FERRYMEN AND FERRYWOMEN
ferry woman BeverlyBeverly Terry runs the Virgelle ferry and is one-third of the adult population of the ghost town of Virgelle. Her mother and father, who now ranch outside of Grassrange, ran the ferry before her. A single mom with three kids, she makes ends meet by commuting 45 miles each way to teach public school in Havre. When teaching conflicts with ferry operations in the late Spring and Fall, one of her two neighbors comes by to run the ferry. In the Summer, the "town" of Virgelle comes alive with visitors to the antique store, bed & breakfast and canoe rental services run by the neighbors. Despite the remoteness from town, and the difficulties involved in getting her kids to school, Beverly says that she can't imagine a better place to raise her children..
ferry man BrianThe Carter ferry, run by Vicki and Brian Perkins, is the least remote of the Missouri ferries, a little more than 15 miles from the historic riverboat town of Fort Benton. Brian is a storehouse of knowledge on the history of the ferry. He makes it a point to be personally acquainted with most of the farmers and ranchers in the area who depend on the ferry's service. One of his friends, a local rancher, has twice sunk the ferry with heavily loaded trucks, but no one has ever been injured during Brian's tenure. Unlike the other ferry operators, Brian and his wife head south in the wintertime, escaping the snow and the bitter wind chill. But he always looks forward to the Spring breakup of the river ice and the opportunity to become reacquainted with old friends.
ferry woman GraceGrace Sanford and her husband Tim run the McClelland ferry, also known locally as the Stafford ferry. For several years, Tim ran it with Grace's help, but now it's the other way around. When the ferry is not running (from late Fall to early Spring), Grace and Tim live on a farm almost 80 miles south of the nearest post office (in Chinook) and about 15 miles from the ferry itself. Mail is delivered three times a week to a box a few miles from their house. They have electricity, phone and satellite TV, but cell phone reception is non-existent in that part of Montana. Grace says that running the ferry is the best job she's ever had, and she loves the abundance of wildlife in the area, a benefit that very few of us today are able to enjoy.

Montana Twilight