NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Kent Island, Maryland

Kent Island is the largest island in the Chesapeake Bay, and a historic place in Maryland. To the east, a narrow channel known as the Kent Narrows barely separates the island from the Delmarva Peninsula, and on the other side, the island is separated from Sandy Point, an area near Annapolis, by roughly four miles (6.4 km) of water. At only four miles wide, the main waterway of the bay is at its narrowest at this point and is spanned here by the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. The Chester River runs to the north of the island and empties into the Chesapeake Bay at Kent Island's Love Point. To the south of the island lies Eastern Bay. Image File history File links This image was cropped from a 1970 map of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area found at http://www. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... Image File history File links Map_of_Maryland_highlighting_Kent_Island. ... Image File history File links Map_of_Maryland_highlighting_Kent_Island. ... Chesapeake Bay - Landsat photo Chesapeake Bay where the Susquehanna River empties into it. ... Official language(s) None Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Area Ranked 42nd - Total 12,417 sq. ... Delmarva Peninsula map The Delmarva Peninsula is a large peninsula on the East Coast of the United States, occupied by portions of three U.S. states: Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. ... Motto: Vixi Liber Et Moriar (I have lived, and I shall die, free) Nickname: Americas Sailing Capital , Naptown, San Diego East, Dogtown Map Political Statistics Founded 1649 Incorporated 1708 County Anne Arundel County Mayor Ellen O. Moyer (Dem) Geographic Statistics Area - Total - Land - Water 19. ... The Chesapeake Bay Bridge, known locally as the Bay Bridge and officially as the William Preston Lane, Jr. ... The Chester River is a River Flowing throught the Eastern shore of Maryland. ...

Kent Island is part of Queen Anne's County, Maryland and Maryland's Eastern Shore region. The first English establishment on the island was founded in 1631, making it the oldest English settlement within the present day state of Maryland, and the third oldest permanent English settlement in the United States, after Jamestown, Virginia and Plymouth, Massachusetts [1]. The census-designated places of Stevensville, and Chester are located on the island, along with several other communities, including the fishing community of Kent Narrows, which is located partially on the island. Although all of Kent Island's communities are unincorporated, Stevensville and Chester are often considered towns due to them having many of the charachteristics of most towns. Queen Annes County is a county located on the Eastern Shore of the U.S. state of Maryland. ... The Eastern Shore of Maryland is composed of the states nine counties east of Chesapeake Bay. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the United Kingdom (light green), with the Republic of Ireland (blue) to its west Languages None official English de facto Capital None official London de facto Largest city London Area â€“ Total Ranked... // Events February 5 - Roger Williams emigrates to Boston. ... Jamestown was established in 1607, on the James River in Virginia, in what is currently James City County, about 45 miles (70 kilometers) southeast of where Richmond, Virginia, is now located. ... Plymouth is a town located in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. ... A census-designated place (CDP) is an area identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical reporting. ... Stevensville is a census-designated place located in Queen Annes County, Maryland. ... Chester is a census-designated place located in Queen Annes County, Maryland. ... Kent Narrows is a census-designated place and town in Queen Annes County, Maryland, United States. ... In United States law, a region of land is unincorporated if it is not a part of any municipality. ...

History

Early and Colonial

Prior to European colonization, the island was inhabited by the Matapeake tribe, members of the Algonquian nation who the Matapeake area of Kent Island is named after. Other tribes that inhabited the area and often visited the island included the Ozinies and Monoponson who share their name with the Algonquian name for the island, Monoponson. During the 16th and 17th centuries, early explorers of the Chesapeake Bay, including Captain John Smith, were the first Europeans to see Kent Island, however, it wasn't until August of 1631 that the island became an English settlement. At that time, William Claiborne, a friend of John Smith's, founded a settlement near the southern end of the island for the purpose of trading with Native Americans, and named the island after his birthplace of Kent, England. Following the formation of the Province of Maryland, Claiborne continued to recognize the island as part of his home colony of Virginia while Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore recognized it as part of Maryland. Claiborne was forced from, and returned to the island twice before leaving permanently in 1658, thus ending the disputes [2]. Algonquian Indians are one of the most populous and widespread North American Native groups, with tribes originally numbering in the hundreds, and hundreds of thousands who still identify with various Algonquian peoples. ... Pre-contact distribution of Algonquian languages The Algonquian (also Algonkian) languages are a subfamily of Native American languages that includes most of the languages in the Algic language family (the two Algic languages that are not Algonquian are Wiyot and Yurok of northwestern California). ... Captain John Smith John Smith (1580â€“1631) was an English soldier, sailor, and author. ... Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents of Earth which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiographic one, leading to various perspectives about Europes borders. ... August is the eighth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... // Events February 5 - Roger Williams emigrates to Boston. ... William Charles Cole Claiborne (1775 - 23 November 1817) was a United States politican, best known as the first U.S. governor of Louisiana. ... An Atsina named Assiniboin Boy Photo by Edward S. Curtis. ... Kent is a county in England, south-east of London. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the United Kingdom (light green), with the Republic of Ireland (blue) to its west Languages None official English de facto Capital None official London de facto Largest city London Area â€“ Total Ranked... The Province of Maryland was one of the 13 colonies that went on to establish the United States. ... The 1609 charter for the Virginia colony from sea to sea The Virginia Colony refers to the English colony in North America that existed during the 17th and 18th centuries before the American Revolution. ... The Lord Baltimore CÃ¦cilius (Cecil) Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore (August 8, 1605 â€“ November 30, 1675), inherited the grant by Charles I of England of the new colony of Maryland on the death of his father George in 1632. ...

Industrial Revolution

Until the 19th century, Kent Island was used almost entirely for farming. This began to change around the time of the Industrial Revolution. In 1850, the town of Stevensville was founded after the sale of farms owned by James and Charles Stevens, and prospered as a major hub for steamboat travel across the Chesapeake Bay. Stevensville was also the home of a railroad station, known as the Stevensville Train Depot, that was located near the western end of a railroad that carried ferry passengers to other parts of the Eastern Shore. Also during this time, small resorts on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean became common in the area. Such a resort existed at Love Point, to the north of Stevensville. A Watt steam engine in Madrid. ... 1850 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Stevensville is a census-designated place located in Queen Annes County, Maryland. ... This is the top-level page of WikiProject trains Rail tracks Rail transport refers to the land transport of passengers and goods along railways or railroads. ... The Pride of Rotterdam, One of the P&O Ferriess Flagships operating the Hull-Rotterdam Route A ferry is a boat or a ship carrying passengers, and sometimes their vehicles, on scheduled services. ...

Twentieth century

As roads replaced railroads and steamboats into the 20th century, there was a growing need for a road bridge connecting the two shores of the Chesapeake Bay. In 1952 the Chesapeake Bay Bridge was completed, connecting the island directly to the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The bridge completely replaced the steamboat system and also led to further growth of Kent Island and the rest of the Eastern Shore. In 1973, In order to accommodate growing traffic across the bay, the bridge was expanded with an additional span built next to the existing one. Then, in the late 1980s and early 1990s U.S. Route 50 was converted to a freeway across the island. The official U.S. Census Bureau-designated Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV Combined Statistical Area. ... MAJOR JUNCTIONS JUNCTION MILEPOST Legend BROWSE STATE HWYS CA: CA-49 CA-51 U.S. Highway 50 is an east-west United States highway. ... High-capacity freeway interchange in Los Angeles, California. ...

Recent history

In September 2003, Kent Island was one of the many places in the Chesapeake Bay Area affected by Hurricane Isabel. Local businesses and historic local landmarks were either damaged or destroyed in the storm and the storm surge caused by it. Much of the damage from the hurricane, mostly caused by flooding, took several months to repair. 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Hurricane Isabel was the ninth named storm, the fifth hurricane, the second major hurricane, and the only Category 5 hurricane of the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season. ... ...

Today, Kent Island is considered a suburb of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area and is home to over 16,000 residents ^{[citation needed]}. The combined area of the Stevensville and Chester CDPs has over 9,000 residents (as of the 2000 US census). Many have relocated from the Washington, D.C. or Baltimore metro areas and continue to commute back there. Stevensville and Chester are also among the most densly populated areas of the Eastern Shore, and the most densly populated in Queen Anne's County, making up 24% of it's population and only 3.5% of its land area. Housing subdivision near Union, Kentucky, a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio. ... The official U.S. Census Bureau-designated Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-VA-WV Combined Statistical Area. ... 1870 US Census for New York City A census is the process of obtaining information about every member of a population (not necessarily a human population). ... Nickname: the District Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Official website: http://www. ... This article is about the city in the US state of Maryland. ... World map of the population density in 2006 Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. ...

Historic Places

As of 2006, many of the island's historic places have been preserved and are highlighted by the Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway and the American Discovery Trail, both of which pass through the island. Several buildings on the island that are still left over from the 19th century and earlier include the Cray House, a rare remaining example of post and plank construction, the old Stevensville post office (left, yellow building in center), Christ Episcopal Church, and the Stevensville Train Depot (right). Stevensville's historic district along with some of the buildings in the town are on the National Register of Historic Places [3]. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1737x1188, 750 KB) Summary Downtown w:Stevensville, Maryland. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1737x1188, 750 KB) Summary Downtown w:Stevensville, Maryland. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1737x1145, 772 KB) Summary A restored 1902 train station in w:Stevensville, Maryland. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1737x1145, 772 KB) Summary A restored 1902 train station in w:Stevensville, Maryland. ... The Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway is a National Scenic Byway on Marylands Eastern Shore region. ... The American Discovery Trail is a coast-to-coast hiking trail across the mid-tier of the United States. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in Washington DC is the National Cathedral of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. ... The National Register of Historic Places is the USAs official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects worthy of preservation. ...

Transportation

Roads

The main mode of transportation on Kent Island, as with most other suburban areas of the United States, is by car. Kent Island's main roads include US 50/US 301 and Maryland Routes 8, 18, and 552. Maryland Routes 802 and 835A are also on Kent Island and serve as minor roads. MAJOR JUNCTIONS JUNCTION MILEPOST Legend BROWSE STATE HWYS CA: CA-49 CA-51 U.S. Highway 50 is an east-west United States highway. ... U.S. Route 301 is a spur of U.S. Route 1. ... Routes junctioned Termini are bolded Highways in Maryland Numbered highways - State highways - Minor state highways Maryland Route 8, which is also known as Buissiness Parkway north of US 50/US 301 and Romancoke Road south of US 50/US 301, is a north/south Maryland state highway located entirely on... Routes junctioned Termini are bolded Highways in Maryland Numbered highways - State highways - Minor state highways Maryland Route 18 runs for 20 miles through Queen Annes County, Maryland, and for much of its length it is known as Main Street, serving as the Main Street for the towns it connects. ... // MD 727 Maryland Route 727 is a former alignment of North Street in Elkton. ... Maryland Route 835 is an unsigned state highway in Queen Annes County, Maryland that mostly follows Maryland Route 18. ...

Trails

The original section of the Cross Island Trail, a walking and biking trail on Kent Island, was built in the late 1990s, as part of Queen Anne's County's portion of the American Discovery Trail, the full trail was completed in 2001. A country trail, formed by wheels of vehicles. ... The 1990s decade refers to the years from 1990 to 1999, inclusive. ... The American Discovery Trail is a coast-to-coast hiking trail across the mid-tier of the United States. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ...

By the time the Cross Island Trail was completed, growing concern over the safety of pedestrians using the shoulder of Route 8 prompted the construction of a new trail paralleling the road. When completed, the trail, known as the Kent Island South Trail, will run from Romancoke Pier at the southern end of Route 8, heading north and crossing the road in Matapeake, near Matapeake Elementary and Middle Schools. From there it will pass through Mobray Park, then over Route 50, through Stevensville and will end at the Cross Island Trail in Old Love Point Park. Romancoke is an unincorporated community on Kent Island in Maryland, located at the southern end of Maryland Route 8. ...

Both the Cross Island and Kent Island South Trails are part of a planned trail system for Queen Anne's County, the entire Cross Island Trail and the existing sections of the Kent Island South Trail represent the only completed portions of the system.

Connections to the Mainland

The bridges that currently connect Kent Island to the mainland, or once did, are as follows: Download high resolution version (1391x973, 134 KB) This work is copyrighted. ... Download high resolution version (1391x973, 134 KB) This work is copyrighted. ... The Chesapeake Bay Bridge, known locally as the Bay Bridge and officially as the William Preston Lane, Jr. ... This article is about the edifice (it is primarily an index to articles concerning specific bridge types). ...

Local airports on the island serve as another type of connection to the mainland. The largest is the Bay Bridge Airport, located near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Prior to the construction of the Bay Bridge, ferry services connected the island directly to Baltimore, Annapolis, and the small peninsula on which St. Michaels is located. Some of the piers that were used as part of the ferry service are still used for fishing. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge, known locally as the Bay Bridge and officially as the William Preston Lane, Jr. ... Motto: Vixi Liber Et Moriar (I have lived, and I shall die, free) Nickname: Americas Sailing Capital , Naptown, San Diego East, Dogtown Map Political Statistics Founded 1649 Incorporated 1708 County Anne Arundel County Mayor Ellen O. Moyer (Dem) Geographic Statistics Area - Total - Land - Water 19. ... Delmarva Peninsula map The Delmarva Peninsula is a large peninsula on the East Coast of the United States, occupied by portions of three U.S. states: Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. ... {{BridgeTypePix| |type_name= Bascule bridge |image=MovableBridge_draw. ... Grasonville is a census-designated place located in Queen Annes County, Maryland. ... The Pride of Rotterdam, One of the P&O Ferriess Flagships operating the Hull-Rotterdam Route A ferry is a boat or a ship carrying passengers, and sometimes their vehicles, on scheduled services. ... A view of the Baltimore skyline from above. ... Peninsula A peninsula (from Latin paene insula, almost island) is a geographical formation consisting of an extension of land from a larger body, surrounded by water on three sides. ... St. ... Fishing is the activity of hunting for fish. ...

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