Sunken ferry found in Sulphur River

A team of divers representing the Texas Historical Commission arrived in Atlanta last Friday to spend time conducting preliminary tests on what could possibly prove to be the biggest historical find in Cass County in recent history.

Doug Nowell and John Luce, with the Southwest Archaeological Underwater Association, arose early Saturday and headed to a location on the Sulphur River to peruse the area for artifacts from what is believed to be the ferry operated by Cullen Baker. To some, Baker was a notorious outlaw, while others romanticized him, declaring him to be Texas’ Robin Hood. Baker was killed Jan. 6, 1869.

The remains of the ferry were discovered recently by a private individual who contacted Cass County Precinct 3 commissioner Robert Buzbee about the submerged vessel. Buzbee went with the individual to the scene, then contacted the Army Corps of Engineers at Wright Patman Lake with the information.

Employees of the corps investigated the remains, then contacted the Texas Historical Commission. Steve Hoyt, director of the commission and a marine archaeologist, went to work trying to assemble a crew to survey the wreckage.

Upon arrival at the scene, Nowell and Luce began investigating artifacts along the river’s bank, determining a large debris and terrestrial field in relation to the ferry remains. Everything found within the field is logged and its location mapped. Further studies will determine how the items tie together with the history of the ferry.

If determined to actually be the Shady Rest Ferry, operated by Baker, the men noted that this find will help do away with some of the stories surrounding the notorious outlaw, replacing myths with actual facts.

“We can take what we find and draw relatively good conclusions concerning the history of the area during Baker’s time,” said Nowell.

The remains of the old ferry lie entombed at the bottom of the river. Also underwater are parts of old wagons. More debris lies scattered on a nearby bank, with remains of old homesteads and graves also nearby.

Artifacts of interest the team was searching for included items such as tools that were used in daily living during that period of time. An old wagon road discovered nearby is believed to be the one used to reach the ferry by travelers en route to or from the once bustling waterfront town of Jefferson, Texas.

Following a perusal of the surrounding land, the divers used a boat to reach the location of the sunken ferry, then began their underwater work of finding artifacts and making measurements of the actual ferry remains. Although accessibility to the ferry was deemed “horrible”, the ferry was found to measure approximately 28 by 40 feet.

The purpose of the preliminary investigation is to get an idea of what the site is like. All of the information gathered will be used for later visits to the area, which could span up to a year.

A boat equipped with sonar will also be brought to the scene to help locate artifacts and pieces of the vessel.

At the conclusion of their preliminary observation, the team ranked the project as major and determined it to be a great find.

Following the assessment, the best future for the ferry and its surrounding artifacts will be determined. Maintenance and recovery of the ferry’s artifacts for placement in a local museum would cost an estimated $17,000 to $20,000. Recovery and preservation of the ferry itself could cost up to $1 million.

Support for the projects would be partially funded through grants from businesses, with more funding coming from other local sources.

“Right now, the state doesn’t have an historical ferry,” said Nowell. “I think I kind of got them excited and hope this will help move the find up on their priority ladder,” he added.

Meanwhile the ferry and all of its secrets continue to rest in a murky tomb at the bottom of the river.