“It’s really essential for people in Poolesville,” said Anna-Maria Markus, of Rockville, Md., who took her bicycle on the ferry on a recent day. “It’s a short cut, and it’s very scenic.

‘A Dependable Service’

The vessel is named for Gen. Jubal A. Early, a confederate Civil War general who fled to Mexico and never swore allegiance to the Union, and can carry 24 vehicles at a time.

It’s 156 feet long, weighs about 180 tons and carries cars, trucks, trailers, bicycles, motorcycles and pedestrians over about 2 feet of water between wooded shores. Two hydraulic engines propel the barge back and forth over a cable that keeps it tethered to the banks.

The United States Coast Guard inspects the ferry annually to make sure it is running properly and to ensure safety regulations are being followed.

Tourists and commuters drive aboard the Gen. Jubal A. Early from the Montgomery County, Md., side of the Potomac river.