Bill Menor’s River-Powered Ferry
A cable and the Snake River’s current carried travelers across Jackson Hole before a bridge reached Moose.
Bill Menor chose a place where the Snake River ran in one channel. Much of the river nearby divided into braided waterways, but this narrower crossing suited a ferry. The boat he operated used the current to move from bank to bank.
Crossing without an Engine
Menor settled here in 1892. His reaction ferry was held by a cable stretched across the river. By setting the boat at an angle to the flow, the operator could use the pressure of the current to push it sideways toward the opposite bank.
The cable kept the ferry from simply drifting downstream. Changing the angle allowed it to make the return trip. The river supplied the force, while the operator controlled how the boat met the water.
The arrangement depended on river conditions. When winter brought low water and ice, Menor used a cable car to carry people across instead. A crossing useful in summer needed a different solution during the cold months.
A Store at the Landing
Menor’s operation included much more than the ferry. Travelers could get supplies at his general store, and he worked as postmaster. He kept a blacksmith shop and smokehouse and grew vegetables for nearby ranches.
His brother Holiday lived across the river and operated a limekiln. Whitewash from that kiln gave the store its light-colored exterior. A well beside the river supplied water without requiring a trip down the steep bank, while storage beneath another building helped keep root crops cool.
Maud Noble bought the homestead and ferry in 1918. The crossing continued until Wyoming built a bridge in 1927. A replica of the broad-decked ferry now sits beside the river, near the store that served its passengers.
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Adapted from the Hidden Here story catalog. Explore the historical records behind this story.
