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The McCarty Ferry was used by truckers, sleigh and stagecoach drivers, dog teams and anyone else traveling the
Valdez-to-Fairbanks trail. In 1925, records show that 2,149 passengers crossed the Tanana here by ferry. It would have been used
year-round because the springs along the banks of the Tanana keep this portion of the Tanana River open, though the water is clear
and the level is much lower in winter months. The ferryman lived in a little cabin on the riverbank, and when anyone wanted a ride, day
or night, they summoned him by ringing a bell. Rika's was also a favorite landing spot for the steamship captains and others on the
route between Tok, the Goodpaster mining area, and Fairbanks. Pictured are the Ferryman's cabin, ferry and old boat like those used
to navigate the river, hauling furs to the trading posts.
In 1935 the Alaska Road Commission decided to charge a toll of $9.25 per ton on all freight in order to divert traffic to the Alaska
Railroad. In response, truckers built their own ferry, ran up a pirate flag, tied up the ferryman and hauled their goods across the river
without interference. In 1941 the ARC toll became obsolete when the US Army put in the ALCAN highway.
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