Wisconsin’s oldest operating ferry service is getting a new boat. By July 9, 2011, the Cassville ferry service will have a new tug and barge to make its Mississippi River crossing. On December 3, 2010, Skipperliner won a $1.7m contract to deliver a new 78-ft. barge – able can carry about 12 typical vehicles – as well as a 45-ft. tugboat to push it.
The new Cassville ferry will replace the existing Charlie D, which carries up to nine cars. Charlie D has been crossing the Mississippi River at Cassville since 1966, and ferry service here dates as far back as 1833. Cassville’s new ferry was designed by Farrell and Norton Naval Architects. The funds for the project came from $1.8m in federal stimulus dollars.
The Cassville ferry provides seasonal service between Guttenberg, Iowa and Cassville, Wis. The nearest bridge crossing to the north is Prairie du Chien, and the nearest bridge crossing to the south is Dubuque, Iowa—a distance of approximately 70 miles.
The ferry operates from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week, from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, making an average of 45 trips per day.