When gold was discovered in California in 1849, Dr. William Knight rediscovered a place which he and John C. Fremont had previously found to be a favorable river crossing, and established a ferry boat there. Soon, the ferry boat prospered and Knight and Captain Vantine built a hotel and trading post near the crossing. On November 9, 1849, Knight was killed in a gunfight and was buried in an unmarked grave. Knight's family believed he was stabbed to death in his bed and was buried near the gate in the yard of John Dent's house, which was Dr. Knight's place at the time. The Dents immediately took possession of Bill Knight's property at Knight's Ferry following the murder.
Knights Ferry was also the county seat in 1862, as it replaced La Grange. It was soon succeeded by the new, prosperous railroad boomtown of Modesto in 1871. After Knight's death, Vantine operated the ferry alone until he formed another collaboration with John and Lewis Dent, brothers to President Ulysses S. Grant’s wife, Julia Grant. In 1852, Vantine sold his properties in the area to the Dents and moved elsewhere. A new townsite under the name of "Dentville" was laid out by John Dent. The inhabitants continued to call the town "Knights Ferry" and "Knights Crossing". In 1852, a toll bridge replaced the ferry. It was destroyed by the Great Flood of 1862. The new covered bridge was built at a higher level than the previous one, and it still stands today. The bridge was used for car traffic until it was closed to prevent damage in 1985. In addition to being the longest covered bridge west of the Mississippi River, the bridge is one of the nation's finest examples of a Howe truss covered bridge. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2012.
Tourism
The following is a list of historic contributions that make up the Knights Ferry Historic District.
Lewis Dent House Built in 1851, it was owned by Lewis Dent, the brother-in-law of President Ulysses S. Grant, who visited Knights Ferry in 1852, when he was an army captain in Benicia and Eureka. It is the oldest home in the community.
Knights Ferry Community Church Built in 1890 to replace the previous structure constructed in 1860, the church conserved the original pews, altar and upper windows. The church still gives services by Pastor Bob Sadler.
General Store California's oldest operating general store was built in 1852 by Moulton and Drew as the second structure in the town. It was bought by George Valpey, who became a Wells Fargo agent in 1867.
Millers Hall Constructed in 1863 the building operated as a restaurant, pool and poker parlor on the ground floor, and a dance hall upstairs. It was restored in 1984 by the Knights Ferry History and Museum Associates and now is home to the post office, community library, Ice Cream Parlor and local made goods shop.
Recreation
Located next to Knights Ferry is the Knights Ferry Recreation Area, managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This recreation area includes a "put in" location for Class I-II rafting trips on the Stanislaus River. Rafting most often occurs April through October. Water in the lower Stanislaus is discharged from the base of New Melones Dam, resulting in clear and cold water even in the warmest months of summer. The Army Corps of Engineers maintains recreational facilities along the Stanislaus River. Park Rangers caution rafters to exercise caution and use life vests, as the rapids below Knights Ferry can be challenging when the river is high. The ZIP Code is 95361. The town is inside area code 209. Knights Ferry is part of the Modesto Metropolitan Statistical Area.
