Vischer Ferry, New York
| Vischer Ferry | |
| hamlet | |
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | New York |
| Region | Capital District |
| County | Saratoga |
| Municipality | Town of Clifton Park |
| River | Mohawk River |
| Elevation | 213 ft (65 m) |
| Coordinates | 42°47′50″N 73°49′42″W / 42.79722°N 73.82833°WCoordinates: 42°47′50″N 73°49′42″W / 42.79722°N 73.82833°W |
| Settled | 1670 |
| Timezone | EST (UTC-5) |
| - summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP Code | 12148 (Rexford) |
| Area code | 518 |
  Location of Vischer Ferry within the state of New York
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Vischer Ferry is a hamlet in the town of Clifton Park in Saratoga County, New York, United States, along the Mohawk River.
Vischer Ferry is named for the family of Nicholas Vischer, who built a house beside the river in 1735. At that time the Mohawk Valley was claimed by the Iroquois League and by the British Province of New York. The American Revolutionary War destroyed Iroquois settlements in the valley and established the State of New York.
The site became known as Vischer's Ferry after Nicholas Vischer's son, Eldert Vischer, opened a rope ferry at the site in 1790. The ferry connected Ferry Road on the north shore to Ferry Road on the opposite bank at Niska Isle. By 1800, a tavern and store were located there. Construction of the Erie Canal by 1825 linked the Mohawk River to Lake Erie.
As the canal declined in importance, Vischer Ferry became relatively isolated. A bridge built across the river at Vischer Ferry in 1900 was destroyed by ice in 1902. Later attempts to secure state funding for a bridge were unsuccessful. Because of its isolation, the village preserved much of its nineteenth-century Greek Revival character. In October 1975 the Vischer Ferry Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Abraham Best House was added in 2011.
A nearby concrete dam was completed in 1913 for hydroelectric use and to aid river navigation. Owned by New York Power Authority the Vischer Ferry Dam, also known as Dam 3, is 30 feet (9.1 m) high and 1,919 feet (585 m) long.
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