Why McGinnis Ferry Road Still Carries a 200-Year-Old Name
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Drive through Johns Creek, Alpharetta, or Roswell and a small pattern begins to emerge in the road names. McGinnis Ferry Road still carries the word ferry directly. Nearby routes such as Abbotts Bridge Road and Jones Bridge Road trace back to former river crossings as well.
For many residents, the word “ferry” in a road name feels out of place. No ferries operate here today, and the Chattahoochee River is crossed by modern bridges. Yet the name remains because it traces back to a time when the river was far more difficult to cross.
When the River Was the Region’s Main Barrier
Before bridges spanned the Chattahoochee, the river functioned as a natural boundary between communities. Crossing it could take hours, and in some seasons it was nearly impossible. The solution was the ferry.
Beginning in the early 1800s, small river ferries operated at strategic points along the Chattahoochee. These were not large boats like those seen in coastal cities. Most were simple flatboats or cable ferries that carried wagons, livestock, and travelers from one bank to the other.
Local landowners often ran these crossings under permission from the state. In return, they could charge a small toll. Over time, these crossing points became the anchors of early roads.
McGinnis Ferry: A Crossing That Became a Corridor
One of the best-known examples today is McGinnis Ferry Road, which runs through the heart of Johns Creek and connects to Forsyth County.
The name traces back to James McGinnis, a settler who operated a ferry across the Chattahoochee River in the early 1800s. His crossing connected farms and small settlements on both sides of the river.
Wagons traveling between what are now Forsyth County and North Fulton would head toward the McGinnis crossing, eventually forming the route that later evolved into the modern road. Even after bridges replaced ferries, the established road name remained.
Other “Ferry” Names Across North Fulton
McGinnis Ferry is not the only example. Several roads in the North Fulton area reflect the same transportation history.
Common examples include:
| Road | Historic Crossing | Modern Area | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| McGinnis Ferry Road | McGinnis Ferry | Johns Creek / South Forsyth | Operated by settler James McGinnis in the early 1800s |
| Jones Bridge Road | Jones Ferry | Johns Creek / Peachtree Corners | Ferry run by the Jones family before the first bridge |
| Abbotts Bridge Road | Abbotts Ferry | Johns Creek / Duluth | One of the earliest legal ferries on the Chattahoochee |
| Shallowford Road | Shallow Ford crossing | Roswell / Johns Creek area | A ford crossing used before ferries became common |
These names reflect how people once navigated the region: by heading toward the nearest river crossing.
From Ferry Crossings to Suburban Arteries
By the late 1800s and early 1900s, permanent bridges gradually replaced most ferries along the Chattahoochee River. As transportation improved and automobiles arrived, the original dirt roads leading to the ferries were widened and paved.
Those paths eventually became the major corridors residents use today.
McGinnis Ferry Road, for example, is now one of the busiest east-west routes connecting Johns Creek, Alpharetta, and South Forsyth. Yet its name still quietly refers to a small riverboat crossing from more than two centuries ago.
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