Dixon's Ferry, Ferry crossing point on Rock River in Illinois, United States.
Dixon's Ferry was a crossing point over the Rock River in Lee County, Illinois, that moved people and mail between opposite banks. The ferry site is located where present-day Illinois Route 26 runs along the river.
John Dixon established this ferry service in the early 1800s to carry people and mail between Peoria and Galena across the Rock River. It became an important link for travel and trade in the region.
The fort built near the ferry site was a military post where Abraham Lincoln reported for duty during the Black Hawk War. This role made the location significant in the region's military history.
The location can be reached by modern bridges that replaced the original rope-and-pulley ferry system. Access to the historic site is straightforward since it is situated in a settled area.
The settlement that grew up around the ferry eventually became the city of Dixon, which was the childhood home of future President Ronald Reagan. Reagan spent his formative years in this place.
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