enhancement funding to restore the deckhouse. This will require a $40,000 match by the Society in the form of donations and volunteer labor. The intent of the Society is to operate it as a museum dedicated to the history of the ferry and of the James River.

The Society has formed a committee to plan and execute the restoration, and the Surry County Board of Supervisors has endorsed the project. The Society is fortunate to have members and volunteers that are experienced in historical research, construction management, engineering, and historic vessel preservation that are willing to work on this project.

Receipt of Transportation Enhancement funding has enabled the Society to move forward with the restoration of the Capt. John Smith deckhouse. Private donations are encouraged, to provide funds for installation of exhibits and for operation and maintenance in the future.

Please help us meet our matching grant goal of $40,000, so that this unique piece of Surry's heritage can be preserved and displayed for future generations to come.

Model of the Completed Project

For further information or to volunteer, please contact William A. Fox at 757-869-3501 or e-mail to wafox8@msn.com.