Clays Ferry Bridge - Bridges and Tunnels

The circa 1871 Clays Ferry Bridge carries KY Route 2328 over the Kentucky River between Fayette and Madison counties in Kentucky.

In 1792, Valentine Stone received a license from the Madison County government to operate a ferry across the Kentucky River between Fayette and Madison counties. ¹Stone sold his ferry operation to General Green Clay in 1798.

Clay’s descendant, Brutus J. Clay, and R.C. Rogers sold the ferry to the Richmond & Lexington Turnpike Company in 1865, who maintained operations until it constructed a tolled bridge in 1871. ¹ It consisted of two pin-connected Warren through trusses and was built by the Louisville Bridge & Iron Company of Louisville, Kentucky.

The Turnpike, sans the river crossing, was purchased by the Fayette and Madison county governments in 1897. The company was allowed to operate the bridge until 1906 when W.S. Moberly, James Erskine, and Thomas J. Smith purchased it at public auction for $4,755.

Moberly, Erskine, and Smith organized the Clays Ferry Bridge Company and continued to operate tolled river crossing until the Commonwealth of Kentucky purchased the crossing for $200,000 on April 1, 1929. ¹ Tolls were removed on December 24, 1930.