If you needed a place to stay or a warm meal while traveling through Ferry Hill in the early nineteenth century, you were out of luck. But by the 1830s the C&O Canal was bustling with travel and commerce. At Lock 38, a small community on Ferry Hill land next to Blackford’s Ferry called Bridgeport sprang up for visitors. John Blackford, who acquired interest in the land, ran a hotel and tavern for those passing through by canal boat, ferry, or wagon. He built a home on Ferry Hill overlooking the Potomac River. The Ferry Hill and Bridgeport area has served several purposes throughout the years – today it is home to a C&O Canal National Historical Park Visitor Center.