MIDDLE RIVER, Md. — The Baltimore Chapter of the American Rosie the Riveter Association dedicated a rose garden at the Orems United Methodist Church on Tuesday.
Rosie the Riveter is a character inspired by women working in factories to help out during World War II. Some of those women were in Baltimore. The Glenn L. Martin factory in Middle River had many women working there, including Mildred McDaniel's mother, Ruthy Leadbetter, who worked there for 27 years.
"That was the happiest time of her life," said McDaniel. "She wore her pants and she worked the second shift and my dad worked another shift. She was very happy there. She learned electronics and blue printing. It was a good time in her life."
The Glenn L. Martin factory was the first industrial factory to hire women to support the war. Through several mergers, the factory is now known as Lockheed Martin.
