Dingman's Ferry Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Dingman's Ferry Bridge is the last privately owned toll bridge
on the Delaware River
and one of the last few in the United States. It is owned and operated by the Dingmans Choice and Delaware Bridge Company.
that connected the Old Mine Road
in Sussex County, New Jersey
to the Bethany Turnpike (now State Route 2019) in Delaware Township
in Pike County
. The ferry thrived for over a century as pioneers
utilized this important river crossing to move westward. Crossing on the ferry took some time; the ferryman on the western (Pennsylvania) bank had to be summoned by a bell on the eastern (New Jersey) shore.
A house was built near the present-day bridge in 1803 by Judge Daniel W. Dingman, who was said to hold court in his bare feet. Still standing, the house is on the State and National historic registers
.
The first bridge lasted until 1847 when high water washed away the Milford Bridge
upstream and swept the debris into Dingman's Bridge.
A third bridge was constructed in 1856, but, being of poor quality, it fell apart by 1862. The ferry was operated once again by the Dingmans until the property was sold in 1875 to John W. Kilsby, Sr. Kilsby's family operated the ferry until the turn of the twentieth century when the current bridge was constructed using some materials recycled from a railroad bridge on the Susquehanna River
. This bridge has survived major floods in 1903, 1955, 2005, and 2006.
in 1868.
Records from an early log book show tolls of 40 cents for a horseless carriage, 25 cents for a two-horse wagon, 10 cents for a horse and rider, 5 cents for a bicycle, and 2 cents for a footman. Under the terms of the original charter, no toll was charged for individuals traveling to church or a funeral, a custom which is still practiced presently.
bridge at the Delaware Water Gap
. As such, it is in a location which caters well to the commuter lifestyle of many area residents of Delaware Township
, Dingman Township
, and other surrounding communities.
Today's tolls are not much higher than previously noted. Automobiles pay $1.00. Books of forty coupons can be purchased from the toll collector for $20.00. This effectively lowers the toll to 50 cents if the entire book of coupons is used. Bicyclists may cross for free, but pedestrians are not allowed due to the narrow lanes. An 11 feet (3.4 m) height restriction coupled with a weight restriction of four ton
s precludes large RVs
and trucks from crossing. Although the bridge is within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
, government employees pay the toll, unless responding to an emergency with lights and sirens on. A breakdown of all current tolls can be found on the bridge's website. The bridge is one of only two bridges that charges a toll to enter New Jersey, along with the Delaware River-Turnpike Toll Bridge
on the Pennsylvania
and New Jersey Turnpike
s.
Christmas Day is the only day of the year which finds the toll booth unmanned; everyone may cross for free. Dingman's Bridge is also remarkable in that there is a single toll collector who stands in between the single lanes of traffic, collecting toll fees by hand.
fir
planks. These floor boards are held in place with anchor plate
s and collar nails which results in a characteristic rattling of the deck with the traffic moving.
Text is adapted from the NPS website below
Toll bridge
A toll bridge is a bridge over which traffic may pass upon payment of a toll, or fee.- History :The practice of collecting tolls on bridges probably harks back to the days of ferry crossings where people paid a fee to be ferried across stretches of water. As boats became impractical to carry large...
on the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
and one of the last few in the United States. It is owned and operated by the Dingmans Choice and Delaware Bridge Company.
Origins - Dingman's Ferry
In 1735, Andrew Dingman, a Dutch pioneer from Kinderhook, New York, operated a ferryFerry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
that connected the Old Mine Road
Old Mine Road
Old Mine Road is a road in New Jersey and New York said to be one of the oldest continuously-used roads in the United States of America. At a length of 104 miles, it stretches from the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area to the vicinity of Kingston, New York.Among the theories regarding the...
in Sussex County, New Jersey
Sussex County, New Jersey
The County of Sussex is the northernmost county in the State of New Jersey. It is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 Federal decennial census, 149,265 persons resided in Sussex County...
to the Bethany Turnpike (now State Route 2019) in Delaware Township
Delaware Township, Pike County, Pennsylvania
Delaware Township is a township in Pike County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,396 at the 2010 census. The Birchwood Lakes housing community is located in Delaware Township.-Geography:...
in Pike County
Pike County, Pennsylvania
-National protected areas:* Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area * Middle Delaware National Scenic River * Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River -Demographics:...
. The ferry thrived for over a century as pioneers
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
utilized this important river crossing to move westward. Crossing on the ferry took some time; the ferryman on the western (Pennsylvania) bank had to be summoned by a bell on the eastern (New Jersey) shore.
A house was built near the present-day bridge in 1803 by Judge Daniel W. Dingman, who was said to hold court in his bare feet. Still standing, the house is on the State and National historic registers
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
The First Bridge
In 1836, the first bridge was built by the Dingmans. Under the terms of its charter, churchgoers, schoolchildren, and funeral processions were given free passage, a condition that is still in effect today.The first bridge lasted until 1847 when high water washed away the Milford Bridge
Milford-Montague Toll Bridge
The Milford–Montague Toll Bridge is a truss bridge crossing the Delaware River, connecting Montague Township, New Jersey to Milford, Pennsylvania on U.S. Route 206. The two-lane bridge, which opened on December 30, 1953, has a total length of 1,150 feet , and is operated by the Delaware River...
upstream and swept the debris into Dingman's Bridge.
The Second, Third and Fourth Bridges
After a brief life, the second bridge was destroyed four or five years after the first, in a severe windstorm.A third bridge was constructed in 1856, but, being of poor quality, it fell apart by 1862. The ferry was operated once again by the Dingmans until the property was sold in 1875 to John W. Kilsby, Sr. Kilsby's family operated the ferry until the turn of the twentieth century when the current bridge was constructed using some materials recycled from a railroad bridge on the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
. This bridge has survived major floods in 1903, 1955, 2005, and 2006.
Later years
Dingman named his original plot of land Dingman's Choice. The village of Dingman's Choice, which became quite identified with the ferry, had its name changed by the Post Office to Dingman's FerryDingmans Ferry, Pennsylvania
Dingmans Ferry is an unincorporated community in Delaware Township, Pike County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was originally sited on the Delaware River in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, but was moved farther up the mountain when the Park Service acquired the land for the...
in 1868.
Records from an early log book show tolls of 40 cents for a horseless carriage, 25 cents for a two-horse wagon, 10 cents for a horse and rider, 5 cents for a bicycle, and 2 cents for a footman. Under the terms of the original charter, no toll was charged for individuals traveling to church or a funeral, a custom which is still practiced presently.
The Present
Today, the bridge provides an important link for commuters to reach destinations in New Jersey and New York City. The bridge lies south of the current Milford Bridge, and well north of the Interstate 80Interstate 80
Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...
bridge at the Delaware Water Gap
Delaware Water Gap
The Delaware Water Gap is on the border of New Jersey and Pennsylvania where the Delaware River cuts through a large ridge of the Appalachian Mountains...
. As such, it is in a location which caters well to the commuter lifestyle of many area residents of Delaware Township
Delaware Township, Pike County, Pennsylvania
Delaware Township is a township in Pike County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,396 at the 2010 census. The Birchwood Lakes housing community is located in Delaware Township.-Geography:...
, Dingman Township
Dingman Township, Pennsylvania
Dingman Township is a township in Pike County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 11,926 at the 2010 census. The Township was created in 1832 and named in honor of Judge Daniel Westbrook Dingman.-Geography:...
, and other surrounding communities.
Today's tolls are not much higher than previously noted. Automobiles pay $1.00. Books of forty coupons can be purchased from the toll collector for $20.00. This effectively lowers the toll to 50 cents if the entire book of coupons is used. Bicyclists may cross for free, but pedestrians are not allowed due to the narrow lanes. An 11 feet (3.4 m) height restriction coupled with a weight restriction of four ton
Ton
The ton is a unit of measure. It has a long history and has acquired a number of meanings and uses over the years. It is used principally as a unit of weight, and as a unit of volume. It can also be used as a measure of energy, for truck classification, or as a colloquial term.It is derived from...
s precludes large RVs
Recreational vehicle
Recreational vehicle or RV is, in North America, the usual term for a Motor vehicle or trailer equipped with living space and amenities found in a home.-Features:...
and trucks from crossing. Although the bridge is within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, administered by the National Park Service, preserves almost of land along the Delaware River's New Jersey and Pennsylvania shores, stretching from the Delaware Water Gap northward almost to the New York state line...
, government employees pay the toll, unless responding to an emergency with lights and sirens on. A breakdown of all current tolls can be found on the bridge's website. The bridge is one of only two bridges that charges a toll to enter New Jersey, along with the Delaware River-Turnpike Toll Bridge
Delaware River-Turnpike Toll Bridge
The Delaware River – Turnpike Toll Bridge is a four-lane steel arch-shaped suspended deck truss bridge that connects the Pennsylvania Turnpike's East-West Mainline with the main trunk of the New Jersey Turnpike, via the Pearl Harbor Memorial Extension...
on the Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Turnpike
The Pennsylvania Turnpike is a toll highway system operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. The three sections of the turnpike system total . The main section extends from Ohio to New Jersey and is long...
and New Jersey Turnpike
New Jersey Turnpike
The New Jersey Turnpike is a toll road in New Jersey, maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. According to the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association, the Turnpike is the nation's sixth-busiest toll road and is among one of the most heavily traveled highways in the United...
s.
Christmas Day is the only day of the year which finds the toll booth unmanned; everyone may cross for free. Dingman's Bridge is also remarkable in that there is a single toll collector who stands in between the single lanes of traffic, collecting toll fees by hand.
Maintenance
Because the Bridge Company is responsible for its own repairs, it employs an engineering firm certified for bridge inspection to regularly and thoroughly inspect the bridge from the tops of the trusses to the underwater foundations. Each year, the bridge company closes the bridge the second week after Labor Day to conduct any repairs needed to maintain the structural integrity of the bridge and to replace or flip the salt-treated B.C.British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
fir
Fir
Firs are a genus of 48–55 species of evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae. They are found through much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, occurring in mountains over most of the range...
planks. These floor boards are held in place with anchor plate
Anchor plate
An anchor plate or wall washer is a large plate or washer connected to a tie rod or bolt. Anchor plates are used on exterior walls of masonry buildings, for structural reinforcement. Being visible, many anchor plates are made in a style that is decorative.One popular style is the star anchor—an...
s and collar nails which results in a characteristic rattling of the deck with the traffic moving.
Text is adapted from the NPS website below