Vintage Photo: Essex Waterfront with Ferry to South

Essex Bay with Old Dock and ferry to the South (Credit: Unknown; Shared by Susie Drinkwine)

Every Monday we share a vintage image on the Essex on Lake Champlain Facebook page and invite our viewers to play some Vintage Essex Trivia. Take a look at this old photo of the bay in Essex, NY. What do you recognize? Notice anything that has changed? When do you think this photo was taken?

Did you notice that the ferry is on the Southern side of the Old Dock? Do you remember when it picked up passengers there? When did it move to the Northern side?

Although the Old Dock House is prominent in the center, I can also make out Rosslyn boathouse jutting into Lake Champlain on the right.

Lots of people are gathered around the shoreline/docks. I wonder what is going on? Some kind of event? Or perhaps they are simply enjoying the lake and watching the ferry? Any ideas?

Here is what the community has already had to say:

Mary S Houston: It was much like this in 1960!

Dudley Underdahl Duel: The view from behind the Fine’s house in that quiet park

Lorraine Townsend Faherty: The ferry came in to the south of Old Dock, I remember from childhood

John Goodroe: Old dock restaurant ferry on south side?

Emily G. Phillips: People! Lots and lots of people!

Dianne Lansing: Was it a regatta that was waiting to resume after the ferry left? Both the Sherwood Inn dock and the one on the left had bridge-like arrangements to their outer limits. Did this have something to do with protection from ice??

George Davis: A northwest-looking view of the Essex waterfront. Note the ferry access in the south side of the Old Dock House and Rosslyn boathouse on the shoreline beyond.

Do you have anymore insight and can perhaps answer some of the questions raised above? Does this photo bring up any memories for you? Please share your thoughts in the comments!

Share Your Essex Artifacts

If you want to share your old photos of Essex (or brochures; postcards; menus; tickets; any artifact) on the blog please email us at editor [at] essexonlakechamplain [dot] com.

Vintage Brochure: Sherwood Inn (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Vintage Photo: Essex Boathouses (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Vintage Photo: Essex Waterfront (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Vintage Postcard: Essex, NY from Lake Champlain (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Vintage Postcard: Camel’s Hump (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Vintage Photo: Lake Champlain from Crater Club (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Vintage Postcard: 1940s Main Street Looking South (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Vintage Postcard: Essex Inn (Early 1900s) (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)

About Katie Shepard

Passionate about reading and writing stories, Katie Shepard enjoys discovering more about her home while writing and editing for Essex on Lake Champlain. Katie graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh in 2011 where she studied English literature, philosophy, and Asian studies. Her first book Essex, New York Architecture: A Doodler's Field Guide was published in 2015. Connect with her on Facebook or at Linked.in. Or email her at katie [@] essexeditions [dot] com.

Comments

JACK HALPIN says

February 11, 2015 at 1:27 pm

The cofiguration of the ferryboat landing and the Old Dock indicates the photo was taken between the 1930’s when the Old Dock operated as a tea room and the 1950s when the ferry boat landing was moved to the north of the Old Dock. I suspect the spectators were waiting for the finish of the handicap race that included boats ranging from rowboats to my father’s Chris-Craft. The starting points were from the Crater Club dock to the Powell’s dock (the rowboat) just south of Essex.