Unlike the South Ferry, with a relatively straightforward story of one family’s journey, the North Ferry is a bit more complex. This in no way makes it less important to understand—in fact, the history of the North Ferry encompasses many key moments in the history of all of Shelter Island. For instance, the first recorded public ferry on the island went from Shelter Island to Southold—a trip very similar to the present day North Ferry! Currently, the ferry takes islanders and summer tourists into the town of Greenport, an essential place where many go to shop, see doctors, or have a night out at the movies. Ever since the beginning, the story of this ferry has been closely tied into Greenport; all the way back in the 1800s, the ferry line was made official after Greenport developed into a focal point of trade. Soon, the line was bought by a wealthy resident of Greenport, and the ferry boat that had once been propelled solely by oars became a steamer capable of making 13 daily trips. But just like any developing company, the North Ferry faced its fair share of road blocks: first with a larger business releasing luxury steamers that sparked criticism of the North Ferry, and again when the bay between Greenport and Shelter Island froze to the point where locals could simply walk to the other side. However, both of these moments forced islanders to consider the emotional and sentimental importance of the North Ferry—while there could be benefits to simply building a bridge that connects to the island, locals realized that would abolish all the “quaintness and seclusion” that is critical to Shelter Island living. Since its initial struggles, the North Ferry has bounded back and made many advancements with bigger, more secure and trustworthy boats—but nearly every islander understands that the ferry is more than just a machine.