The nation's last known hand-poled ferry has gotten a reprieve to keep it afloat for three more months.

The 140-year-old Hatton Ferry on the James River was faced with extinction after the Virginia Department of Transportation cut its funding last month.

The Albemarle County Board of Supervisors came to the rescue Wednesday, unanimously approving $9,340 to cover the ferry's costs through September.

David Slutzky, the board's chairman, says the money is a one-time thing. And he said it's a risk.

The board approved it expecting private and nonprofit historical preservation groups to take over and defray the county's expense.

If that doesn't happen, Slutzky said, "then after three months, it'll probably go away."