Negotiations under way to keep Whiteâs Ferry open
By Ayesha Khan
Hope may be on the way for Whiteâs Ferry after it abruptly shut down in December.
POOLESVILLE, Md. - After a legal dispute that shut down a centuries old ferry between Maryland and Virginia, a new buyer has stepped in to keep White’s Ferry open.
The Circuit Court of Loudoun County, Virginia ruled back in late December, in the case of Rockland Farm, LLC, et al. v. White s Ferry, Inc., that no public landing exists on the Virginia shoreline at White s Ferry Road and the ferry is prohibited from landing at that location in Virginia.
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Matt Gontarchick is a government affairs and business development professional with a passion for all things DC area. A proud University of Maryland alumnus, Matt currently resides in Petworth. Despite being a tireless advocate for smart growth and public transit, Matt can still be seen on the weekends cruising around in his sweet 2007 Toyota Camry. Share
Chuck Kuhn, chief executive of JK Moving Services, has purchased the popular water shuttle between Virginia and Maryland, which has been shuttered since December.
The Kuhns will be working with Peter Brown, the majority owner of Rockland Farm, to get the ferry up and running for nearly 800 daily users.
“White’s Ferry has provided an important and scenic transportation alternative to the swelling demands on our local roads,” Kuhn said. “We look forward to working with nearby landowners and local jurisdictions to make this viable for the region.”
The purchase includes the ferry, the store and the shore on which the ferry is operated. White’s Ferry operated since 1786 until in December 2020 when a Loudoun County judge ruled the ferry’s landing in Virginia is on private property.
White’s Ferry Purchased Following Service Shutdown; New Owner Plans to Resume Service
White’s Ferry has been purchased following a legal dispute that led to a service shutdown late December, according to a statement Friday evening.
Chuck Kuhn, CEO of the Sterling-based company JK Moving Services, and his wife, Stacy Kuhn, finalized the purchase terms Thursday. The deal includes the ferry, store and Maryland shoreline that facilitates operation, the statement says. On Dec. 28, 2020, White’s Ferry announced it would stop service effective immediately following a legal dispute between White’s Ferry, Inc. and Rockland Farm, LLC. A November court ruling found that there is no legally established public or private landing on Rockland Farm, the Virginia property where the ferry operates. The two sides were attempting to negotiate an agreement that would keep the ferry running, however the decision to stop service was a unilateral one made by White’s Ferry, according to a news re