Lee's Ferry, ghost town in Coconino County, Arizona, United States
Lee's Ferry is a river crossing over the Colorado River in northern Arizona where early settlers built a key transportation link. The site includes the small ranch homesteaded by John D. Lee, the ferry operation area, and remains of a trading post that show how people worked and lived at this remote location.
Lee's Ferry was established in 1864 when missionaries first crossed the Colorado River, and the first ferry boat began operating in 1873. A fort was built in 1874 to manage tensions with local tribes, and operations ended in 1928 when a bridge replaced the crossing.
Lee's Ferry was a meeting point where settlers and Navajo people traded and shared the land, though tensions grew as settlers expanded into the area. The way buildings were positioned and the small fort built in 1874 reflect how both groups tried to coexist in this river crossing.
The site sits in open, rocky terrain with few modern facilities, so bring plenty of water and sun protection for your visit. The scattered old buildings can be explored on foot, but shade is limited and the ground is uneven in places.
John D. Lee, who founded the ferry, was executed in 1877 for his role in the Mountain Meadows Massacre, one of the most controversial episodes in early Utah history. His wife Emma then took over ferry operations and ran them successfully until a modern bridge was built in 1928.
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