Chestertown in Kent County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Steamboats on the Chester River
Echo Hill Outdoor School
For over a century—from April 1821 to December 1923—passenger and freight steamboats played a major role in the life of the Chester River and Chestertown. In the era before highways, bridges and railroads, steamers offered reliable, regularly scheduled operations with on-time arrivals that were widely used by farmers and watermen along the Chester to send their products to market in Baltimore. Passengers regularly used the boats to visit friends and relatives in the city and to shop there. On their return voyages, the steamers carried items not readily available on the rural Upper Shore, such as manufactured goods, building materials, medicine, and other items. It is no exaggeration to say that they were a lifeline for the region. The last passenger and freight steamboat to operate regularly to Chestertown tied up on December 27, 1923.
"She may be justly regarded as a model boat, and her accommodations are ample…"
Quote from the Kent News about the B.S. Ford
April 13, 1861
Fun Facts with the Captain
Steamboats of the Chester River Steamboat Company operated year-round in all kinds of weather and battled storms, fog, and ice and withstood competition from several other companies.
The B.S. Ford of the Chester
this page online
Erected by Echo Hill Outdoor School.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Animals • Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical date for this entry is December 27, 1923.
Location. 39° 12.352′ N, 76° 3.801′ W. Marker is in Chestertown, Maryland, in Kent County. It is on Cannon Street east of High Street, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 98 Cannon St, Chestertown MD 21620, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on the Eastern Shore. It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic, on the Delmarva Peninsula, in the Tidewater, and in the Chesapeake Bay Region. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies and also the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Annie D (here, next to this marker); Tomorrow's Chesapeake Bay (here, next to this marker); Scott's Point (here, next to this marker); Stanley Vansant (here, next to this marker); Bateau Ric (here, next to this marker); About Us (a few steps from this marker); Elsworth (a few steps from this marker); Gilbert Byron (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Chestertown.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 26, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 26, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 205 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 26, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
