Virgelle Ferry and Virgelle Ghost Town

Today was very different.  Since we could not take the water tour of the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument/Recreation Area we drove to one of the two ferries that go across the Missouri River.  The ferry we chose (and it was closer) is called the Virgelle Ferry, located about 1 mile up river from Coal Banks Canoe landing, and about 35 miles northeast of Fort Benton.

Lewis and Clark stopped here

Most back roads are not paved and the road we took to get to the ferry was a dirt/gravel road.  Not bad, but very dusty.  Some of the time we were on a washboard type road, rattled our teeth, but then flattened out and we had relief.  As we came to the cross road where we either went to Coal Banks or to Virgelle, we chose Virgelle first.  Passed the ghost town of Virgelle only there are two families that still live there and discovered that the owner of the Mercantile shares the ferry duties with the folks that live right by the ferry.

Wide, wide open

Had to deal with very dusty road

Oh my

Hello Mr. Pronghorn Antelope

The Missouri River is very swift at the ferry crossing and the boat/raft was listing from the pressure of the current.  I was very impressed.  And it's free!  We did not ask for a ride over, just wanted to see it.

Love how you summon the ferry operator

Tied up ferry 

This marker was way up on top of landing

Listing to left - swift current

A very wide, swift, low Missouri River - and beautiful!

Stopped back at Virgelle Mercantile building (ghost town of Virgelle) and had a nice chat with the owner who runs a bed and breakfast inn and also has a thriving business in antiques.  The mercantile/bed and breakfast was decorated all in antiques.  Talk about wow.  He said he refurbished old homestead homes and brought them and set them up as cabins which are located behind the mercantile, and he also rents out 4 rooms above the mercantile.  Teams up with outfitters who bring in people, they stay at the mercantile where they get 'room' and meals and the outfitter then shuttles them to Coal Banks Landing where they embark up or down river.

Interesting history

Virgelle Mercantile Bed and Breakfast/Antiques

Original homesteads refurbished into cabins

Jammed with antiques

Love this stove/oven

He also said that he has over 2,000 people who come over a 2 day period the first weekend of December for holiday sales.  A group of folks were arriving later in the day from Seattle where they will be staying in the refurbished sheep wagon out back for the night. The bed and breakfast also provides cooking classes (dutch oven, open fire, cast iron oven) and those classes book up immediately.  Quite a thriving business for a place in the middle of wheat fields.

Even had a bank - but now stuffed with antiques