Dorsey's Run

Dorsey's Run used to be Called Ridgely's Run

The Ridgely's Run Community Center has been a wonderful addition and tremendous asset to the Guilford and Jessup communities since it opened in 2007. But where did the name “Ridgely Run” come from? As the Center's Website states, it was “based on the stream that bisects the area…named Ridgely's Run.” But where is Ridgely's Run on the map today? I will get to that soon. Two nearby land patents, Ridgely’s Forrest and Warfield’s Contrivance influenced this area.

Originally called “Ridgeley’s Forrest” its 268 acres was assigned to Henry Ridgely on June 3, 1686 by apportioning warrants granted to John Howard, Richard Beardsley, and Richard Snowden. Henry Ridgely’s grandson, also named Henry Ridgely, secured a patent in 1734 for Harry’s Lott, adding to Ridgely’s Forrest surplus and vacant lands, and Ridgely’s Addition, to total 702 acres. As you can see on the map provided, a creek, originally called Stony Run and then Pickett’s Branch, divides Ridgely’s Forrest from Warfield’s Contrivance.

It was really Warfield’s Contrivance that the Ridgely Run Community Center is on but it is named appropriately being situated alongside a major tributary of Ridgely Run (also called Dorsey’s Branch and now Dorsey’s Run). Back when these lands were being surveyed it may not have been possible to know which was the main part of Ridgelys Run and which was a large tributary. I hope you enjoy reviewing these maps and images and marvel at the size of the quarry nestled between branches of Ridgely’s Run/Dorsey’s Run.

Recognizing the original names of these streams helps to locate areas identified in the original and resurveyed patents for our area. There is another Stony Run in the Patapsco River watershed within Howard County which may be why it was given a unique name by the 1960s - Pickett's Branch. It is the stream the bisects the Little Patuxent Water Reclamation Plant and serves as the conduit of the wastewater flow to the Little Patuxent River. To date, it does not yet appear that Howard County officially has named that stream, or at least it is not in their GIS database.