Adventure 051, Site 140 – Knights Ferry

Capture California, the Game-2012

Adventure: 051, Site 140 – Knights Ferry

California Landmark Number: 347

Team: Thing One, Thing Two

Date:  September 27, 2012

Location:

Latitude: 37° 48.519′ N

Longitude: 120° 39.947′ W

Address: On Sonora Rd, 1.4 mi W of State Hwy 120 (P.M. 16.4), Knights Ferry

Description:

One question which came up on our travel is, did the same Knight which operated the Knights Foundry give Knights Ferry its name? No. The Knight of Knights Ferry was a member of the Fremont expedition of 1844. His name was William Knight.

There is several things noteworthy about Knight's Ferry. First, that William Knight was murdered-there are varying stories of how. But eventually the Dent family took over the area. In 1854 the George Dent was visited by his brother-in-law. His brother-in-law was an engineer of sorts and designed him the covered bridge which now spans the Stanislaus River. By the way, the brother-in-law? His name was U.S. Grant, like in General Grant.

By the way, there are two markers for this California Historical Landmark—they are across the highway from each other and are identical.

NO. 347 KNIGHTS FERRY - Once called Dentville, this picturesque mining center and trading post was founded in 1849. An early ferry carried Argonauts on their way to the southern mines. The rare wooden covered bridge, reportedly designed by U. S. Grant, brother-in-law of the Dent brothers, and the old flour mill were built there in 1854. The town served as the county seat from 1862 to 1872.
Location: On Sonora Rd, 1.4 mi W of State Hwy 120 (P.M. 16.4), Knights Ferry



Inscription from Noehill:
Picturesque mining center and trading post, 1849, once called Dentville. Early ferry to the southern mines; county seat 1862-72; rare wooden covered bridge reputedly designed by U. S. Grant, brother-in-law of the Dent brothers, 1854; old flour mill, 1854.



References:

• Wikipedia
  
• Noehill
  
• Historical Marker Database (HMDB.org)
  
• Waymarking
  

Overall Landmark References:

• David Schmitt's California State Historical Landmark (Schmitt)
  
• Wikipedia: California's National Landmarks (WCNL)
  
• State of California's California Historical Landmarks (CHL)
  
• Wikipedia: California State Landmarks (WCSL)
  
• State of California Historical Resources (CHR)
  
• Noehill (NOE)
  
• Historical Marker Database (HMDB)
  
• WayMarking (WAY)