Looking Back: Blythe Ferry’s Role in Tennessee History
In 1983, a local newspaper revisited the long and storied history of Blythe Ferry, a modest but vital river crossing that once linked Meigs and Rhea Counties across the Tennessee River. At that time, the ferry was still in operation—one of the last of its kind in Tennessee—quietly continuing a service that had begun more than 170 years earlier.
According to the article, Blythe Ferry began in 1809 when William Blythe, a Cherokee, was granted permission to operate it. After signing the Treaty of 1819 and renouncing his allegiance to the Cherokee Nation, Blythe and his son, John, secured a 640-acre reservation that included the ferry and their homestead. From the beginning, the ferry provided a vital link between white settlements west of the Tennessee River and Cherokee lands to the east.
Over time, the ferry served not just settlers and traders but played a role in several major historical events. During the Trail of Tears in 1838, Blythe Ferry was a key crossing point for the forced removal of the Cherokee people. In a letter dated October 15, 1838, Dr. John Powell criticized the Blythes for their reluctance and delays in transporting fellow Cherokee and supply wagons across the river.
Later, during the Civil War, a company of the 5th Tennessee Infantry was stationed at the ferry for over a year to guard the strategic confluence of the Tennessee and Hiwassee Rivers.
Ownership passed through several hands over the years, including William Hutchenson and eventually George Spivey, who operated the ferry into the 1940s. By that time, the ferryboat was a flat-bottom, steel-hulled barge powered by the tug Jean Marie, capable of carrying up to six cars. The landings had shifted slightly over the years due to water level changes but remained close to their original locations.
In 1983, the newspaper article highlighted the ferry’s ongoing service as one of only a few left in Tennessee. It continued to function as a vital part of the east-west route connecting Bradley, Meigs, northern Hamilton, and Rhea Counties, serving as both a historical landmark and a practical river crossing.
The Ferry’s Final Chapter
Although the 1983 story captured Blythe Ferry as a still-living piece of Tennessee history, that chapter would come to a close just over a decade later. In 1994, the ferry ceased operations with the opening of the Blythe Ferry Bridge, a modern span across the Tennessee River that now carries State Route 60.
After more than 180 years of continuous service, Blythe Ferry’s role in the region’s transportation network came to an end. Today, its legacy is remembered through historical records and commemorated at the Cherokee Removal Memorial Park, located near the original western landing.
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