Many of Oregon’s early transportation routes grew from the efforts of pioneers such as the Boone family of Clackamas County. In 1846 Alphonso Boone, grandson of Daniel Boone, emigrated to Oregon by way of the Applegate Trail with his large family. By 1847 they had established Boone’s Ferry near this site, using local Tuality Indians as oarsmen. A thriving community called Boone’s Landing, the genesis of Wilsonville, quickly arose on the river’s north shore. That same year, Alphonso’s eldest son Jesse began clearing Boone’s Ferry Road, linking Portland and Salem. Nearly 100 years later Interstate 5 was built parallel to that original roadway. For 107 years ferries crossed the Willamette River here, carrying thousands of horses, cows, buggies, automobiles, and pedestrians. Jesse Boone operated the ferry until his death in 1872. The State of Oregon took control of the ferry during the early 1900’s, and by the 1950’s a cable-drawn vessel carried up to 12 cars per crossing. Boone’s Ferry was decommissioned in 1954, shortly after the completion of the Boone Bridge.