Chestertown in Kent County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
A County Seat
Establishing a county government is the first step for people building a stable community and a strong trade economy.
The first Kent County Courthouse was located at New Yarmouth, a 17th-century settlement abandoned when county lines were changed in 1706, That year, a new county seat was established at Chestertown (then known as "New Town") and its courthouse was built on this site. In 1860, the old colonial courthouse was torn down and replaced with the current building; its construction date can be seen above the door.
In early plantation days, tobacco was the common medium of exchange. It took 55,000 pounds of tobacco to rebuild the courthouse after a fire in 1719.
A complex Legacy
Country records house here span 350 years. They include land deeds, wills, court decisions and certificates of freedom given to manumitted slaves.
The Courthouse hosted public meetings at pivotal moments in American History. In 1774, patriots met to protest importation of tea from Britain. During the Civil War, General (and future U.S.president) James A. Garfield delivered a pro-Union speech here; disgruntled locals expressed their own views by pelting him with eggs and rotten vegetables. The building has a darker legacy. Slaves seized to pay their masters' debts were once auctioned off on the granite steps at your right. In 1892, 24-year-old James Taylor, a black man, was dragged from a cell by a mob of local whites and lynched nearby.
This Church Made History
As Chestertown grew, so did the need for a larger church. In 1772, parishioners built a new Anglican house of worship on a lot deeded from courthouse land. Chester Parish Church, as it was called, made religious history in 1780, when, in the spirit of the Revolution, clergymen met here and renounced the term "Church of England" in favor of "Protestant Episcopal Church" -- a name later adopted throughout the United States. In 1882, the building was substantially remodeled and consecrated under its current name, Emmanuel Church.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Churches & Religion • Colonial Era • War, US Revolutionary. A significant historical year for this entry is 1706.
Location. 39° 12.546′ N, 76° 3.95′ W. Marker is in Chestertown, Maryland, in Kent County. Marker is on Park Row. Marker in front of the Old Kent County Courthouse. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Chestertown MD 21620, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Memorial (a few steps from this marker); Common Cause (a few steps from this marker); White & Black, Blue & Gray (within shouting distance of this marker); Tercentenary Celebration (within shouting distance of this marker); Civil War Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); American Revolution Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); War of 1812 Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); In Memory of More Than 400 Prominent United States Colored Troops from Kent County (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chestertown.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 19, 2022. It was originally submitted on January 25, 2013, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. This page has been viewed 568 times since then and 6 times this year. Last updated on November 24, 2021, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. Photos: 1. submitted on January 25, 2013, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. 2. submitted on January 11, 2022, by Adam Margolis of Mission Viejo, California. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. submitted on January 25, 2013, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.