The Peru Ferry once served passengers and oil field traffic as a short cut between Gilliam (Caddo Parish, Louisiana) and the Old Plain Dealing Road. It existed from the early 20th century until the 1940s, and served as a vital link between oil fields in this short-lived boom-era. And, it was advertised in the 1930 Plain Dealing Progress as the modern way to travel!
In 1916, at least six people drowned crossing the river on the ferry when it got swamped due to stiff currents and an overload of passengers.
Like most ferry crossings, once the Peru Ferry closed, so did a traffic thoroughfare. The ferry was not replaced by a bridge. In fact, at least six ferries once crossed the Red River between Caddo and Bossier Parish north of Shreveport; today, there are only two bridges that do the same thing. The ferry roads, which were privately owned dirt paths, were also closed off once the ferries stopped operating.
It's now more difficult to cross the Red River in northern Louisiana than it was one hundred years ago. WOW.
