Page 32 - September 2021 Issue.indd

Ridgely Rails Legacy Many towns on the Eastern Shore which are now rundown or
mere stopping points on the way to somewhere else fl ourished
By Rebekah Colburn during this age, when commerce depended on riverways and
railroads. Thus, as a tribute to its roots—memorialized by the

A town so small that it doesn’t have a single traffi c light might
train station museum in the center of town—I named my series
not seem like a worthy setting for a novel, but as an author
“The Ridgely Rails Legacy.”

with a vivid imagination and a love of history, I found Ridgely,

Maryland, perfect for my generational small-town-America This series chronicles the growth of the town as it follows three
series. generations of women. Th e fi rst is Ella Mae, a young woman
who grew up on a farm just outside of town in the late 1800s.
I didn’t grow up on the Eastern Shore, but my father did and we
The second book in the series picks up with her daughter
often came here to visit family. Some of my earliest memories

Sophie in 1915, when the United States is inching closer to
are of riding in the old station wagon across a great expanse of

The Great War. The third book concludes with Gloria, Ella

water on the narrow road which spanned it. I usually had my
Mae’s granddaughter, who experiences World War Two on
nose in a book, so my mother would make sure that I didn’t
the homefront. Each woman must face the unique obstacles
miss it. I would peer out the window at the waves far below
of her era while holding on to her faith, to family, and to the
as we traveled across the two-lane bridge to the other side
men they love.
of the Chesapeake Bay, where we would enter what seemed
like another world. The land was fl at and once the water had

faded from view, the roads were lined with fields and pastures

interspersed with towns that captured my young mind with Ridgely Vol. Fire Dept.
their Victorian architecture and fading glory. Events 101 Sunset Blvd. in Ridgely, MD
As an adult, I had the opportunity to move into such a town at 410.634.2424
and into just such a house as I had always dreamed. (Little did I www.rvfd400.com
imagine I would one day marry a local resident and historian!)
It inspired me to learn all I could about Ridgely and to use

it as the background for my next series. This was achieved
thanks to a gentleman who saw the value of his hometown
and captured as much of its history as he could through old
newspapers and interviews with senior citizens and compiled
them into booklets. Tommy Rampmeyer’s collection was an
invaluable resource to me as I researched the town’s history Chicken BBQ Sept. 12 at 11 AM
and development through the years.
$9 includes ½ chicken, baked beans, applesauce,
The town of Ridgely didn’t come into being until 1867 when roll and drink.

farmland owned by Thomas Bell and the Reverend Greenbury

W. Ridgely was purchased by the Maryland and Baltimore Land Spaghetti Dinners
Association. They mapped out their plans for a grand city which

would boast wide boulevards, beautiful parks, prosperous (first Thursday of the month): 4-7 PM
factories and stores, and which would sprawl as far as the September 2
Choptank River, with busy docks and a successful shipyard.
$9 - all you can eat salad, bread, drink, and dessert.
This “dream city” died, however, when the Land Association

went bankrupt within its first year. Ridgely consisted of only

four buildings, including a railroad station, hotel, and two Golf Tournament
private residences. One of these was owned by James K.
Saulsbury and was known as the “Ridgely House.” Today, it Saturday, Sept 25
serves as the Town Hall building. Teams & Sponsors, call Anthony
at 410-924-9844 for more info.
Ridgely would have remained no more than a crossroads on a
map if not for the railroad. Lots were sold at public auction, the
surrounding area was settled by farmers, and an economy based Looking ahead...
on crop production was established. Strawberries, peaches,
huckleberries, vegetables, eggs, and poultry were shipped out Oct. 10 - Chicken n Dumpling Dinner
to be sold in larger towns and cities throughout the Eastern Oct. 15 - Soup n Sandwich Sale

Seaboard. The Ridgely train station became a bustling center Oct. 22 - Quarter Auction - Call Tammy if you
of business.
would like to be a vendor @ 443-786-9266.
Nov 14 - Purse Bingo
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