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Sutersville Trailhead in Sutersville
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Jaw from NORTH HUNTINGDON on 3/29/2022 8:30:28 PM:
Would anyone know the exact location that the Renner Sky Ferry came across the Yough. Both on the Sutersville side and the Smithdale side.
 
Rivnuts from Homestead, PA on 4/1/2022 2:33:20 PM:
I do not know the answer to your question. I'm sure you have Googled the Renner Ferry Company and seen the one photograph that pops up although it does not reveal the location where the ferry crossed the river.

There are some other photos of that ferry on the Historic Pittsburgh website that might provide some clues as to its location. These photos were taken from the Frank B. Fairbanks Jr. rail transportation collection.

https://historicpittsburgh.org/islandora/search/catch_all_fields_mt%3A%28Renner%20Ferry%29

Inasmuch as Smithdale is located in Elizabeth Township you might be able to find your answer at the following:

The Elizabeth Township Historical Society
5811 Smithfield Street
Boston, PA 15135

412-754-2030
https://www.familytreetracer.com/ETHSpage.htm

Next time I ride the GAP to West Newton through Smithdale and Sutersville I'll keep my eyes open for any local residents of those communities and ask your question.
 
Rivnuts from Homestead,PA on 4/2/2022 6:25:17 PM:
I rode out to Smithdale and Sutersville today. No one on either side of the river had heard of the Renner Ferry. I found no signs or markings on either side locating the ferry. The only thing I saw that could be related to that ferry were two old concrete foundation piers on the east side of the trail about 1/4 mile south of 1st Street (aka Mars Hill Rd). They are about 10 feet apart with a bench now resting between. These piers could have been to support the cable car receiving platform shown in the old photos. Whether these were, in fact, for that cable ferry Is uncertain.

Also, from the old photos, there are some buildings visible in the background on the Sutersville side. I need to go back there and look for these buildings or remnants thereof and look for any similar piers on the banks of the river.
 
Rivnuts from Homestead,PA on 4/16/2022 5:41:11 PM:
I rode back to Sutersville yesterday to see if I could identify/locate the houses on the Sutersville side of the river shown in the historical photos of the cable ferry. There is a red building that has been reroofed with new siding that looks like the one in old photo. Some of the background looks the same as well. All that said, I believe the ferry came up at the base of the road down to the river between that red house and the present playground there in Sutersville.

I’d still like to find an old-timer (like me) to confirm or correct this observation.
 
Rivnuts from Homestead,PA on 4/17/2022 3:55:14 PM:
My previous observations must be in error insofar as I saw today a sign for the Renner Cable Ferry at the west end of Smithdale where Smithdale Road previously crossed the trail before being closed.
 
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