Former Employee Spotlight for Black History Month: Vincent Ricks
Vincent M. Ricks, Sr. – Transmission Specialist, ca. early 1970s
For more than a century, Reed Brothers Dodge has been part of the fabric of Montgomery County. Its story is not only about cars, buildings, or advertisements… it is about people. As Black History Month continues, I would like to pause and recognize one of those people whose skill, dedication, and hard work helped shape Reed Brothers Dodge behind the scenes.
One such employee was Vincent Ricks, who worked at Reed Brothers Dodge in the 1970s as a Transmission Specialist and Auto Mechanic. While his work often went unseen by customers, Vince played a critical role in keeping the dealership running smoothly.
Vince was Master Certified in automatic transmissions, a distinction that reflected both his technical skill and the trust placed in him. Day after day, his work ensured that vehicles left the shop safe, reliable, and ready for the road; an essential part of what made Reed Brothers Dodge a trusted name in the community.
Vince Ricks beneath a vehicle on the shop lift, performing transmission work, an essential part of the service department at Reed Brothers Dodge, 1970s.
Those who knew him, remember Vince as calm and soft-spoken, with a subtle, friendly wit. But behind that calm presence was someone the dealership could always count on. Even after retiring, Vince never really left Reed Brothers Dodge. On weekends, he continued working for Reed Brothers part time, and often made trips to car auctions with the owner to help bring pre-owned inventory back for the lot. Vince would drive vehicles back to the dealership, sometimes making more than one run in a single trip. It was just another example of how dependable he was, and how much the dealership still relied on him long after his full-time days in the shop were over. Vince wasn’t just a former employee; he remained a valued part of the Reed Brothers Dodge family.
Vincent Ricks visiting the showroom after retirement, still part of the Reed Brothers Dodge family.
This Black History Month, we honor Vincent Ricks, whose expertise, dedication, and steady presence behind the scenes were a vital part of keeping Reed Brothers Dodge running smoothly for decades.
“The Boardwalk” Along the Waterfront at Chesapeake Beach, Maryland, Early 1900s
In the early 1900s, the Chesapeake Beach Railway Company offered Washingtonians more than transportation, it promised escape. At the rail line’s eastern terminus, a bustling boardwalk emerged along the Chesapeake Bay, carefully designed to attract crowds with hotels, amusements, and sweeping waterfront views. This was a new kind of destination, where leisure was planned, marketed, and delivered by rail.
Lewis Reed recognized the historical significance of this scene and turned his camera toward it. His photographs of the Chesapeake Beach boardwalk capture the rhythms of a day spent seaside: visitors strolling between attractions, pausing to take in the view, or gathering near the latest amusements. Among the highlights of his images is the Griffith Patent Scenic Railway, an early roller coaster whose curves and speed symbolized the era’s fascination with innovation and thrill. (click on thumbnails to view gallery)
Reed’s photographs preserve more than a popular resort, they document a moment when railroads shaped recreation and when leisure itself became part of the modern experience. Through his lens, the Chesapeake Beach boardwalk is frozen in time, offering a vivid glimpse into how Americans relaxed, traveled, and found excitement at the dawn of the 20th century.
From Horsepower to Headlines: Reed Brothers’ Early Auto Ads
Advertisements do more than just simply pitch a product, they capture a moment in history. The following early auto ads placed in local newspapers by Rockville Garage/Reed Brothers Dodge do more than mirror the evolution of automotive technology and related advertisement, they present a snapshot of the motoring experience.
Auto ads at the end of the 19th century were similar to the printing technology at that time. Especially at the start of the century, the vintage car prints didn’t have any vehicle image on them and most used black and white paper. But as soon as the 20th century started, vehicles started to appear on the ads with a lot of font style variation. The history of branding begun at the start of the century. However, they used a uniform approach of black and white images, and more focus was on the safety and speed of the car.
The first ever car advertisement in 1898 featured the headline “Dispense With a Horse” and simply sold the benefits of the Winton Motor Carriage. The ad showed that it’s not costly to maintain, its speed is 20 mph, and it had no odor. In the end, the ad compared it with the horse saying that a horse would never be able to do these tasks.
The first ever car advertisement by the Rockville Garage was placed in The Washington Herald less than 20 years later. During the early years, Reed Brothers represented several franchise nameplates along with Dodge, including Oldsmobile, Hudson, and Essex. The Hudson and Oldsmobile were sold at Reed Brothers from roughly 1917 through 1923. Through the years the ads have definitely improved from a timeless, artistic aspect; however the older ads definitely transport you back to a simpler time, both in the car world and in American history.
The Washington Herald, Monday, March 5, 1917
The Montgomery County Sentinel. May 02, 1919
The Montgomery County Sentinel. June 20, 1919
World War I, and the food shortage that came along with it, was a defining moment in history and a direct cause of the rise of the lightweight tractor. — Rick Mannen, editor, Antique Power.
The Montgomery County Sentinel, April 18, 1919
A demonstration of The Bates Steel Mule Tractor will be given on the farm of J.B. Diamond, Jr., near Gaithersburg, on December 3rd and 4th by the Rockville Garage.
Upside Down to Prove Its Strength
We make this test at our store to show the strong, rigid body construction of the Hudson and Essex Coaches. In this position it is supporting a crushing load of 2700 pounds. Come see it. Test the doors and windows, which operate with ease, showing a total absence of body strain.
Rockville Garage Hudson-Essex Advertisement: The Evening Star, Washington DC, March 1, 1923
Dependability, The Dependables (1920s-1967)
Capitalizing on their reputation, the Dodge Brothers used their name, “Dodge Brothers” followed by “Reliable, Dependable, Sound” to market their products. Devoted Dodge customers raved about the rugged construction, quality, and power of their vehicles. Buyers consistently commented that this was a car that could be depended upon. In a Dodge marketing stroke of genius, Theodore MacManus coined the word “dependability.” Dodge was using the term in advertising from around 1914, and by the 1930’s, the word was appearing in dictionaries, and soon found its way into common, everyday usage.
Montgomery County Sentinel. Feb 25, 1927
Dodge “Punishment Pit” – Torture Makes Them SAFER!
Rather than trying to compete with other manufactures with claims of mechanical prowess, Dodge tried a different approach in 1933 with their “Show Down” Plan.
Did you know that Dodge Brothers corporation had a “punishment pit”? This pit was a new type of automobile proving ground that was regarded as the quickest and most satisfactory way of finding out how an automobile can stand up under treatment of the most severely abnormal sort. Before Dodge introduced its latest models, some of the test cars were tortured in the punishment pit for as long as 600 hours.
The Montgomery County Sentinel. August 24, 1933
The 1930s seemed to be the last great age of the publicity stunt for automobiles. Radio had already made inroads, and within a decade or two television would become the next great medium to reach the masses, but in the 1930s promoting new cars to a nationwide audience still took some creativity, something that Dodge had plenty of.
The Dodge Boys White Hat Specials (late 1960s)
In the late ’60’s, The Dodge Boys “White Hat Specials” were part of Dodge’s marketing and advertising campaigns. In these ads, the Dodge sales people, “the Dodge Boys,” were referred to as “good guys in white hats” and portrayed as friendly, helpful, and customer-oriented, as well as able to “beat the competition to the draw.”
Here are clips from a two-page ad that Reed Brothers ran in The Gaithersburg Gazette on Thursday, August 26, 1965 to promote their 50th anniversary. The title of the ad reads: “The Dodge Boys and Reed Brothers celebrate a 50 Year Success, 1915 to 1965! If you need a New or Used Car, come in today and cut yourself a “Slice of Savings…”
The Gaithersburg Gazette. Thursday, August 26, 1965
The Gaithersburg Gazette. Thursday, August 26, 1965
Former Employee Spotlight: Meet Phil Vetter
At Reed Brothers Dodge, our legacy is built not just on the cars we sell or the buildings we’ve called home, but on the dedicated people who have shaped our history for over a century. Today, I am proud to introduce you to one of the dealership’s most respected and long-serving employees: Phil Vetter.
Phil Vetter was an integral part of the Service Department at Reed Brothers Dodge for more than 3 decades, serving well into the late 1970s.
Phil Vetter’s journey with Reed Brothers Dodge began in the early 20th century, a time when Rockville, Maryland was still a small town and the automobile industry was just finding its wheels. From his earliest days, Phil stood out for his unwavering commitment to customer service. By 1951, he had already become an integral part of our management team, working alongside founders Edgar and Lewis Reed as well as other key figures like Lester Wilson and Leo C. Murray.
Phil’s expertise quickly earned him the role of Service Manager, where he oversaw a busy department of factory-trained mechanics. One of Phil’s most memorable moments came in 1972 at the Washington Auto Show. There, he represented Reed Brothers behind the wheel of a custom-equipped Dodge Charger “Topper Special,” showcasing not only Chrysler’s latest technology but also our dealership’s commitment to staying ahead of the curve. Whether managing day-to-day operations or representing the dealership at high-profile events, Phil was always a trusted ambassador for Reed Brothers’ values.
Phil’s career spanned some of the most transformative years in both local history and automotive culture. He witnessed, and helped navigate, the dealership’s move from its original location at the triangle through several major remodels, and finally into it new location at 15955 Frederick Road in 1970. Throughout these changes, Phil ensured that our service department remained at the cutting edge while never losing sight of what mattered most: people.
Breaking Ground for the New Location, 1970. From left: Edwin Becraft, Phil Vetter, George Ward, Lee Gartner, President (others unknown).
Phil Vetter wasn’t just an employee, he was family. We are proud to honor his legacy, not only as an exceptional Service Manager, but as a lasting pillar of the Reed Brothers family and the community it served.
More Than Just Motors: The Enduring Link Between Reed Brothers Dodge and the MCPD
When you look back at the history of Montgomery County, Maryland, certain names are synonymous with the growth of the region. Reed Brothers Dodge is certainly one of them, but while we are often remembered as the first Dodge dealership in the area, our history is also deeply intertwined with the very foundation of the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD). This connection wasn’t just about the cars and motorcycles; it was about the people who kept them on the road.
This is the first known photograph of the entire Montgomery County Police Force Motor Unit. Pictured left to right: Earl Burdine, Lawrence Clagett, Guy Jones, Chief Charles Cooley, Leroy Rodgers, and Oscar Gaither. Photo taken by Lewis Reed on July 4, 1922.
The relationship between Lewis Reed and the MCPD began on the department’s very first day of duty: July 4, 1922. On that historic morning, Chief Charles Cooley and his five original officers gathered at Reed Brothers Dodge to have their first official group photo taken. At the time, the department was a “mounted” unit on Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Because modern, branded dealerships didn’t exist yet, Reed Brothers served as a vital hub for sales and service. Lewis Reed and his brother Edgar were motorcycle enthusiasts who had founded Rockville’s Park Avenue Motorcycle Club a decade earlier in 1912, and their expertise made the dealership the natural home for the county’s early fleet. In those early days, each officer was allotted $300 a year for motorcycle upkeep, and our shop was where much of that vital work happened.
As the decades passed and the MCPD grew into a modern force, the need for expert maintenance grew with it. The department eventually established its own internal garage, but they didn’t have to look far to find the best talent to staff it. The “Reed Brothers standard” was so well-regarded that the police garage specifically recruited veteran mechanics from the dealership. By the late 1970s, two of our most skilled technicians, Ben McGowan and John Hall, transitioned from the service bays at Reed Brothers Dodge to work for the Montgomery County Police garage. Ben, an electrical and AC specialist, and John, a Maryland State Inspector and ASE-certified mechanic, brought a wealth of “under-the-hood” knowledge to the county.
This pipeline of talent from the dealership to the public sector highlights a beautiful piece of Rockville history. It shows that Reed Brothers Dodge was more than just a business; it was a training ground for the craftsmen who kept the county moving. When we see photos of those early 1922 officers on their Harleys or hear stories of the police fleet in the decades that followed, we aren’t just looking at machines. We are looking at the legacy of men like Lewis Reed, Ben McGowan, and John Hall– the hands that built, serviced, and supported the safety of our community for over a century.
First motorcycle club in Rockville, Maryland. One Harley Davidson, one Indian, and Three Excelsior motorcycles on Park Avenue, 1912. Lewis Reed, far left.
As the curator of these archives and the granddaughter of Lewis Reed, I feel a great sense of pride in preserving these connections. Seeing the faces of men like Ben McGowan and John Hall reminds me that our family business was built on the shoulders of dedicated craftsmen who served their neighbors and their county. It is a legacy of service that I am honored to document and share with you today.
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Reed Brothers Dodge History (1915-2012) by Jeanne Gartner is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Reed Brothers Dodge History 1915 – 2012 
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