Early settlers found well-defined trails between old Indian villages and river fording places. These trails became early roads.

Cornelius Claes Vandenburgh established a rope ferry at this site before 1705 connecting
an Indian trail that crossed the Mohawk River and headed north to Round Lake or east through Halfmoon to the Hudson River. Henry Knox crossed on the ice at
this site in early January 1776 on his trip to Boston carrying 59 cannon captured from Fort Ticonderoga. Vandenburgh's 1718 stone house was a landmark until it was destroyed when the water level in the river was raised
with the creation of the Barge Canal in 1917

Henry Dunsbach of Rensselaer County purchased the ferry and house in 1813. The Dunsbachs also operated a hotel at the site which they sold with the ferry in 1873. The Emerich family owned and operated the ferry when it was discontinued after the state of NY purchased it for the Barge Canal in 1910. Between 1898 and 1900 a toll bridge replaced the ferry at this location. The winter ice destroved it, however, and the ferry was re-established.


Bottom Inset: In the days before bridges spanned the river, ferries performed a critical service. Neighboring ferries included Forts' Ferry and Vischer's Ferry to the west.
A rope or cable strung across the river would guide the ferry scow, and a toll was charged for the service. During winter months it was possible to cross on the ice.

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Van Den Bergh
Clute's Dry Dock
Clutes Dry Dock
Boght Church
The Boght
Gen. Henry Knox Trail
West Crescent
Fonda Cemetery
Cast Iron Whipple Truss Bridge, 1869
Vischer Ferry Nature and Historic Preserve

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