The Chester River is a major tributary of the
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay ( ) is the largest estuary in the United States. The Bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula (including the parts: the ...
on the
Delmarva Peninsula. It is about long,
[U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data]
The National Map
, accessed April 1, 2011 and its watershed encompasses , which includes of land. Thus the total watershed area is 20% water. It forms the border between
Kent County and
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 Stevensvil ...
,
Maryland, with its headwaters extending into
New Castle County and
Kent County,
Delaware
Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacen ...
.
Chestertown, the seat of Maryland's
Kent County, is located on its north shore. It is located south of the
Sassafras River and north of
Eastern Bay, and is connected with Eastern Bay through
Kent Narrows.
The Chester River begins at
Millington, Maryland, where Cypress Branch and Andover Branch join together. It ends at the
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay ( ) is the largest estuary in the United States. The Bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula (including the parts: the ...
in a very wide mouth between Love Point on
Kent Island, and Swan Point, near
Gratitude, Maryland. Cypress Branch rises in southwestern
New Castle County,
Delaware
Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacen ...
, and Andover Branch, with its tributary, Sewell Branch, rises in northwestern
Kent County,
Delaware
Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacen ...
.
Millington is the head of navigation. Sewell Branch and Andover Branch join in a private impoundage of approximately about two miles (3 km) above joining with Cypress Branch and then becoming the Chester River.
Its main tributaries are Langford Creek and Morgan Creek on the north side and the
Corsica River
The Corsica River is a tidal river in Queen Anne's County in the U.S. state of Maryland. The river begins near Centreville and empties into the Chester River.
Variant names
The United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological S ...
and Southeast Creek on the south side. There are also several small creeks on the northern shore, including Church Creek, Grays Inn Creek, Shippen Creek, Jarrett Creek, Browns Creek, Broad Creek, Dam Creek, Morgan Creek, Radcliffe Creek, and Mills Branch. On the southern shore the small creeks include Queenstown Creek, Tilghman Creek, Reed Creek, Grove Creek, Hambleton Creek, Rosin Creek, Foreman Branch and Unicorn Branch.
History
Local lore has it that in 1774, colonists boarded a British ship anchored in the Chester River at Chester Town, also called New Town on Chester, and threw its load of
tea overboard, mimicking the
Boston Tea Party and its act of defiance against King
George III. This came to be known as the
Chestertown Tea Party.
While primary source documents show that Chestertown residents did have at least one meeting to discuss the presence of tea aboard the locally owned merchantman ''Geddes'', and later the residents sent food to aid the blockaded Bostonians, contemporaneous source material has yet to be found.
References
*United States Geological Survey. 7.5 minute series topographic quadrangles.
Chesapeake Bay Program Watershed ProfileLower Chester River
Chesapeake Bay Program Watershed ProfileMiddle Chester River
Chesapeake Bay Program Watershed ProfileUpper Chester River
External links
Chester River AssociationMaryland DNR's Surf Your Watershed: Lower Chester River
Maryland DNR's Surf Your Watershed: Middle Chester River
Maryland DNR's Surf Your Watershed: Upper Chester River
{{Coord, 39, 2, 1.87, N, 76, 11, 43.21, W, type:river_scale:100000_region:US-MD, display=title
Tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay
Rivers of Maryland
Rivers of Kent County, Maryland
Rivers of Queen Anne's County, Maryland