National Register of Historic Places

Knights Ferry

Knights Ferry and, Stanislaus County, California
Listed
April 22, 1975
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
75000490

About this property

Knights Ferry is an unincorporated historic community and census-designated place (CDP) in Stanislaus County, California, United States. Nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, it is about 30 miles (48 km) east of Modesto on the Stanislaus River. The Williams Ranch near the town was one of many filming locations for the television series Bonanza and Little House on the Prairie. As of the 2020 census, Knights Ferry had a population of 112. Knights Ferry is home to the Knights Ferry Bridge, the longest covered bridge west of the Mississippi River at 330 feet (100 m) in length. It is also home to a K-8 elementary school and a museum about the history of the town and also about local wildlife. The town's ruins include a mill and a jail.

Location

Knights Ferry and, Stanislaus County, California
37.82031, -120.66510

Categories

OTHERCOMMERCEPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Knights Ferry

This page lists Knights Ferry. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Knight's Ferry Bridge
Industrial
0.1 mi
First National Bank of Oakdale Building
Industrial
10.6 mi
Honigsberger Store
Industrial
10.9 mi
Reed's Store
Industrial
10.9 mi
Copperopolis Armory
Industrial
10.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Knights Ferry listed on the National Register?

Knights Ferry was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 22, 1975.

What type of historic resource is Knights Ferry?

Knights Ferry is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Knights Ferry?

The period of significance for Knights Ferry is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Knights Ferry?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Knights Ferry will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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