Before a bridge connected Marco Island to the mainland, residents and visitors depended on a ferry. From 1912 until 1938, every vehicle, visitor and shipment bound for Marco Island crossed this way.
The first vehicle swing bridge opened in 1938, providing the first road between Marco Island and the mainland through Goodland. That span was replaced in 1975 by what is now the Stan Gober Memorial Bridge.
The original two-lane span of the Judge S.S. Jolley Bridge opened in 1969 and was the second bridge connecting Marco Island to the mainland. In 2011, the second parallel span was built next to the original to provide two additional lanes. The bridge is named in honor of former Collier County Judge Seward Stokley Jolley, who served from 1935 until 1959.
All that remains
Today, all that physically remains of the ferry link to the island’s past are two iron gears, together weighing approximately 400 pounds.
“Saving and sharing Marco Island’s unique history is what the Marco Island Historical Society is all about,” said MIHS CEO Pat Rutledge. “The ferry gears were rescued from the river bottom and saved from oblivion. They are a tangible connection to Marco Island’s past and conserving them ensures that future generations can experience and appreciate this important piece of our history.”
The gears will ultimately become a permanent feature in the Marco Island Historical Museum’s Pioneer Era gallery. But to do that, the Marco Island Historical Society has to raise the funds.
The “Summer of Giving 2026” is a fundraising campaign to support the conservation and installation of the two massive historic gears that once raised and lowered the loading ramp on the original Marco Island ferry.
Donations of any amount to help preserve the historic ferry gears and install them as a permanent exhibit will be accepted.
For information about giving levels or to donate, visit themihs.org or call 239-389-6447.
The Marco Island Historical Museum is located at 180 S. Heathwood Drive. The Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free and the building is accessible to all visitors.
Sources: Marco Island Historical Society, the Marco Eagle, Naples Daily News, Wikipedia and the State Archives of Florida.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: ‘Gearing up’ to preserve a piece of Marco Island, SW Florida history
Reporting by Compiled by B.D. Green, Naples Daily News / Naples Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Compiled by B.D. Green, Naples Daily News | USA TODAY Network
