The G.M. Good Ferry: a low-cost
alternative for river crossings

The G.M. Good Ferry: a low-cost alternative for river crossings
By Tim Spitzack | Editor | April 2024

Anyone who must cross the Wakota Bridge at rush hour knows they need to build in some extra time for the journey. Despite its 10 lanes, traffic can back up for miles, particularly for those traveling eastbound on a Friday afternoon.

Crossing the Mississippi has always been a challenge. In the late 1880s and early 1890s travelers in South St. Paul were forced to use a ferry, which was slow and cost money, or travel to downtown St. Paul and cross there.

The first bridge to span the river in the area opened on April 9, 1895. Commonly known as the Rock Island Swing Bridge, the project was financed by the cities of South St. Paul, Newport and Cottage Grove and located in what is now Inver Grove Heights. The glitter of the new bridge was quickly tarnished, however, when the public learned it required a toll, which apparently hadn’t been publicized during construction. It was 20 cents for one vehicle with up to two passengers (additional passengers were 3 cents each), 10 cents for motorcycles, and 3 cents for pedestrians. Twenty cents in 1895 is about $7 in today’s money. As you can imagine, the toll caused quite a public outrage, and up until the late 1930s some chose to use a ferry rather than pay the bridge toll.

The G.M. Good Ferry provided a low-cost alternative. It was owned by George M. Good, who lived in a houseboat on the river in South St. Paul and wintered at a marina in St. Paul. The ferry was rather crude: 10-feet wide by 20-feet long, with a tent-like canvas enclosure and long wooden benches inside and out. It was powered by two Model-T Ford engines, and was the cheapest way to cross the river. The fare was 10 cents per ride, or 12 rides for $1. According to a written account of one passenger, riders received a piece of cardboard with Good’s boat’s name on it as their ticket, and Good himself operated the ferry and punched tickets for each ride.

“To reach the river and ride across on the boat meant a walk along the Sixth Street sewer line, which started near the old St. Paul Tannery on Concord, or you could drive and park near the railroad tracks,” recalled Ray Madland in the history book created for South St. Paul’s Centennial celebration in 1987. “When you arrived at the dock and George happened to be on the other side of the river, you could only hope that he would see you in time so you wouldn’t be late for work. When someone worked late and wanted to cross the river, George would leave a rowboat at the dock and the fellow could row himself across for 10 cents.” Madland worked for Cudahy Packing Company in Newport and said workers there earned 30-40 cents an hour in the late 1930s.

The bridge closed in 1999 after it was found to be unsafe and was later partially demolished. The toll at the end was 75 cents. Today, a portion of the bridge has been transformed into the Rock Island Swing Bridge Recreational Pier, suitable for fishing and walks with scenic views of the river. The land around it is now a park. The City of Inver Grove Heights received state funding last year to add lighting to the structure or make other improvements to the pier and the surrounding trailhead area