In 1844 Chester Mattson was granted a charter to build a
state road connecting Madison and Baraboo.
To cross the Wisconsin River he built a ferry at Merrimac. The road became known as "Matts Ferry
Road". The ferry was not free then,
but charged five cents for each passenger, 25 cents for each horse and 40 cents
for a team of oxen. In 1877 W. P.
Flanders purchased the ferry business for $700.
In 1872 the railroad came to town and nearly ruined the ferry
business. In 1877 it was abandoned. The ferry landing site was near the present
day Merrimac Village Park.
In 1883 John Brownrigg operated a ferry near the present
site. It was hand powered using pike
poles. In 1912 Arthur Brownrigg took
over the operation of the ferry from his father . He installed a hand operated
windlass with an overhead cable to propell the ferry.In 1915 Timothy Wells
bought the business and attached