Ridgely and the Railroad

Caroline Chesapeake Country Roads Points of Interest

Welcome to Ridgely
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 Building
The Telephone Exchange building, which is presently used as the town’s unmanned welcome Center

View of the Train Park from the telephone building
The view from the Telephone Exchange of Ridgely Train Station, Caboose and the Rail Trail.

Caboose
The Caboose

Baskets used to transport produce
Display of some of the baskets used to ship produce to the Northern cities.

The Train Station Command Station
The Station’s Command Center circa 1915

Train Station and Caboose
The Train Station and Caboose

Ridgely Town Clock
Ridgely’s Clock

Editor’s Note:
The Ridgely Train Station is open on the 1st Saturday during the Summer Month.
This Photo-Essay by Photographer SG (Steve) Atkinson was first published in May 2021.