Kent County, MD
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Kent County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, its population was 19,198, making it the least populous county in Maryland. Its county seat is Chestertown. The county was named for the county of Kent in England. The county is located on Maryland's Eastern Shore. It is one of three counties in Maryland, along with
Caroline Caroline may refer to: People * Caroline (given name), a feminine given name * J. C. Caroline (born 1933), American college and National Football League player * Jordan Caroline (born 1996), American (men's) basketball player Places Antarctica * ...
and Garrett, that is not part of a Metropolitan Statistical Area.


History

In 1608, Captain
John Smith John Smith is a common personal name. It is also commonly used as a placeholder name and pseudonym, and is sometimes used in the United States and the United Kingdom as a term for an average person. It may refer to: People :''In chronological ...
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. The county has a number of properties which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Kent County was the mean center of US population in the census of 1790. 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 George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
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 Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. A leader of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 34th vice president from January to April 1945 under Franklin ...
, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Franklin D. Roosevelt. All were awarded honorary degrees from the college. War of 1812. It was the only war Kent County would experience on its own 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. For more on the history of Kent County see th
Kent County's Historical Society's
website.


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. It is located approximately nine miles west of Chestertown.
Christ Church
frequently called I.U. dates from 1765. Colonel Reed soldier of the Revolution and War of 1812 is buried here.
Shrewsbury Church
– the first structure is thought to have been erected in 1693. John Cadwalader is buried in the church yard. The eulogy on his tomb was written by Thomas Paine.


Politics and government

Kent County was granted home rule in 1970 under a state code. In the early post-Civil War era, Kent County, having been heavily
Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between ...
-leaning, tended towards the Democratic Party. William McKinley was the only Republican to carry the county between 1876 and 1924. After that, although carried by
Franklin Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...
and Harry Truman during the five consecutive Democratic victories between 1932 and 1948, the county trended Republican especially relative to national voting. Currently, Kent County is along with Somerset County further south the most politically competitive county on Maryland's Eastern Shore. In 2004, Republican
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
won it with 52.8% of the vote to Democrat John Kerry’s 46.1%. In the
2008 United States Presidential Election The 2008 United States presidential election was the 56th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 4, 2008. The Democratic ticket of Barack Obama, the junior senator from Illinois, and Joe Biden, the senior senator from ...
, Barack Obama won Kent County by 48 votes more than
John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two terms ...
. In 2012, Republican
Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts f ...
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. The members of the County Council as of 2018 are: 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: The head of the Kent County Sheriff's Office is John Price IV.


Geography

According to the
U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (33%) is water. 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. 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.


Adjacent counties

*
Cecil County Cecil County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland at the northeastern corner of the state, bordering both Pennsylvania and Delaware. As of the 2020 census, the population was 103,725. The county seat is Elkton. The county was ...
(north) * New Castle County, Delaware (northeast) *
Harford County Harford County is located in the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 260,924. Its county seat is Bel Air. Harford County is included in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is al ...
(northwest) *
Queen Anne's County Queen Anne's County is located on the Eastern Shore of the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 49,874. Its county seat and most populous municipality is Centreville. The census-designated place of Stevensville i ...
(south) *
Kent County, Delaware Kent County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Delaware. As of the 2020 census, the population was 181,851, making it the least populous county in Delaware. The county seat is Dover, the state capital of Delaware. It i ...
(southeast) * Anne Arundel County (southwest) * Baltimore County (west)


National protected area

*
Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge, a part of the Chesapeake Marshlands National Wildlife Refuge Complex, is a island located at the confluence of the Chester River and the Chesapeake Bay. Established in 1962 as a sanctuary for migratory birds ...


Major highways

U.S. Route 301 U.S. Route 301 (US 301) is a spur of U.S. Route 1 running through the South Atlantic States. It runs from Biddles Corner, Delaware at Delaware Route 1 to Sarasota, Florida at U.S. Route 41. It passes through the states of Delaware, Mar ...
is the major highway passing through Kent County.


Demographics


2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 19,197 people, 7,666 households, and 5,136 families living in the county. The population density was 69 people per square mile (27/km2). There were 9,410 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile (13/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 79.64% White, 17.41% Black or African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.54%
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.04% from other races, and 1.18% from two or more races. 2.84% of the population were Hispanic or
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
of any race. 15.7% were of English, 14.2%
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
, 12.4% Irish and 11.3%
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
ancestry. There were 7,666 households, out of which 26.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.70% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 11.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.00% were non-families. 27.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.81. In the county, the population was spread out, with 20.80% under the age of 18, 10.90% from 18 to 24, 23.70% from 25 to 44, 25.30% from 45 to 64, and 19.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 91.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.90 males. The median income for a household in the county was $39,869, and the median income for a family was $46,708. Males had a median income of $31,899 versus $24,513 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,573. About 9.30% of families and 13.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.00% of those under age 18 and 8.50% of those age 65 or over.


2010 census

As of the
2010 United States Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servin ...
, there were 20,197 people, 8,165 households, and 5,272 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 10,549 housing units at an average density of . 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. In terms of ancestry, 18.7% were English, 18.7% were
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
, 15.5% were Irish, 7.9% were
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
, and 5.8% were Italian. 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. 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.


Education

Kent County Public Schools Kent County Public Schools (KCPS) is a school district headquartered in Rock Hall, Maryland. It operates public schools in Kent County, where it is the sole school district. it had about 1,800 students, making it the smallest school district in ...
is the school district for all of Kent County.
Text list
/ref> *
Kent County High School Kent County High School (KCHS) is a public school located in Worton, Maryland in Kent County. It is the only high school within Kent County, is part of the Kent County Public Schools district, and serves students from ninth through twelfth grade ...
*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 The Echo Hill Outdoor School was founded in 1972 by Peter P. Rice Jr. and is located near Betterton in Kent County on Maryland's Eastern Shore Eastern Shore may refer to: * Eastern Shore (Nova Scotia), a region * Eastern Shore (electoral distri ...
*Radcliffe Creek School * Washington College *
Chesapeake College Chesapeake College is a public community college with its main campus in Wye Mills, Maryland and a satellite campus in Cambridge. It was the first regional community college in the state and serves the five Mid-Shore counties: Caroline, Dorche ...
(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 Galena, also called lead glance, is the natural mineral form of lead(II) sulfide (PbS). It is the most important ore of lead and an important source of silver. Galena is one of the most abundant and widely distributed sulfide minerals. It cryst ...
* Millington (partly in
Queen Anne's County Queen Anne's County is located on the Eastern Shore of the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the population was 49,874. Its county seat and most populous municipality is Centreville. The census-designated place of Stevensville i ...
) * Rock Hall


Census-designated places

The United States Census Bureau recognizes the following Census-designated places in Kent County: * Butlertown * Edesville * Fairlee * Georgetown * Kennedyville * 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 Lynch may refer to: Places Australia * Lynch Island, South Orkney Islands, Antarctica * Lynch Point, Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica * Lynch's Crater, Queensland, Australia England * River Lynch, Hertfordshire * The Lynch, an island in the River ...
*
Massey Massey may refer to: Places Canada * Massey, Ontario * Massey Island, Nunavut New Zealand * Massey, New Zealand, an Auckland suburb United States * Massey, Alabama * Massey, Iowa * Massey, Maryland People * Massey (surname) Education ...
*
Pomona Pomona may refer to: Places Argentina * Pomona, Río Negro Australia * Pomona, Queensland, Australia, a town in the Shire of Noosa * Pomona, New South Wales, Australia Belize * Pomona, Belize, a municipality in Stann Creek District Mexico ...
* Sassafras * Sharpstown * Tolchester Beach


Museums and theatres


Sumner Hall
Honors the service of African American Civil War veterans of the Charles Summer Post # 25, Grand Army of the Republic
Church Hill Theatre

The Mainstay

The Garfield Center for the Arts

Betterton Heritage Museum
located in the Betterton Community Hall . Hand carved decoys are on display.
Massey Air Museum
a living airport museum reminiscent of rural airports of bygone era. See a collection of vintage aircraft and artifacts.
Waterman's Museum
On display are a fishing shanty and artifacts from the early days of oystering, crabbing and fishing.
Eastern Neck
A National Wildlife Refuge Located at the mouth of the Chester River. The 2,285 acre island provides a natural habitat for many species of migratory birds. * African American Schoolhouse, Worton. Interpretive panel and exterior viewing only of a one-room schoolhouse originally built as a church in 1890. *Kent Museum, Kennedyville. Local agriculture and domestic life is represented here.


Notable people

* John Cadwalader (1742-1786), Quaker commander during the American Revolutionary War. Served at Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown and Monmouth. * Captain Lambert Wickes- One of the senior officers of the Continental Navy in the opening years of the Revolution. Noted for his daring raids on British shipping. He took Benjamin Franklin to France in 1776. *
R. Clayton Mitchell Jr. R. Clayton 'Clay' Mitchell Jr. (April 16, 1936 – June 13, 2019) was an American politician and the Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates in the United States. Background Mitchell was born in Chestertown on Maryland's Eastern Shore in ...
(1936 – 2019),
Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates The Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates presides as speaker over the House of Delegates in the state of Maryland in the United States. List of speakers Footnotes References Maryland State Archives - House of Delegates Records ...
, 1986–1993. President of the Kent County Commissioners, 1966–1970. Member of the Maryland House of Delegates, 1970–1993. *
John Needles John Needles (1786–1878) was an active Quaker and noted Maryland abolitionist. He was also a master craftsman of fine furniture. Early life John Needles was born on October 4, 1786 to Edward and Mary (Lamb) Needles. They lived on a farm in t ...
(1786 – 1878), Quaker abolitionist and a master craftsman of fine furniture *
James M. Cain James Mallahan Cain (July 1, 1892 – October 27, 1977) was an American novelist, journalist and screenwriter. He is widely regarded as a progenitor of the hardboiled school of American crime fiction. His novels ''The Postman Always Rings Twice ...
(1892 – 1977), author and journalist lived in Chestertown and taught at Washington College. He published his first novel "The Postman Always Rings Twice" in 1934, it became a movie in 1946. Double Indemnity was filmed in 1949 and in 1945 Mildred Pierce was released.


Miscellaneous

*The newspaper of record is th
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. In 1967, there was full and complete integration in Kent County. Construction plans delayed the opening the desegregated high school 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 of 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 This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Kent County, Maryland. This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Kent County, Maryland, United St ...


References


External links


Kent County government
{{authority control Maryland counties 1642 establishments in Maryland Populated places established in 1642 Maryland counties on the Chesapeake Bay