Dr. William Knight first entered California in 1844 as a member of the John Fremont expedition. When gold was discovered in 1848, hoards of travelers would be arriving in the region in search of riches and adventures. Knight established a ferry service to shuttle passengers and supplies across the Stanislaus River. Shortly thereafter, he was killed in a gunfight, but the success of the ferry service continued. A toll bridge was built in 1852, but was destroyed a decade later. A covered bridge was built in 1863, which still stands…
