For those who cross the Potomac River from Maryland to Virginia or vice versa on a regular basis, White’s Ferry is more than just a charming slice of history … it’s an invaluable means of transportation.

White’s Ferry, located just outside of Poolesville, Md., is the only ferry in operation on the Potomac River and its tributaries. It began carrying vehicles and passengers back and forth across the river in 1828 and has operated continually since R. Edwin Brown purchased it in 1945.

Every morning and evening, the ferry carries hundreds of commuters to and from their jobs on the opposite shore, Brown said. The trip takes about four minutes, a timesaver for those wishing to stay off the Capital Beltway, near Washington D.C., or the U.S. 15 Bridge at Point of Rocks, Md.