White’s Ferry owners Chuck and Stacy Kuhn have offered to donate the ferry business and assets, valued at $4.5 million, to Loudoun County, VA after Montgomery County recently declined a similar offer, as part of their ongoing effort to reopen the historic Potomac River crossing. On April 11, officials from Maryland, Montgomery County, and the Town of Poolesville offered a $3 million financial incentive to the ferry and Virginia landing site owners to help resolve the long standing dispute and reopen the ferry, which has been closed since 2020.
The Kuhn’s issued the following on Friday, April 18: “White’s Ferry owners—Chuck and Stacy Kuhn—have formally offered to donate the White’s Ferry business operation and assets—valued at $4.5 million—to Loudoun County after Montgomery County recently declined the offer they made a year ago. This most current offer is part of their commitment to getting the ferry operational to preserve history, save jobs, and reduce traffic.
“We spoke to Loudoun County leaders, and they are open to considering the donation. This will make it easier to work through zoning issues since the exemption on the Virginia landing side—owned by Rockland Farms—has now expired. Donating the land to the county will make the zoning process simpler and faster. Our goal since purchasing the defunct ferry has always been to get it reopened. This crossing has served as a local economic engine and is a piece of our history. Too many businesses and residents have been hurt by its closure. After numerous proposed solutions, we hope that this one ensures the ferry finally becomes operational,” explained Chuck Kuhn, CEO, JK Land Holdings.
The Kuhns have had positive preliminary discussions with Loudoun County Administrator Tim Hemstreet, County Attorney Leo Rogers, and Loudoun Supervisor Caleb Kershner about the proposed donation. The county will work directly with Rockland Farms in an attempt to secure access to the Virginia landing site.
The Kuhns most recent proposal followed last week’s surprising news that Montgomery County had decided against accepting the Kuhns long-standing offer to donate the White’s Ferry business operation and equipment. The donation had been accepted verbally, and plans were moving forward. The whole goal in offering to donate the operation to Montgomery County last April was to get it open in the most expeditious manner possible.
Chuck and Stacy Kuhn bought the defunct ferry in early 2021 to help protect this important Potomac River crossing with a long history. Established in 1786, the ferry ceased operation in December 2020 after the previous owner Herb Brown could not come to terms with Virginia’s Rockland Farm. Since purchasing the ferry, the Kuhns have worked closely with the State of Maryland, Commonwealth of Virginia, Montgomery and Loudoun Counties, including their economic development authorities and transportation departments, and previous ferry owner Herb Brown, to develop many proposals to get the ferry open and operating.
The ferry remains important. The economic impact of resuming ferry operations (based on travel time savings, travel cost savings, safety savings, the value of emissions avoided, and the value of trips not taken) will be over $9 million this year alone and will result in a travel time savings that equates to up to $1.7 million a year, according to a Montgomery County Department of Transportation study. While working through the efforts to regain landing rights, the Kuhns invested in needed upgrades and repairs, which will help make the transition easier for Loudoun County.
White’s Ferry donation to Loudoun County fits with the Kuhn’s interest in conserving land and history. Through JK Land Holdings, the Kuhn family seeks land acquisitions that can be sold, leased, developed, placed into conservation easement, or utilized by sister companies JK Moving Services and CapRelo. Over the past decade, they have placed more than 22,000 acres of its purchases into conservation easement, ensuring vulnerable vistas and habitats are preserved and protected for future generations. www.JKLandHoldings.net”