Burton's Ferry

Burton's Ferry is a Georgia historical marker in Screven County, dedicated 1953.

On Burtons Ferry Road (U.S. 301), on the left when traveling south in Sylvania.

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In 1765, Robert Dunn established a ferry here. It became the gateway for settlers from the Carolinas and Virginia claiming grants in the newly opened lands of interior Georgia. In 1772 Dunn sold to the enterprising Thomas Burton who made a large investment in boats and roads through the swamp. January 20th, 1773 he applied for and received a franchise for the operation of the ferry. The ferry proved a profitable enterprise for years for Burton.

Maps this old were drawn largely by eye, so places on them can sit miles from where they really are. The pin is ours and marks the marker's location today.

TodayHistorical map

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

Historical maps covering this location

1755 · (Canada, Louisiane et Terres Angloises. Southeast section) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1764 · Carte de la Nouvelle Georgie (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1776 · A General Map of the Southern British Colonies, in America. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1778 · Parte Orientale della Florida, della Giorgia, e Carolina Meridionale. Fogl. XI (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1795 · State of South Carolina. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)

Carte de la Nouvelle Georgie, 1764, covering the location of Burton's Ferry, with a pin at the marker's coordinates — Carte de la Nouvelle Georgie, 1764, covering this location. David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries. The pin is ours, placed from the marker's coordinates.

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For example, one family's tree showed the Articles of Confederation marker in Pennsylvania standing under a mile from where William Gabby lived in the 1760s.

What that marker records spans 1777 to 1789, overlapping William Gabby's years there.

From one family's 77-marker roster

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This historical marker is part of the Georgia Historical Marker Program and was erected by the Georgia Historical Commission. Marker texts and locations come from the Society's own marker database.

Burton's Ferry

Historical maps covering this location

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