Halden’s Ferry is a river town of about 2,300 people on the Ohio side of the Ohio River. For a hundred years a ferry carried people and cars across. In 1958 the state built a bridge, and the ferry landing at the bottom of Water Street was closed for good.
Some nights the ferry bell still rings.
Anyone who goes down to the landing when the bell rings is “taken across.” They come home in the morning. Their families say they are fine. Their neighbors say they are almost the same. Nobody in town can quite say what is different, only that something is.
Everybody in Halden’s Ferry knows Miss Odile at the bait shop, who knows more than she says, Sheriff Ames, who always says it’s nothing, the Kittle family at the Rivertown Diner, and Pastor Dorsey. You will meet all of them in these stories.
The Town Rules Nobody Wrote Down
- When the bell rings, close your curtains.
- If someone calls your name from the river side, don’t answer.
- When the bridge lights go out, don’t take the old ferry road.
Every Story From Halden’s Ferry
These are the Halden’s Ferry files, oldest first. Each one stands on its own.
The first file is being written. Check back soon, or read a random story while you wait. Random story →
Does Your Town Have Rules Like These?
Every small town has a rule nobody explains. Tell us yours in the comments. More small town secrets are here.