Eliza Ridgely III

Eliza Ridgely III (1858-1954), seemed to have inherited both her name and many aspects of her character from her redoubtable “Aunt Didy.” An intelligent and determined woman with strong religious and reforming impulses, Eliza embraced the causes of the Progressive Era and proceeded to turn her words into actions. In 1896, she and a group of like-minded female friends founded the United Women of Maryland (“UW”), an organization created “to enable women to help women in every class of society.” Among its many achievements, the UW promoted improved urban sanitation by sponsoring “neighborhood clean-up” competitions, provided “traveling libraries” in many communities for women’s amusement and instruction, established employment and legal aid bureaus for working women, and opened a lunch counter and reading room for female factory workers in South Baltimore. Eliza and a few of her UW cohorts also founded the Children’s Playground Association to build and operate playgrounds in poor urban neighborhoods.

When her younger sister, Margie, decided to become an Episcopal missionary in Africa after their mother’s death in 1904, Eliza and a close friend accompanied Margie to Liberia to see her safely settled, then proceeded on a four-year world tour that took them to Palestine, India, Japan and Europe before their return to the U.S. From her house at 825 Park Avenue in Baltimore, Eliza dedicated much of the rest of her life to social reform causes that especially benefited women.

Individuals

Margaretta Sophia Howard Ridgely

Following the death of her husband, Margaretta ran the Hampton estate for decades
Charles Ridgely

Charles Ridgely was the fourth owner of the Hampton Estate.
Margaretta Sophia “Margie” Ridgely

Margie went against her family's norms and would go on to make a difference in many people lives.
John Ridgely

Fifth owner of the Hampton Estate.
Who cooked Hampton's elaborate meals
Hampton's cooks

Who were the people behind the elaborate meals for the Ridgelys and their guests?
Hampton's best known enslaved person
Nancy Davis

The story of Hampton's most documented enslaved person.

Learn More

The Ridgely Family

The Ridgely Family owned and managed the Hampton Estate for almost 200 years. Explore their impact on history!
The Ridgelys of Hampton

Learn about the history of the Ridgely family at Hampton.
Free Black Laborers

Free Black Laborers worked at Hampton for various reasons. A good amount did to eventually purchase their family members.
Revealing the Lives of the Enslaved

A recent Ethnographic Study uncovered major information on the lives of those enslaved at Hampton and their descendants. Read about it here.
Slavery at Hampton

From the colonial period through 1864, the Ridgelys enslaved over 500 people. Enslaved persons, from young children to the elderly
History & Culture
History & Culture

Hampton National Historic Site today preserves the core of what was once a vast commercial, industrial, and agricultural plantation.