This summer has been a reminder that Lake Travis is never the same lake twice.
After two exceptionally wet years—and the recent flooding that brought both challenges and relief—the lake is once again full. The hills are green, the coves are alive with boats, and for many newer Point Venture residents, this is the first time they’ve experienced Lake Travis in conditions that longtime locals know are truly special.
A full lake changes more than the view.
It changes how people use it, how they move across it, and even how they think about it.
More than fifty years ago, another season of abundant water inspired a bold question:
What if the fastest way to Point Venture wasn’t around Lake Travis—but across it?
The answer became one of the most ambitious—and least remembered—transportation projects in Central Texas history.
A ferry.
Not a passenger boat.
A real car ferry.
When Point Venture was being developed as Venture Yacht & Country Club in the early 1970s, reaching the community wasn’t nearly as convenient as it is today. FM 1431 was narrower, slower, and in places notoriously winding. The drive from Austin or Lakeway could feel much longer than the actual mileage suggested.
So the developers decided to think differently.
They located an out-of-service ferry in Llano County, purchased it, dismantled it into sections, trucked the pieces to Dink Pearson Park, and reassembled it on Lake Travis. Once rebuilt—with hydraulic loading ramps and additional flotation—it became the only lake ferry in the state of Texas.
When the ferry entered service in April 1971, it connected Point Venture with Hurst Creek on the south shore. The crossing took about 25 minutes and could carry eight automobiles and their passengers. A one-way trip cost just $1, and during its first year, Point Venture property owners rode free.
For prospective buyers, it was brilliant marketing.
For property owners, it was genuine convenience.
For everyone else, it was an adventure.
Of course, Lake Travis had a personality then just as it does today.
Weather delayed crossings. Water levels shifted. Miss the ferry, and you might wait an hour for its return.
Construction equipment occasionally crossed alongside family station wagons, and in one memorable incident, an untied ferry drifted away from shore while a dump truck was unloading—sending the truck into the lake. The captain was fired... and then promptly rehired when the developers realized licensed ferry captains were surprisingly difficult to replace.
Despite its popularity, economics eventually won. Operating costs, weather, fluctuating lake conditions, and the realities of maintaining a ferry service led to its retirement in 1973 after just two seasons.
Today, there is little physical evidence that the ferry ever existed.
But imagine how differently Lake Travis—and Point Venture—might have evolved had it survived.
It’s one of those stories that reminds us Point Venture has always been a community willing to think a little differently.
And perhaps that’s been part of its charm all along.
Next on Life on The Point
Before Point Venture became a village, it was marketed as one of the most ambitious resort communities in Texas. Next month, we’ll look at the original Venture Yacht & Country Club—the bold vision, the beautiful renderings, and why the promise of “Where Every Day is a Holiday” still defines Point Venture today.
Historical source: The Story of Point Venture — Point Venture Property Owners Association.
