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111:. The first ferry operator was 19-year-old Darius Billings. In 1897, Jay Meyers became the operator, a position he served in for the next 21 years. In 1931, L.S. Brittain was the ferry operator. The ferry went out of business in 1940 after being bypassed by an automobile bridge built upriver and also replaced by a rowboat.
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after his wife. Around 2005, Peterson sold the ferry to the City of
Saugatuck, which continues to operate it. After Peterson sold the ferry, it was managed by the husband-and-wife team of Bruce and Marilyn Starring until their retirement at the end of the 2017 season. Marilyn Starring coordinated
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to obtain a waiver exempting the
Saugatuck Chain Ferry from the Coast Guard captain licensing requirement. Upton argued that such a license was not necessary to safely operate a chain ferry, noting that because the ferry "travels only 100 yards, and does so while connected to a chain permanently
99:. It has a crew of two. It is chiefly crewed by college students. The crew members crank the ferry by hand across the river. It operates approximately every 10 to 15 minutes, based on demand, but not in inclement weather. The ferry can carry up to 24 passengers per crossing.
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connected to shore the entire time, the risks to passengers is minimal and almost completely mitigated by safety procedures". In
January 2019, Upton's waiver was included as part of the Coast Guard bill passed by the
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In 2018, the ferry did not operate on Labor Day weekend, closing prematurely because all of its captains and most of its crew returned to college. At the time, the ferry could only be operated if one of the crew was a
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The
Saugatuck Chain Ferry was first operated in 1857. It was opened as a replacement for a bridge that was damaged by flooding and passing
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The crossing, which is about 100 yards (91 m), takes approximately five minutes to make. The ferry operates seasonally, from
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131:, licensed by the Coast Guard. In response to this incident, the city worked with United States Representative
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In 1965, local businessman R.J. Peterson restored chain ferry service with a new ferry, named
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and Oval Beach. It is the only operational hand-cranked chain ferry in the
510:"RJ Peterson, Tower Marine owner and active community member, dies at 93"
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562:"Upton amendment to bill aims to bring back Saugatuck Chain Ferry"
536:"Longtime manager of Saugatuck Chain Ferry to retire after season"
242:"15 Amazing Lakeside Towns Where You Should Spend the Summer"
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inspections while Bruce provided maintenance for the ferry.
211:"Midwest still home to a handful of unique ferry crossings"
377:"Saugatuck Chain Ferry will not operate Labor Day weekend"
436:"Preserving Historic Sites Is Man's Favorite Pastime"
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335:"Saugatuck boasts lots of art and dune rides, too"
176:"Saugatuck chain ferry is a summertime tradition"
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603:Tourist attractions in Allegan County, Michigan
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295:"Varied Attractions Add To Vacation Enjoyment"
472:"Operator of Saugatuck Chain Ferry Is Sought"
270:"In Saugatuck, life's a beach--and much more"
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478:. Minden City, Michigan. March 6, 1931
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303:. Saint Joseph, Michigan. June 7, 1984
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138:United States House of Representatives
560:Barrett, Malachi (January 29, 2019).
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508:Boatman, Mitchell (August 11, 2020).
240:Kennedy, Barbara Noe (June 5, 2019).
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75:. It connects downtown Saugatuck to
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613:1940 disestablishments in Michigan
593:Cable ferries in the United States
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375:Dietzer, Erin (August 31, 2018).
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608:1857 establishments in Michigan
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268:Enna, Renee (August 26, 2001).
209:Bergin, Mary (August 4, 2015).
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333:Clarke, Jay (July 21, 2002).
174:Blake, Neil (July 27, 2019).
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55:Saugatuck Chain Ferry in 2009
441:The Holland Evening Sentinel
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486:– via Newspapers.com
452:– via Newspapers.com
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343:. Raleigh, North Carolina
121:United States Coast Guard
65:hand-cranked chain ferry
16:Hand-cranked chain ferry
340:The News & Observer
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61:Saugatuck Chain Ferry
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514:The Holland Sentinel
382:The Holland Sentinel
300:The Herald-Palladium
598:Ferries of Michigan
77:Mount Baldhead Park
73:Saugatuck, Michigan
37:42.6584°N 86.2058°W
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476:Minden City Herald
81:Great Lakes region
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587:Categories
148:References
133:Fred Upton
28:86°12′21″W
25:42°39′30″N
571:March 27,
545:March 27,
519:March 27,
482:March 27,
448:March 27,
413:March 27,
388:March 27,
347:March 27,
307:March 27,
279:March 27,
253:March 27,
222:March 27,
187:March 27,
109:schooners
97:Labor Day
87:Operation
129:captain
103:History
142:Senate
566:MLive
181:MLive
116:Diane
63:is a
573:2021
547:2021
521:2021
484:2021
450:2021
415:2021
390:2021
349:2021
309:2021
281:2021
255:2021
224:2021
189:2021
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