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Wright's Ferry (1730–1901) was an animal powered ferry established by John Wright in 1730; it was the first means of crossing the Susquehanna, which is very wide near its mouth at the Chesapeake Bay, for settlers in the southern part of Pennsylvania. As settlers started to move into the area, there were conflicts with Lord Baltimore of Maryland, who thought his grant covered this area. He used Thomas Cresap in the area to try to prevent settlers from Pennsylvania. This triggered s series of armed confrontations known as Cresap's War during the 1730s, as Cresap ran off settlers and gave their land to his followers. The long border dispute was finally settled in 1767 when both colonies accepted the Mason–Dixon line. The ferry was developed in the early 18th century to transport goods, animals, and people across the Susquehanna River in south central Pennsylvania, between present-day Lancaster and York counties. Settlement in this area was recent, as immigrants and others moved down from other areas. Lord Baltimore used Cresap to run off settlers from the Pennsylvania side, as the two provinces argued over the boundary between them. The ferry was sited just north of the mid-river islands of the Conejohela Flats region, since flooded by a lake created by a dam on the rive. Their ownership was disputed due to a mistake in the charter of the Province of Pennsylvania. The river came to be the political boundary between the unsettled lands of the two counties. Development of the ferry led to the growth of towns around both landings: present-day Columbia (first called Wright's Ferry by pioneers in the area) on the eastern shore and Wrightsville on the western. In Columbia, the ferry landing was located immediately south of the present-day Columbia-Wrightsville Veterans Memorial Bridge. Route 462, the Lincoln Highway, now passes through this area. ==Founding father== John Wright was a Quaker who first came to the area in 1724 to explore the land and preach to the local Native Americans. He moved his family to a plot 100 yards from the left bank in 1726, establishing a small settlement along with Robert Barber and Samuel Blunston. In 1730, he was granted a patent to operate a ferry across the river. He developed the ferry with the aid of his two friends. Wright also built a ferry house and a tavern on the eastern shore of the Susquehanna, and the town grew up around it. The tavern has been preserved and is designated as a historic site. It is north of present-day Locust Street, on Front Street along the river, in present-day Columbia. The two-story log tavern, operated by John Wright, Jr. until 1834, consisted of a large room on either end connected by a passageway. When John Jr. married, he moved to York County’s western shore at Wright's Ferry West (later named Wrightsville), where he built another ferry house and tavern. In later years, John Wright senior became involved in local governmental affairs. He rented his original ferry to others for operating and eventually sold it. In 1729, after Wright had petitioned William Penn’s son to create a new county, the provincial government took land from Chester County to establish Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the fourth county in the colony of Pennsylvania. County residents, Native Americans and colonists alike, regularly traveled to Wright’s home to file papers and claims, seek government assistance and redress of issues, and register land deeds. During this time, the town was called “Wright’s Ferry.” In 1738, his son James Wright built a fine house for his family. It is now known as the Wright’s Ferry Mansion and is the oldest existing house in Columbia. The structure can still be seen at Second and Cherry Streets. (This structure is not the house of James-it is the house of Susanna Wright ) 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Wright's Ferry」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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