A recent report from the Monocacy Monocle states that negotiations to re-open White’s Ferry are “moving into a new and hopeful phase”, according to discussions between the Loudoun County attorney Leo Rogers and White’s Ferry owner Chuck Kuhn.

According to the report, Loudoun County attorney Leo Rogers states that “the county (Montgomery) is proposing the purchase of the ferry landing, a right of way for a bike trail, room to expand the ferry landing and White’s Ferry Road, along with other transportation initiatives.”


It has been less than a year since White’s Ferry announced it would be ceasing operations immediately on December 28th, 2020. Since then, the ferry has been purchased and the dispute that caused it to close remains unresolved. Below, we’ve created a timeline with information about White’s Ferry and how the scenario has unfolded thus far:

It remained a significant transportation route between Maryland and Virginia for over 200 years, carrying nearly 800 daily users when it was operational


After purchasing historic White’s Ferry in February 2021, Chuck and Stacy Kuhn encountered obstacles to reopening this important Potomac River crossing, considering it needed to regain use rights in Virginia.  In response to the suspended service, Loudoun and Montgomery Counties conducted a study to evaluate alternatives and address issues, challenges and opportunities for restoring this important regional transportation link. Following Loudoun County’s Board of Supervisors and Montgomery County Department of Transportation meetings this week to review the study, Chuck Kuhn, owner of White’s Ferry, released this statement:

“I want to express my sincere appreciation to the governments on both sides of the river for their hard work and commitment to reopening White’s Ferry. This is important for my wife Stacy and me.  We live and work here and know the importance of this historic crossing. After its closure in December 2020, there was no plan to reopen the ferry.  The prior owner, Herb Brown, had attempted repeatedly and unsuccessfully to work with the Rockland Farm organization to find a way to land the ferry and serve his customers in a way that made business sense. His reasonable offers weren’t accepted, and he was forced to close the business.


Montgomery County and Loudoun County have released the 137 page study on White’s Ferry operations and alternatives. The joint study was done to, “evaluate the long-term feasibility of the ferry service and to help identify possible alternatives and courses of action”.

You can download a pdf. of the completed study here.


On Tuesday, the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) announced today that it is working with the Loudoun County Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure (DTCI) on a study of White’s Ferry’s operations.

Yesterday, the owner of White’s Ferry since February, Chuck Kuhn (who is also the owner of JK Moving), spoke at a forum on Wednesday evening at the Poolesville Town Hall to provide updates about the ferry’s future.


Marc Elrich released a statement earlier today announcing his full support of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors efforts to restore the ferry service between the two counties.


Joint Statement by Local Leaders on Historic White’s Ferry

Last week, Historic White’s Ferry announced they would be ceasing operations immediately after the Circuit Court of Loudon County ruled that no public landing exists on the Virginia Shoreline at White’s Ferry Road, prohibiting the ferry from landing at that location in Virginia.


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