After years of speculation and innuendo surrounding the Ferry Point campground gears, the answers to the mystery are crystallizing!
Moved to the campground in the early 2000’s from the entrance to a mine located 3/4m W, the most popular myth was: they served as a winch system to power a ferry across the Battle River in the early 1900’s before a bridge was built in 1907.
Reynolds Museum to the rescue - they have been positively identified by visible casting numbers as differential gears from a 36HP Case Steam engine built from 1910-1912.
Stay tuned as the “tale of the steam engine” unfolds! It gets even more interesting, and is included in our tour of the 480 acre Ferry Point property.
A plaque with a full history of the local mines and the origin & utility of the gears will soon be created.