Chief Larry and I visited with Judy Courtney and her daughter Blaire Obney at their Ridge Marine Sales store. In Part One here, we discuss their Dad/Granddad Buck, his many businesses and how he came to own and start up Ridge Marine Sales.
As for Buck believing in the power of advertising, check out this 1985 Enterprise ad where he mentions all four of his businesses. (I am not sure if he had the Ridge Concrete operation at that time which may explain why that wasn’t also cited in the ad.)
To learn more about the problems that the Southern Maryland Wood Treatment owners ran into and eventually led to it being designated a Superfund HAZMAT site (click here.) (There is also a good Enterprise editorial on Page A-4.)
Regarding my Mom’s visit with Buck, I did a Blogpost on it (click here.)
The Kim whom I mention a couple of times in the interview is Kim Wiley. Her father Pete Peterson purchased the former Ridge School building, made it their residence and added on to it for his Ridge Hardware Store. This photo shows the old bell tower on the schoolhouse portion along with Pete’s addition. Kim and Gary Norris are saddled up and heading out.
Here is Blaire’s excellent video on the Courtney family when they lived at Point Lookout: