clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Crossing the 'Hooch: Fulton's Ferries, Bridges and Fords

View as Map

Last month, the AJC's Living Intown magazine ran a feature "The River Runs Through Us," and while the Chattahoochee River does run through the metro — forming the borders of the City of Atlanta, various counties and many municipalities — it's hard to argue that most Atlantans give the river a daily thought. Yet the 'hooch has long been a major piece of the puzzle in shaping the Atlanta we know today; the vestiges of that impact are still all around us in the names of roads and places across the metro. Crossing the river was big business in early Atlanta, and to illustrate this, we've mapped the legacy for you, after the jump. For the sake of brevity, we've limited the hunt to present-day Fulton County

The Chattahoochee River runs through metro Atlanta, wending its way between the hills that surround the city, delineating city and county borders as it goes, largely unnoticed in daily life. Often, the most we hear about the river is the seemingly endless battle with Alabama and Florida over who the water belongs to. But the river provides more than just our water, with recreation spaces enjoyed by many Atlantans — especially as the summer weather transitions to fall. While the railroads brought Atlanta into existence, it is the Chattahoochee that, in many ways, sustains us. Today we can shoot across the river in a matter of seconds, thanks to the interstates and major roadways that connect the suburbs into Atlanta, likely contributing to our lack of consciousness of its waters. But back when the metro was an assortment of far-flung cities, small private ferries and bridges provided much needed access. And the map hints at that.


In a city that often excels at erasing physical history, it's interesting to see so much intact social history in the road and place names near the river. Many Atlantans utilize the infrastructure daily, likely with very little thought as to why it is there.

It's understandable that Atlantans take the Chattahoochee for granted. After all, when you think of great waterways in cities — the Mississippi in New Orleans, the Thames in London, the Seine in Paris, etc. — they are prominent fixtures and embedded in the identity of the city. The Chattahoochee isn't visible in the urban realm of Atlanta and does not offer the same prominence or importance of those in other cities. But it has played a profound role in shaping development, forming municipal and county boundaries, and was for many years a great physical barrier for Atlantans.

While we now fly across the river on Ga. Highway 400, Interstate 285, or Interstate 75 with ease, dozens of roads still bear the legacy of the river that runs through us.

For a more detailed account of the intricacies and history of these crossings, tune in to WABE 90.1 at 10 a.m. this Tuesday, Sept. 1, for a segment with Curbed Atlanta on City Lights with Lois Reitzes.

· A River Runs Through Us [Living Intown; AJC subscriber]

Read More
Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

McGinnis Ferry

Copy Link

The road now serves as the dividing line between Fulton and Forsyth counties, connecting across the River -- via Littles Ferry Bridge -- to Gwinnett.

Rogers Bridge

Copy Link

While no longer a crossing of the River, a road leads down on each side to a still-standing metal bridge at the crossing.

Abbotts Bridge

Copy Link

Abbotts Bridge Road crosses the Chattahoochee between Duluth in Gwinnett and Johns Creek in Fulton.

State Bridge

Copy Link

Today, State Bridge Road becomes Pleasant Hill as it crosses two two-lane bridges from Johns Creek to Duluth.

Medlock Bridge

Copy Link

Medlock Bridge carries a road by the same name between the new-ish cities of Johns Creek to Peachtree Corners.

Jones Bridge

Copy Link

While there's no longer a usable bridge here, roads bearing the name still stretch down to parks on both sides of the river. Also standing: the remains of a steel bridge from the early 1900s.

Holcomb Bridge

Copy Link

Today Holcomb Bridge connects Roswell and Peachtree Corners where Fulton County jumps the River and crashes into DeKalb and Gwinnett counties.

Nesbit Ferry

Copy Link

The only reminder of this one-time ferry crossing is a road with the name that stretches through the far northeastern panhandle of Sandy Springs and picks up again far north of the River in Alpharetta.

Jett Ferry

Copy Link

Like Nesbit Ferry to the north, there is no longer a crossing of the river here, but a road with the same name stretches through Sandy Springs and Dunwoody on the southern riverbank.

Island Ford

Copy Link

The only remaining "ford" of the River in the area, the name coincides with an island in the Chattahoochee between Sandy Springs and Roswell.

Island Ferry

Copy Link

Once there was a ferry to accompany the ford, but today there's only a park, just north of Ga. Highway 400.

Johnson Ferry

Copy Link

Once a ferry crossing, today's bridge carries six-lanes of traffic on a road bearing the Johnson name.

Powers Ferry

Copy Link

Stretching through Cobb and Fulton counties, the bridge on Powers Ferry road remains a lasting vestige of a ferry that crossed near present-day I-285.

Paces Ferry

Copy Link

While today a disjointed road from Buckhead to Vinings, the route was once served by a ferry. An old wood and steel bridge still carries pedestrians next to the road.

Bakers Ferry

Copy Link

Bakers Ferry Road no longer makes it near the river, but it marks where a crossing once existed south I-20 near Six Flags, lending its name to the neighborhood.

Smith Ferry

Copy Link

Far south of the reaches of Atlanta, only a tiny segment of Smith Ferry Road tells of the former crossing which connected Douglasville to former Campbell County.

Garretts Ferry

Copy Link

Garretts Ferry Road in Palmetto offers the only reminder of ferry service that ran in what is now far southern Fulton County.

Capps Ferry

Copy Link

Today a two-lane concrete bridge crosses the River, connecting Capps Ferry Road in Douglasville with South Fulton Parkway in Palmetto.

Jones Ferry

Copy Link

Present-day Jones Ferry Road stretches through rural Palmetto past a riverside race track, with remnants of the road on the north side of the River in Whitesburg.

Hutcheson Ferry

Copy Link

Near the South Fulton outpost of Serenbe, this one-time river crossing is marked by roads bearing its name on both sides of the River.

Loading comments...

McGinnis Ferry

The road now serves as the dividing line between Fulton and Forsyth counties, connecting across the River -- via Littles Ferry Bridge -- to Gwinnett.

Rogers Bridge

While no longer a crossing of the River, a road leads down on each side to a still-standing metal bridge at the crossing.

Abbotts Bridge

Abbotts Bridge Road crosses the Chattahoochee between Duluth in Gwinnett and Johns Creek in Fulton.

State Bridge

Today, State Bridge Road becomes Pleasant Hill as it crosses two two-lane bridges from Johns Creek to Duluth.

Medlock Bridge

Medlock Bridge carries a road by the same name between the new-ish cities of Johns Creek to Peachtree Corners.

Jones Bridge

While there's no longer a usable bridge here, roads bearing the name still stretch down to parks on both sides of the river. Also standing: the remains of a steel bridge from the early 1900s.

Holcomb Bridge

Today Holcomb Bridge connects Roswell and Peachtree Corners where Fulton County jumps the River and crashes into DeKalb and Gwinnett counties.

Nesbit Ferry

The only reminder of this one-time ferry crossing is a road with the name that stretches through the far northeastern panhandle of Sandy Springs and picks up again far north of the River in Alpharetta.

Jett Ferry

Like Nesbit Ferry to the north, there is no longer a crossing of the river here, but a road with the same name stretches through Sandy Springs and Dunwoody on the southern riverbank.

Island Ford

The only remaining "ford" of the River in the area, the name coincides with an island in the Chattahoochee between Sandy Springs and Roswell.

Island Ferry

Once there was a ferry to accompany the ford, but today there's only a park, just north of Ga. Highway 400.

Johnson Ferry

Once a ferry crossing, today's bridge carries six-lanes of traffic on a road bearing the Johnson name.

Powers Ferry

Stretching through Cobb and Fulton counties, the bridge on Powers Ferry road remains a lasting vestige of a ferry that crossed near present-day I-285.

Paces Ferry

While today a disjointed road from Buckhead to Vinings, the route was once served by a ferry. An old wood and steel bridge still carries pedestrians next to the road.

Bakers Ferry

Bakers Ferry Road no longer makes it near the river, but it marks where a crossing once existed south I-20 near Six Flags, lending its name to the neighborhood.

Smith Ferry

Far south of the reaches of Atlanta, only a tiny segment of Smith Ferry Road tells of the former crossing which connected Douglasville to former Campbell County.

Garretts Ferry

Garretts Ferry Road in Palmetto offers the only reminder of ferry service that ran in what is now far southern Fulton County.

Capps Ferry

Today a two-lane concrete bridge crosses the River, connecting Capps Ferry Road in Douglasville with South Fulton Parkway in Palmetto.

Jones Ferry

Present-day Jones Ferry Road stretches through rural Palmetto past a riverside race track, with remnants of the road on the north side of the River in Whitesburg.

Hutcheson Ferry

Near the South Fulton outpost of Serenbe, this one-time river crossing is marked by roads bearing its name on both sides of the River.