In 2012, reenactors from across the country commemorated the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Fredericksburg. Numerous reenactors donated their time and money to rebuild two pontoon boats that were used in the event. These boats were built at George Washington’s Ferry Farm, and eventually floated across the river as part of the battle reenactment held in December 2012. After the event, one of the boats was stored in the maintenance yard of George Washington’s Ferry Farm.

In 2018, our friends at the National Park Service contacted George Washington’s Ferry Farm in order to acquire the boat and reproduce a section of pontoon bridging at Petersburg National Battlefield. The second boat was donated by a private individual to the battlefield. The Battlefield plans to use these pontoon boats to replicate a section of a pontoon bridge at their siege encampment exhibit to illustrate to the visitor the vital importance of pontoon bridges during the American Civil War. 

George Washington’s Ferry Farm is currently storing the boat in their maintenance yard with no coverage nor attempt to preserve the boat. When contacted by our friends at the National Park Service, site staff stated that they wanted $10,000 for the boat when it cost merely a fraction of that to build.

We would like George Washington’s Ferry Farm to donate the boat to Petersburg National Battlefield for the construction of their pontoon bridge exhibit.