Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids, Iowa |
The Real Ushers Ferry |
The real Ushers Ferry was not a town, but a ferry boat crossing for the Cedar River. In the early to mid-1800's, ferries were used to cross waterways too deep or powerful to simply drive a wagon across. Ferry crossings were the primary transportation across the Cedar River until bridges were constructed in the late nineteenth century.
Dyer Usher had lived in Linn County for many years before he staked his claim along the banks of the Cedar River. Usher had come to Iowa at the age of 16 and spent several years trapping and operating a ferry across the Mississippi while he scouted for new land in the Iowa territory. He operated a ferry crossing on the Cedar River about a quarter mile up the river from the current village site.
Henry Usher, Dyer's cousin, was among the last of the family to arrive in Linn County. In 1849, he claimed ground in the rich river bottom of Seminole Valley. In 1855, Henry built a small "saltbox" frame farm house not far from his sawmill.
Twelve years later, in the winter of 1867, he cut the house in half and using horses, moved the house across the frozen river to land on the west bank of the Cedar River. In 1980 the house was moved back across the river to its current location in Ushers Ferry Historic Village. See
site number 1 on the map of the Village. In all the year's since it was built, it has never been occupied by anyone but members of the Usher family. You can see this historic building the way it was 100 years ago when you visit Ushers Ferry Historic Village.