From Rockville Garage to Reed Brothers Dodge
In early 20th-century Rockville, Maryland, a modest garage marked the beginning of a new era in transportation. From this starting point, Lewis Reed established what would become Reed Brothers Dodge; one of the nation’s earliest Dodge dealerships. Far more than a business, it grew into a lasting institution that reflected the progress of Rockville itself as the community transitioned from rural roads to suburban thoroughfares.
The dealership was originally located at the junction of Rockville & Georgetown Turnpike and Washington (Veirs Mill) Road in Rockville from 1915-1970, during which it expanded from a small-scale garage and dealership to one of the largest and most recognized commercial enterprises on Rockville Pike.
Origins of the Rockville Garage
From The Montgomery County Sentinel. May 20, 1914:
Mr. Alva Ricketts has purchased the vacant lot opposite the fair grounds, in this town, from Mr. Benjamin Haney and will in the course of a few days erect upon it a garage, in which will be kept his autos for the accommodation of the traveling public.
The Ricketts family, Leonidas “Lee” Ricketts and his sons Raymond, Emory, and Alva, managed the local Overland Agency at this pivotal location near the intersection of Veirs Mill Road and Rockville Pike from 1914 to 1915. Despite the promise of the burgeoning automobile market, the Overland Agency was short-lived. By July 1915, Lewis Reed, along with brothers Robert L. and Griffith Warfield, acquired the property from the Ricketts family and established the Rockville Garage.
Lewis Reed, originally an employee of the Rockville Garage, began his deeper involvement by purchasing a one-third interest from the Warfield brothers in January 1916. Over the next few years, his stake increased until by 1919, he became sole owner after acquiring the remainder from the Warfields. Shortly thereafter, in August 1919, Lewis’s brother Edgar joined the business, prompting the transformation of the company’s identity to Reed Brothers Dodge–marking the true beginning of a legacy that would drive Rockville’s automotive future for generations to come.
Original owners of the Rockville Garage, 1916. L-R: Roy Warfield, Lewis Reed, Griffith Warfield
The Rockville Garage: A New Era in Transportation
At a time when horses and wagons still crowded the streets of Rockville, the garage provided a range of critical services to early motorists, from fuel and tire repair to mechanical work. The business quickly became more than just a repair shop; it was a gathering place for locals fascinated by the emerging world of motor travel. Visitors could fill up with gasoline, get their cars serviced, or simply stop to marvel as these novel machines rumbled along Rockville Pike.
A Dodge Brothers Franchise
In October 1915, Reed Brothers took an important step that would define its trajectory for the next nine decades: it became one of the nation’s first Dodge Brothers Motor Car dealerships. This move reflected the Reeds’ forward-looking vision and their confidence in the automobile’s growing role in American life. The Dodge franchise brought credibility, new customers, and a steady stream of business opportunities for Reed Brothers, marking the transition from a small-town garage to a full-service dealership.
The First Building to Display the Reed Name
Reed Brothers Dodge got a new remodel in 1921. Note the new signage and three new modern gas pumps. The Rockville Fair Grounds are beyond the boarded fence on the right.
This 1921 photograph captures an important milestone in the history of Reed Brothers Dodge. Shown above is the first building to display the Reed Brothers name across the front, proudly advertising “Dodge Brothers Motor Vehicles Sales & Service.” With its remodeled façade and a row of brand new gas pumps out front, the building symbolized the dealership’s growth from a small garage into a full-service automobile business.
The addition of gasoline pumps was significant, marking the transition into a one-stop location where customers could not only purchase and service their Dodge vehicles but also fuel them conveniently on site. This was the earliest step in Reed Brothers’ evolution into a modern dealership; and the first time their name became a landmark in the Rockville community.
Serving Montgomery County Through the Years
Over the decades, Reed Brothers Dodge grew right alongside the county it served. As farming communities gave way to new neighborhoods, and Route 355 became one of Maryland’s busiest thoroughfares, the dealership adapted to meet the changing needs of its customers. The business expanded its showroom, introduced innovative advertising campaigns, and built a reputation for honest service and long-term customer relationships.
During the mid-20th century, Reed Brothers Dodge wasn’t just a place to buy a car; it was part of the fabric of Rockville life. Generations of local families purchased their first cars there, passed them down, and returned when it was time to buy the next one.
A Family Legacy
What set Reed Brothers apart from many other dealerships was its strong sense of continuity and stewardship. For more than 97 years, the dealership remained under the careful management of the Reed family, embodying values of integrity, community service, and dedication to employees. This family-run aspect fostered deep loyalty among customers and helped the dealership weather the ups and downs of the automotive industry.
The End of an Era, the Preservation of History
Reed Brothers Dodge in Rockville, Maryland, circa 2006, captured near the end of its nearly century-long legacy as one of the oldest family-owned Dodge dealerships in the nation.
When Reed Brothers Dodge eventually closed its dealership doors after more than 97 years, it left behind more than just a business. It left a legacy that continues to resonate in Montgomery County’s history. From the original Rockville Garage to the modern dealership that bore the Reed name, the enterprise represents an important chapter in how automobiles reshaped the physical and social landscape of the county.
The Reed: A Legacy Remembered
The Reed apartments in Rockville, named in tribute to the historic Reed Brothers Dodge dealership that once stood on this site.
Today, the dealership’s legacy endures not only in history but also in the fabric of the community. The modern apartment complex known as The Reed, located on the former site of Reed Brothers Dodge, was named in tribute to the pioneering dealership and the family whose business helped shape Rockville’s identity for nearly a century. In this way, the Reed name continues to stand as a landmark of resilience, progress, and community presence – just as it did when the first automobiles arrived on Rockville’s streets.
Then & Now: The Original 1917 Rockville Garage
Reed Brothers Dodge and the surrounding area sure has changed a lot in its almost century-long history. You might not realize how much things have changed until you look back and see what it looked like in the past. For this post, I have used one of Lewis Reed’s original photographs for “then” and a Google Maps street view image from today for “now”.
1917 view of the original Rockville Garage two-story addition. Until 1920, Dodge sported a set of six hexagonal windows in the back of each passenger cabin on their Touring and Roaster models. These were called cathedral lights and became the first trademark feature to make Dodge vehicles stand out from the rest. Parked in front is an early Dodge car with the exclusive Dodge Brothers cathedral-style rear curtain windows.
NOW: The color photograph below, is the dealership’s location today, now known as Veterans Park. In the 1970s the site was known as the Francis Scott Key Memorial Park, and later in 1988, it was permanently rededicated as Veterans Park. In the late 1960s, the state of Maryland acquired the land to widen 355 and donated the remaining sliver to the City. The connector street behind the dealership’s original location was named “Dodge Street” by the State of Maryland following the dealership’s 1941 expansion. Dodge Street today is one of the shortest roads in the State of Maryland, running between the Rockville Pike (at Richard Montgomery High School) and Veirs Mill Road, a distance of only 250 feet.
Rockville Garage (Reed Brothers Dodge) original location at the triangle today. Google Image Capture, 2021
Ricketts Garage “Auto Hire” Billhead, May 7, 1914
Ricketts’ Garage “Auto Hire” Billhead, May 7, 1914
Many early car dealerships grew out of existing garages. Reed Brothers Dodge evolved out of the Rockville Garage. Shown above is Ricketts’ Rockville Garage “Automobiles for Hire” and “New & Second Hand Cars for Sale” billhead receipt recently found on eBay. The receipt, dated May 7, 1914 is made out to W.W. Welsh (William Wallace Welsh) and is signed for by Lee Ricketts. Leonidas “Lee” Ricketts and sons, Raymond, Emory, and Thomas Alva (who went by “Alva”) ran the local Overland Agency at the Veirs Mill Road/Rockville Pike location from 1914-1915.
Original Rockville Garage building at the intersection of Veirs Mill Rd and Rockville Pike, 1916.
Origins of the Rockville Garage from The Montgomery County Sentinel. May 20, 1914:
Mr. Alva Ricketts has purchased the vacant lot opposite the fair grounds, in this town, from Mr. Benjamin Haney and will in the course of a few days erect upon it a garage, in which will be kept his autos for the accommodation of the traveling public.
The Overland Agency was short-lived: by July of 1915, Lewis Reed and brothers Robert L. and Griffith Warfield established Rockville Garage after acquiring the building from the Ricketts family. An employee of Rockville Garage in 1915, Lewis Reed purchased a one-third interest from the Warfield brothers in January 1916. Three years later, the Warfield’s conveyed the balance of the property and Lewis became sole owner. In August of 1919, Lewis Reed’s brother Edgar joined the business, and the name of the company was changed to Reed Brothers Dodge.
Rockville Garage Dealer of Bates Steel Mules
Montgomery County Sentinel, June 20, 1919
To survive the early days in the automobile business, most dealerships sold several makes of cars. 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 1916 through 1923. In addition to automobiles, the Rockville Garage also sold Bates Steel Mules, “the most efficient tractor in America.”
The Bates Steel Mule Tractor, sold in 1919 by Lewis Reed’s Rockville Garage, was designed at the dawn of the steel-wheeled tractor era to pull any horse-drawn implement the farmer owned. I had never even heard of such a thing until I came across this advertisement from the Montgomery County Sentinel.
So, I did some digging online and found the Steel Mule was a product of the Joliet Oil Tractor Company of Joliet, Illinois. First produced about 1913 the Bates Steel Mule was an odd looking tractor with two wheels set wide in front but only a single, low, crawler track centered under the rear. It was promoted as a powerful replacement for a team of horses when used to draw conventional horse-drawn farm machinery. Joliet was one of dozens of small companies vying for a spot in the lucrative small tractor market between 1910 and 1920. Its first tractor debuted in 1913. One of its key selling features was that a farmer could use it to pull his horse-drawn equipment. The Bates Steel Mule originally sold for $1,500, the equivalent of more than $27,000 today.
Montgomery County Sentinel, April 18, 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.
Today’s tractors have come a long way in the past 100 years. Current models are equipped with revolutionary technology, including self-driving models, GPS, luxury cabs, Dolby sound systems, and increased horsepower and versatility.
Then & Now: Rockville Garage 102 Years Ago
Reed Brothers Dodge and the surrounding area sure has changed a lot in its almost century-long history. You might not realize how much things have changed until you look back and see what it looked like in the past. For this post, I have used one of Lewis Reed’s original photographs for “then” and a Google Maps street view image from today for “now”.
1918 two-story addition to original Rockville Garage. View from side on Rockville Pike.
Rockville Garage (Reed Brothers Dodge) original location at the triangle today. Google Image Capture, 2019
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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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