copyright unknown This image may be protected by Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.). Copyright restrictions applying to the reproduction and use of this image are available from the Sacramento Public Library.
Description
This photo depicts the Courtland Wharf, which was the center of activity and commerce for the Sacramento River Delta town. The Courtland Ferry is visible at the center of the image. The ferry stayed afloat on pontoons and crossed the river through the use of a cable. The availability of this means of transportation, provided by the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, was essential in a period when seasonal flooding often rendered the roads impassable. Despite its benefits, the ferry was sometimes a hazardous option, with multiple drowning deaths reported and a notoriously unreliable cable. The construction of the Sutter Slough Bridge in 1939 rendered the ferry unnecessary, enabling former ferry operator Anthony Cerpa to become the new bridge tender.
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