Ridgely, MD 1888 - 1917

Ridgely, MD 1888 - 1917. A Period of Broad Growth. , In 1896, Ridgely emerged from a village into the dignity of a town. It was incorporated as such with the following first town commissioners: Mr. Sylvester Smith; Mr. T.W. Jones, Dr. F.P. Herr; Mr. T.L. Day; and Mr. J.T. Saulsbury., The entire plant at Ridgely of T.L. Day, Sing and Co. covers five acres on the southern edge of town, adjacent to the Delaware and Chesapeake Railway., In 1910, the Armour Company out of Chicago selected Ridgely for their location because of the large acreage of strawberries and the access to the railroad for shipping. They built two huge warehouses and, to help house hired help, ten buildings with five rooms each. Seasonally, the Armour Company needed over 1,000 workers. Ridgely's total population in 1910 was 943., Starting in 1888 with the first factory, entrepreneurship combined with the railroad, resulted in the erection of 13 factories, 6 warehouses, 14 office buildings, and 35 other businesses, including stores, shops and recreational venues by 1912., Members of the First Growers Association and Exchange agree to sell only high quality berries that command premium cash prices. "Ridgely berries" become famous and Ridgely becomes the "Strawberry Capital of the Nation"., Ridgely's greatest growth dates from the year 1888 , Canning factory of Day and Co. 1888 . Alliance Preserving Co. 1890 . Basket factory 1892 . New railroad station erected 1892 . Canning factory of Saulsbury Bros. 1894 . Ridgely incorporated 1896 . Saulsbury Bros. Shirt Factory 1896 . Smith Engineering and Manufacturing Co. 1897 . Herr and Swann Canning Factory 1899 . C.W. Smith and Son, lumber yard 1899 . T.L. Day, Swing and Co. 1900 . Ridgely Flouring Mills 1900 . Krantz Hotel 1902 . First newspaper, "The Caroline Sun" 1902 . Bank of Ridgely 1902 . The Ridgely Crystal Ice Co. 1904 . Ridgely Water Works 1904 . Volunteer Fire Company organized 1905 . Ridgely Fruit Growers Association organized 1906 . Concrete pavements (10 miles of) 1908 . Electric light plant installed 1909 . Agricultural High School 1910 . Armour and Co. established in Ridgely 1910 . Armour and Co. Preserving Plant 1911 . Baord of Trade organized 1911 . Ridgely Creamery Co. 1911 . Sewerage system w/ modern disposal plant 1912 . Marvel Beverage Co. 1913,

Slogan from the new 1911 Board of Trade , "Everybody for Ridgely , Ridgely for Everybody".