There have been many different reasons that cities and towns have been established. In the case of Ridgely in Caroline County Maryland the town was planned. The town was planned to be a regional trading city as the railroad system was expanding after the Civil War.
As a spur off of the Delmarva Railroad that ran from Cape Charles, Virginia at the Mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, to Wilmington Delaware, the town was established in May 1867 as Caroline County’s first railroad.
It did take a few years to become fully established since the first investors went bankrupted shortly after the town’s founding. By 1892 the second, and the largest Train Station built in the town, was an active passenger and freight station. Along with produce from the area farms, the area had a booming canning boom during the early 20th century.
The Ridgely Train Station Memorial Park reflects this part of the town’s history. Along with the Train Station, which is opened on the first Saturday of the month from March to October for visitors, a caboose, a Ridgely Telephone Exchange and a walking trail along the remaining trail tracks.
The Telephone Exchange building, which is presently used as the town’s unmanned welcome Center
The view from the Telephone Exchange of Ridgely Train Station, Caboose and the Rail Trail.
The Caboose
Display of some of the baskets used to ship produce to the Northern cities.
The Station’s Command Center circa 1915
The Train Station and Caboose
Ridgely’s Clock