Meet our Mid-Valley: Jack Brittan operates Oregon’s oldest ferry crossing
This is part of a weekly series introducing readers to individuals who are passionate about our Mid-Valley community.
For 180 years, a ferry has crossed the Willamette River at or near Wheatland north of Keizer, guided by ferry operators like Jack Brittan.
The ferry crossing, established in 1843, is Oregon’s oldest. As the state grew, ferries dotted the river, operating at various times from Boone’s Ferry, Champoeg, Corvallis, Independence, Jefferson, Portland, Salem and other landings.
Today, just three ferries cross the Willamette. In addition to the Wheatland Ferry, Marion County operates the Buena Vista Ferry between Marion and Polk counties south of Salem.
Those two ferries are among the last cable-guided ferries in the country, said Michael Shepard, Marion County’s bridge maintenance and ferry operation supervisor.
The third is the Canby Ferry, operated by Clackamas County and connects Canby and Wilsonville.
Brittan, 47, is one of three full-time Wheatland Ferry operators.
Running the ferry itself isn’t difficult, Brittan said, although ferry operators need to have a U.S. Coast Guard license and an Oregon boater’s license.
The challenge, he said, is avoiding boaters, floaters and underwater hazards.
“People come to the river to have a good time, to relax,” Brittan said. “There are inner tubes and kayaks, people in drift boats, Sea-Doos, WaveRunners and not very smart people trying to swim across the river.”
About 80% of people on the water know what they’re doing and wait for the ferry to pass, he said.
Brittan lives in Woodburn, where he grew up and has family. He’s been a ferry operator for four years.
Brittan previously worked as a tow truck driver, for more than 15 years, but says he likes his new job much better.
“Nobody likes to see a tow truck driver. There’s never a good day,” he said. “I was always dealing with people having a worst-case scenario.”
Now, he knows all the regulars, from residents of the small communities on the Yamhill County side of the river to local farmers moving huge tractors between farms.
Unlike the frustration drivers sometimes express crossing Salem’s Willamette River bridges, folks on the ferry are almost always pleasant, he said, especially on his afternoon and evening shift.
Regulars often pay for other drivers who don’t know the ferry doesn’t take plastic, he said. The fee is $3 per car, with a higher charge for large vehicles.
They’ve even been known to pull out a tow cable and help customers whose vehicles break down on the ferry, Brittan said.
“People are always just super nice,” he said.
The latest Wheatland ferry, launched in 2002, is named the Daniel Matheny V, after the person who originally established the service. The first four ferries also were called Daniel Matheny.
During the summer, the ferry carries 900 or more vehicles and a couple hundred pedestrians each day, Brittan said. With a capacity of about nine vehicles, that’s a lot of trips.
“I kind of joke with some of the regulars that sometimes I feel like a carny,” he said. “It’s kind of like a fun, cheap ride.”
How to ride the Wheatland Ferry
The Wheatland Ferry operates from 5:30 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. seven days a week.
The cost to ride is free for pedestrians, $1 for bicycles, $2 for motorcycles and between $3 and $18 for vehicles depending on the size. Fees must be paid in cash, check or ferry toll cards.
To get to the ferry terminal from Salem, take River Road north to Wheatland Road. To get there from Interstate 5, take the Brooks exit and head west to Wheatland Road.
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Tracy Loew covers the environment at the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions and tips to tloew@statesmanjournal.com, 503-399-6779. Follow her on Twitter at @Tracy_Loew
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Wheatland Ferry is Oregon’s oldest operating ferry crossing
