Virgelle Ferry

Virgelle, Chouteau County, Montana. LANDMARK.

Details

Map. Virgelle, Chouteau County, Montana. Larger map

Where: 8337 Virgelle Ferry Road North, Virgelle, MT 59460. Directions
When: Monday - Saturday: 7:00am - 7:00pm; Sunday: 9:00am - 5:00pm.
Season: Mid-April - Mid-November depending on ice.
Getting there: Eight miles off US Highway 87, northeast of Fort Benton, the Virgelle Ferry crossing links backroad routes to Loma and other points.
Fees: free.
Access: The ride is free, but operated at your own risk.
Phone: 406-378-3110
Managed by: Chouteau County.
Established: 1913.

Ring the buzzer and the Ferry Operator will come over the Missouri to pick you and your vehicle up.

1913John C. Meyers built the ferry for Chouteau County for $1,050. archive.org
1913Blankenbaker established a ferry across the river, and Virgelle became a railroad flagstop. hmdb.org
1950The county upgraded the old ferryboat with an International tractor engine. archive.org
1960sThe county replaced the original ferryboat. archive.org
2004The Montana Department of Transportation and Blaine, Chouteau, and Fergus counties, with special federal funding, replaced the Missouri River ferryboats in 2004 with vessels designed to closely match the old ones. archive.org

John C. Meyers, built the ferry for Chouteau County (1913).
Virgil Blankenbaker, had the ferry built and established the crossing (1913).
Virgil F. Blankenbaker, homesteader and sheep rancher who founded Virgelle and established the ferry; died in an auto accident while serving a second legislative term (died 1936).
Beverly Terry, second-generation ferry operator; her mother ran the ferry after the family moved to Montana (1960s).
J.C. Meyers, built the ferry under contract with Blankenbaker.