Historic Map - Chestertown, MD - 1907

View of Chestertown, Kent County, M.D., 1907 / drawn & published by Fowler & Kelly.

This bird’s-eye view print of Chestertown, Maryland was drawn by T. M. Fowler and published by Fowler & Kelly in 1907. Chestertown was established in the early 1700's along the Chester River. The community quickly became a large transportation center for products produced throughout the region. Its river access enabled shipments to easily move into Chesapeake Bay for transport to Baltimore or overseas destinations.

Chestertown’s Washington College was the country’s first college to be chartered after America’s independence. George Washington served on the school’s Board of Visitors and Governors. One famous graduate of Washington College was George Alfred Townsend, who became a valuable news correspondent during the American Civil War. Townsend’s sentiments of the Chestertown area were aptly reflected in his poem Chester River.

Chester River

“Wise is the wild duck winging straight to thee, River of summer; from the cold Arctic sea, Coming like his fathers for centuries, to seek The sweet, salt pastures of the far Chesapeake.

Swift ‘twixt thy capes like sunset’s purple coves, Shallow the channel glides through silent oyster groves, Round Kent’s ancient isle by beeches brown, Cleaving the fruity farms to hustling Chestertown.

Still like thy water-fowl yearly do I yearn In memory’s migration once more to return, Where the dear old college from the gentle ridge O’erlooks the sunny village, the river and bridge.

On the pier decrepit I do loiter yet, With my crafty crab lines and my homespun net, Till the silver fishes in pools of twilight swam, And stars played round my bait in the coves of calm.

Sweet were the Chinquapins growing by thy brink, Sweet the cool spring water in the gourd to drink, Beautiful the lilies when the tide declined, As if night receding had left some stars behind.

But when the peach tints vanished from the plain, Or struggled no longer the shad against the seine, Every reed in thy marsh unto music stirred, And to gold it blossomed in a singing bird.

Silent the otter, stealing by the moon Through the marshy places, hears the howl of the loon: Motionless the setter in the dawnlight gray, Shows the happy hidden cove where the wild ducks play.

Homely are thy boatmen, venturing no more In their dusky pungies than to Baltimore. Happy when the freshet from northern mountains sweeps, And strews the bay with lumber like wrecks upon the deep.

From the mightier Empire of the solid land, A pilgrim infrequent I seek thy fertile strand, And with a calm affection would wish my grave to be Where falls the Chester to the bay, the bay unto the sea.”

by George Alfred Townsend.

The map includes labeled streets, waterways, buildings, bridges and railroad routes. There are featured inset illustrations of the following

• Court House.
• The Old Custom House more than 200 years old.
• Second National Bank.
• Kent News Building.
• Mercantile Establishment of Arlington L. Sparks, Dry Goods, Notions and Millinery.
• Public School.
• Washington College. William Smith Hall. West Hall. Middle Hall. East Hall. Normal Hall.
• Episcopal Church.
• A. M. E. Church.
• Roman Catholic Church.
• Methodist E. Church.
• Methodist Prot. Church.
• Chestertown Houses said to be over 200 years old.
• J. D. Lucas, Clothing and Gents Furnishing Goods.
• The Enterprise Printery. L. Bates Russell, Proprietor.
• Anthracite and Bituminous Coal, under cover. J. D. Bacchus. Established 1882.
• W. S. & A. M. Culp, Planing Mill & Lumber Yard. General Contractors and Builders.