Kent County, Maryland

Kent County
County
Kent County Courthouse in Chestertown
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Maryland
Maryland's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°14′N76°06′W / 39.23°N 76.1°W / 39.23; -76.1
Country	United States
State	Maryland
Founded	December 30, 1642
Named for	Kent
Seat	Chestertown
Largest town	Chestertown
Area
• Total	413 sq mi (1,070 km2)
• Land	277 sq mi (720 km2)
• Water	136 sq mi (350 km2)  33%
Population  (2020)
• Total	19,198
• Density	46/sq mi (18/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	kentcounty.com

Kent County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, its population was 19,198, ^[1] making it the least populous county in Maryland. Its county seat is Chestertown. ^[2] The county was named for the county of Kent in England. ^[3] The county is part of the Mid-Eastern Shore region of the state, and the oldest county in Maryland. ^[4]

Along with Caroline and Garrett Counties, it is one of three counties in the state that are not part of a metropolitan statistical area.

History

In 1608, Captain John Smith explored and mapped a portion of what is now Kent County. In 1642, the governor and council appointed commissioners for the Isle and County of Kent. This act appears to have led to the establishment of Kent County. In 1675, the first county seat was New Yarmouth. The seat was briefly moved upriver to Quaker Neck, and then to the site of modern Chestertown. Before the American Revolution, New Town on Chester, now Chestertown, was a port entry for the counties of Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne's. ^[5]

The county has a number of properties which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. ^[6]

Kent County was the mean center of U.S. population in the 1790 census.

In 1793, the county had its first newspaper, called Apollo, or Chestertown Spy. It was succeeded by local papers such as the Chestertown Gazette.

Washington College, the oldest college in Maryland, is located in Kent County. It was the first college charted in the nation after the Declaration of Independence and was founded by William Smith in 1782. George Washington authorized the use of his name and gave the college its largest gift of 50 guineas. Washington served on the Board of Visitors and Governors for five years. The college has been host to four United States Presidents, including George Washington, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Franklin D. Roosevelt. All were awarded honorary degrees from the college.

War of 1812

The War of 1812 was the only war Kent County experienced on its soil. During the spring and summer of both 1813 and 1814, residents faced immediate threats from the enemy as the British terrorized the Chesapeake, looting and burning farms and towns. Kent County citizens and local militia were tested and stood their ground with ingenuity and determination during the burning of Georgetown, the rescue of the Kitty Knight House and the Battle of Caulk's Field. ^[7]

Historical churches

St. Paul's, the oldest Episcopal Church in Maryland used continuously as a place of worship. The earliest part of the building was constructed in 1711. ^[8] It is located approximately nine miles west of Chestertown.

Christ Church, frequently called I.U., was founded in 1765. Colonel Philip Reed a Continental Army and War of 1812 soldier is buried here.

Shrewsbury Church is believed to be the first structure erected in the county, in 1693. John Cadwalader is buried in the Shrewsbury churchyard. The eulogy on his tomb was written by Thomas Paine. ^[9]

Politics and government

Kent County was granted home rule in 1970 under a state code.

In the early post-Civil War era, Kent County was heavily Confederate-leaning and leaned towards the Democratic Party. ^[10] William McKinley was the only Republican to carry the county between 1876 and 1924. After that, although carried by Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman during the five consecutive Democratic victories between 1932 and 1948, the county trended Republican relative to national voting. Currently, along with Talbot County further south, Kent County is the most politically competitive county on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. In 2004, Republican George W. Bush won it with 52.8% of the vote to Democrat John Kerry's 46.1%. In the 2008 United States Presidential Election, Barack Obama won Kent County by 48 votes more than John McCain. ^[11] In 2012, Republican Mitt Romney won Kent County by 28 votes over Democrat Barack Obama. In 2016, Republican Donald Trump won Kent County with 48.7% of the vote to Democrat Hillary Clinton's 45.7%, and a 20-year record high of 5.7% of the vote for third-party candidates. In 2020, Joe Biden flipped the county, winning it by 134 votes. ^[12] In 2024, the county voted for Trump again, this time over Kamala Harris. ^[13]

The members of the County Council as of 2022 are: ^[14]

Kent County Commissioners ^[15]

Position		Name	Affiliation	District	First Elected
	President	Ronald H. Fithian	Republican	At Large	2006
	Member	Albert H. Nickerson	Republican	At Large	2022
	Member	John F. Price	Republican	At Large	2022

Kent County lies wholly in Senate District 36 and elects three House of Delegates Members who serve at-large countywide. Members listed below as of 2018 are:

State Senators and Delegates ^[16]

Position		District	Name	Affiliation	First Elected
	Senate	36	Stephen Hershey Jr. [17]	Republican	2012
	House of Delegates	36A	Steven Arentz [18]	Republican	2013
	House of Delegates	36B	Jefferson Ghrist [19]	Republican	2014
	House of Delegates	36C	Jay A. Jacobs [20]	Republican	2010

Voter registration

Voter registration and party enrollment as of March 2024 [21]
	Democratic	5,770	41.05%
	Republican	5,297	37.68%
	Unaffiliated	2,778	19.76%
	Libertarian	69	0.49%
	Other parties	143	1.02%
Total		14,057	100%

United States presidential election results for Kent County, Maryland ^[22]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	5,561	49.97%	5,251	47.19%	316	2.84%
2020	5,195	48.13%	5,329	49.37%	270	2.50%
2016	4,876	48.66%	4,575	45.65%	570	5.69%
2012	4,870	49.17%	4,842	48.89%	192	1.94%
2008	4,905	48.95%	4,953	49.43%	162	1.62%
2004	4,900	52.77%	4,278	46.07%	107	1.15%
2000	4,155	51.39%	3,627	44.86%	303	3.75%
1996	3,055	43.66%	3,207	45.83%	736	10.52%
1992	3,094	40.56%	3,093	40.55%	1,441	18.89%
1988	3,761	55.87%	2,925	43.45%	46	0.68%
1984	3,897	61.63%	2,390	37.80%	36	0.57%
1980	2,889	45.83%	2,986	47.37%	429	6.81%
1976	2,821	46.77%	3,211	53.23%	0	0.00%
1972	4,036	64.36%	2,168	34.57%	67	1.07%
1968	2,946	46.50%	2,243	35.41%	1,146	18.09%
1964	2,008	32.81%	4,113	67.19%	0	0.00%
1960	3,264	51.46%	3,079	48.54%	0	0.00%
1956	3,747	61.18%	2,378	38.82%	0	0.00%
1952	3,656	59.24%	2,504	40.58%	11	0.18%
1948	2,489	49.31%	2,524	50.00%	35	0.69%
1944	2,351	48.93%	2,454	51.07%	0	0.00%
1940	2,639	46.45%	3,014	53.05%	28	0.49%
1936	2,543	46.18%	2,931	53.22%	33	0.60%
1932	1,468	38.09%	2,370	61.49%	16	0.42%
1928	2,777	52.82%	2,450	46.60%	30	0.57%
1924	2,019	42.51%	2,628	55.34%	102	2.15%
1920	2,838	48.22%	3,034	51.55%	14	0.24%
1916	1,673	46.38%	1,886	52.29%	48	1.33%
1912	1,021	30.21%	1,816	53.73%	543	16.07%
1908	1,753	46.98%	1,939	51.97%	39	1.05%
1904	1,841	47.91%	1,956	50.90%	46	1.20%
1900	2,426	53.05%	2,076	45.40%	71	1.55%
1896	2,399	53.73%	1,980	44.34%	86	1.93%
1892	1,886	47.27%	2,009	50.35%	95	2.38%
1888	2,037	48.64%	2,062	49.24%	89	2.13%
1884	2,048	48.22%	2,152	50.67%	47	1.11%
1880	1,853	48.48%	1,969	51.52%	0	0.00%
1876	1,685	46.52%	1,937	53.48%	0	0.00%
1872	1,658	50.53%	1,623	49.47%	0	0.00%
1868	266	16.65%	1,332	83.35%	0	0.00%
1864	413	24.55%	1,269	75.45%	0	0.00%
1860	42	2.53%	74	4.45%	1,546	93.02%
1852	662	54.58%	551	45.42%	0	0.00%
1848	645	58.90%	447	40.82%	3	0.27%
1844	728	58.01%	527	41.99%	0	0.00%
1840	679	58.79%	476	41.21%	0	0.00%
1836	589	61.61%	367	38.39%	0	0.00%

Law enforcement

The Kent County Sheriff is Dennis Hickman.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 413 square miles (1,070 km²), of which 277 square miles (720 km²) is land and 136 square miles (350 km²) (33%) is water. ^[23]

According to the Maryland Geological Survey, the highest point in Kent County is 102 ft above sea level, approximately 2.25 mi west of Coleman's Corner (shown on maps as "Coleman"), just northeast of the mouth of Still Pond Creek. ^[24]

Kent County has a 209-mile shoreline, including Eastern Neck Island. The Chesapeake Bay is on the west, Sassafras River on the north, and the Chester River on the south. The eastern border with Delaware is part of the Mason–Dixon line.

Nearby cities: Baltimore, MD; Washington D.C.; Philadelphia, PA; Wilmington, DE

Adjacent counties

• Cecil County (north)
• New Castle County, Delaware (northeast)
• Queen Anne's County (south)
• Kent County, Delaware (southeast)

National protected area

• Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge

Major roads and highways

• US 301
• MD 20
• MD 21
• MD 213
• MD 288
• MD 289
• MD 290
• MD 291
• MD 292
• MD 297
• MD 298
• MD 299
• MD 313
• MD 330
• MD 444
• MD 445
• MD 446
• MD 447
• MD 514
• MD 561
• MD 566
• MD 674
• MD 855

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1790	12,836		—
1800	11,771		−8.3%
1810	11,450		−2.7%
1820	11,453		0.0%
1830	10,501		−8.3%
1840	10,842		3.2%
1850	11,386		5.0%
1860	13,267		16.5%
1870	17,102		28.9%
1880	17,605		2.9%
1890	17,471		−0.8%
1900	18,786		7.5%
1910	16,957		−9.7%
1920	15,026		−11.4%
1930	14,242		−5.2%
1940	13,465		−5.5%
1950	13,677		1.6%
1960	15,481		13.2%
1970	16,146		4.3%
1980	16,695		3.4%
1990	17,842		6.9%
2000	19,197		7.6%
2010	20,197		5.2%
2020	19,198		−4.9%
2023 (est.)	19,303	[25]	0.5%
U.S. Decennial Census [26] 1790–1960 [27] 1900–1990 [28] 1990–2000 [29] 2010–2018 [30]

2010 census

A farm in Kent County, Maryland

As of the 2010 U.S. census, there were 20,197 people, 8,165 households, and 5,272 families living in the county. ^[31] The population density was 72.9 inhabitants per square mile (28.1/km²). There were 10,549 housing units at an average density of 38.1 per square mile (14.7/km²). ^[32] The racial makeup of the county was 80.1% white, 15.1% black or African American, 0.8% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 1.9% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.5% of the population. ^[31] In terms of ancestry, 18.7% were English, 18.7% were German, 15.5% were Irish, 7.9% were American, and 5.8% were Italian. ^[33]

Of the 8,165 households, 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.4% were non-families, and 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.78. The median age was 45.6 years. ^[31]

The median income for a household in the county was $50,141 and the median income for a family was $63,507. Males had a median income of $41,046 versus $35,161 for females. The per capita income for the county was $29,536. About 5.1% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.9% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over. ^[34]

Education

Kent County Public Schools is the school district for all of Kent County. ^[35]

• Kent County High School
• Kent County Middle School
• Galena Elementary School
• Judy Center (Pre-school)
• Henry Highland Garnet Elementary School
• Rock Hall Elementary School
• Kent School
• Chestertown Christian Academy
• Echo Hill Outdoor School
• Radcliffe Creek School
• Washington College
• Chesapeake College (supported in part by the county government, but located in Wye Mills, Md.)

Communities

This county contains the following incorporated municipalities:

Towns

• Betterton
• Chestertown (county seat)
• Galena
• Millington (partly in Queen Anne's County)
• Rock Hall

Census-designated places

The United States Census Bureau recognizes the following Census-designated places in Kent County:

• Butlertown
• Edesville
• Fairlee
• Georgetown
• Kennedyville
• Still Pond
• Tolchester
• Worton

Unincorporated communities

Other unincorporated places not listed as Census-Designated Places but known in the area include:

• Chesterville
• Georgetown (CDP) (near Fairlee)
• Golts
• Hassengers Corner
• Langford
• Lynch
• Massey
• Pomona
• Sassafras
• Sharpstown
• Tolchester Beach

Notable people

• John Cadwalader (1742-1786), Quaker commander during the American Revolutionary War
• James M. Cain (1892 – 1977), author, journalist, and professor
• R. Clayton Mitchell Jr. (1936 – 2019), Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates, 1986–1993. President of the Kent County Commissioners, 1966–1970. Member of the Maryland House of Delegates, 1970–1993
• John Needles (1786 – 1878), Quaker abolitionist and a master craftsman of fine furniture
• Captain Lambert Wickes, senior officer in the Continental Navy during the Revolutionary War, who took Benjamin Franklin to France in 1777

Miscellaneous

• The county's daily newspaper is Kent County News.
• Kent County Public Schools were some of the last in the country to fully integrate. The federal government stepped up pressure and required a formal plan of integration, which was adopted in 1966. ^[36] In 1967, there was full and complete integration in Kent County. Construction plans delayed the opening the desegregated high school ^[36] which opened in the fall of 1971. In 1971, all pupils, regardless of race, reported to the modern high school in Worton. All grades in the Kent County system were integrated before the opening of the centrally located high school.
• Kent County, Maryland, is one of the few counties in the United States to border its namesake in another state—in this case, Kent County, Delaware.
• In 1790, Kent County contained the centre of population of the United States, according to the US Census Bureau. It is on the edge of a cornfield at 39.16.30 N 76.11.12 W.
• Tolchester Beach Amusement Park founded in 1877 by the Tolchester Steamboat Company. As many as 20,000 people visited the resort on summer weekends. It was served by 6 steamers and a ferry. There games of skill and chance and harness racing on a track within the park borders. Included on the grounds were a hotel, pavilion and bathing beach It grew from 10 acres to 155. It was closed in 1962.
• The Kent County Railroad Company was formed in 1856. The line was bought by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1903. The railroads' s primary importance was a means to ship local product to t eastern markets. The railroad continued to operate until early 1970.
• Chestertown Fountain Park, the fountain in the park was manufactured by Robert Wood & Company in Philadelphia. It was purchased by the Ladies Improvement Society in 1899 and installed in the Park. The figure of Hebe, goddess of youth and beauty stands atop the fountain.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Kent County, Maryland

References

1. "QuickFacts: Kent County, Maryland". U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved March 26, 2022.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp.  173.
4. "Historic Chestertown Maryland". www.kentcounty.com. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
5. Clark, Charles; Robert Swain, Jr. (1950). The Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company. pp. 917–938.
6. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
7. "The Key to Kent County History". Kent County Historical Society. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
8. McCall, Davy (1993). A Tricentennial History of St. Paul's Church, Kent. Published in Chestertown, Maryland.
9. DeProspo, DeProspo (1998). A History of Shrewsbury Parish Church. Chestertown, MD: Chesapeake College Press.
10. Levine, Mark V.; 'Standing Political Decisions and Critical Realignment: The Pattern of Maryland Politics, 1872-1948'; The Journal of Politics , volume 38, no. 2 (May 1976), pp. 292-325
11. "CNN Maryland Results 2008 election". Cable News Network.
12. "Official 2016 Presidential General Election results for Kent County". elections.maryland.gov. December 9, 2016. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
13. https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2024/General_Results/gen_detail_results_2024_1_1.html
14. "County Commissioners". kentcounty.com. Kent County, Maryland. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
15. "Commissioners of Kent County Maryland". www.kentcounty.com. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
16. "Maryland General Assembly - Kent County Members". msa.maryland.gov. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
17. "Stephen S. Hershey, Jr., Maryland State Senator". msa.maryland.gov. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
18. "Steven J. Arentz, Maryland State Delegate". msa.maryland.gov. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
19. "Jefferson L. Ghrist, Maryland State Delegate". msa.maryland.gov. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
20. "Jay A. Jacobs, Maryland State Delegate". msa.maryland.gov. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
21. "Maryland Board of Elections Voter Registration Activity Report March 2024" (PDF). Maryland Board of Elections. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
22. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
23. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 13, 2014. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
24. "Maryland Geological Survey". Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Archived from the original on October 5, 2007. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
25. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
26. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
27. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
28. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
29. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
30. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
31. "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
32. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
33. "DP02 Selected Social Characteristics in the United States – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
34. "DP03 Selected Economic Characteristics – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
35. "2020 census - school district reference map: Kent County, MD" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved July 25, 2022. - Text list
36. "Report on School Desegregation in 14 Eastern shore and southern Maryland Counties" (PDF). February 1966. Retrieved June 3, 2020.

External links

• Kent County official website

39°14′N76°06′W / 39.23°N 76.10°W / 39.23; -76.10