Ridgely Business Directory

Ridgely is a small Caroline County town of about 1,600 residents, established in 1867 by a land association built around the arrival of the Maryland and Delaware Railroad. The town's defining era came in the early 1900s, when its sandy soil and rail access made it one of the nation's leading strawberry shippers, earning Ridgely the nickname "Strawberry Capital of the World" and drawing thousands of seasonal workers each spring at the industry's peak. That agricultural identity is still celebrated each May at the town's Strawberry Festival, one of the largest community events in Caroline County. Ridgely's economy today centers on a mix of small businesses along its unusually wide main street, along with continued agricultural activity in the surrounding countryside. The North County Enterprise Zone, which includes Ridgely alongside Greensboro and Goldsboro, offers tax incentives for commercial and industrial property. With affordable housing and proximity to both Adkins Arboretum and Tuckahoe State Park, Ridgely combines small-town retail with a strong agricultural heritage that continues to shape its identity.