Ridgely

History

The town was established on May 13, 1867, by the Maryland and Baltimore Land Association. A railroad boom in the 1860s on the Delmarva Peninsula was fueling land speculation. Civil engineer J.J. Sickler from Philadelphia was commissioned to design the town's layout. The Land Association began construction and built four buildings, including a railroad station, hotel, and two private residences during the first year. James K. Saulsbury constructed a combined store and residence, now known as the Ridgely House. During the Land's Association's first year, it went bankrupt; Ridgely was left unfinished and sparsely populated. Most properties were sold at public auction, and Ridgely began to grow gradually as a result of its location on the Maryland and Delaware Rail Road Company line. Ridgely's economy flourished as a result of its local crop production, including strawberries, huckleberries, vegetables, eggs, and poultry. Most crops were processed in Ridgely or sent to various locations on the railroad. As the nation began to rely on highways instead of railroads for transportation and industry began to concentrate in larger urban areas, Ridgely's economy declined. Ridgely became known as the "Strawberry Capital of the World" as a result of its prosperous agricultural business. A Ridgely Historical Society was created in 2005 for the same purpose.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all land.

Race & ethnicity