K-19

Chester House

Architectural Survey File

This is the architectural survey file for this MIHP record. The survey file is organized reverse-

chronological (that is, with the latest material on top). It contains all MIHP inventory forms, National

Register nomination forms, determinations of eligibility (DOE) forms, and accompanying documentation

such as photographs and maps.

Users should be aware that additional undigitized material about this property may be found in on-site

architectural reports, copies of HABS/HAER or other documentation, drawings, and the “vertical files” at

the MHT Library in Crownsville. The vertical files may include newspaper clippings, field notes, draft

versions of forms and architectural reports, photographs, maps, and drawings. Researchers who need a

thorough understanding of this property should plan to visit the MHT Library as part of their research

project; look at the MHT web site (mht.maryland.gov) for details about how to make an appointment.

All material is property of the Maryland Historical Trust.

Last Updated: 12-02-2019

K-19

K-19 Chester House mid-lQth century; 19th century

C h e s t e r t o w n

pr iva te

A rnodest mid-l8th century 3-bay Georgian br ick dwelling similar t o the Meeteer (K- l l ) and Perkins (K-l4) Houses down the s t r e e t , Chester House, a t the foot of the Chester River Pridge, has been through several s tages of fairly r ad i ca l re-modeling so tha t today i t i s a small masterpiece of ec lec t ic design—with a ca ta l ide roof, 19th century cornice and overhanging roof, and a stucco wing. The house i s in excel lent condition, i t s most recent fea ture , a spanking new cedar shingle roof.

MARYLAND HISTORICAL TRUST

K-19

INVENTORY FORM FOR STATE HISTORIC SITES SURVEY

NAME HISTORIC

AND/OR COMMON

Chester House K-19

LOCATION STREET & NUMBER

201 ' l a t e r S t r e e t CITY, TOWN CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

C h e s t e r t o w n ) VICINITY OF F i r s t

STATE COUNTY

Maryland Ken.t

CLASSIFICATION

CATEGORY

_DISTRICT

Z-BUILDINGIS)

—STRUCTURE

_SITE

—OBJECT

OWNERSHIP

—PUBLIC

X_PRIVATE

_BOTH

PUBLIC ACQUISIT ION

_ I N PROCESS

_BEING CONSIDERED

STATUS

^OCCUPIED

—UNOCCUPIED

—WORK IN PROGRESS

ACCESSIBLE —YES RESTRICTED

— YES: UNRESTRICTED

J^NO

PRESENT USE

AGRICULTURE

—COMMERCIAL

—EDUCATIONAL

—ENTERTAINMENT

GOVERNMENT

—INDUSTRIAL

—MIUTARY

—MUSEUM

—PARK

flPRIVATE RESIDENC!

— RELIGIOUS

—SCIENTIFIC

—TRANSPORTATION

—OTHER:

OWNER OF PROPERTY NAME

Thomas W. Huber T e l e p h o n e # : ~ STREET & NUMBER

201 Water 'S t reet CITY. TOWN STATE , Z i p COde Chestertown VICINITY OF Md. 21620

LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION L i b e r # : EHP 51 F o l i o # : 2 7 9 COURTHOUSE,

REGISTRY OF DEEDs,ETc Office of t h e County Clerk STREETS. NUMBER

Kent County C o u r t House CITY, TOWN STATE

Chestertown Md,

REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TITLE

none DATE

—FEDERAL _STATE _COUNTY _LOCAL

DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS

CITY, TOWN STATE

I DESCRIPTION K-19

CONDITION CHECK ONE CHECK ONE

' L E X C E L L E N T —DETERIORATED —UNALTERED ^ORIGfNAL SITE

—GOOD —RUINS A L T E R E D _ M O V E D DATE

—FAIR —UNEXPOSED

DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Chester House, located at the southeast corner of the intersect ion of Water S t ree t and Maple •'̂ venue a t the foot of the Chester River Bridge, i s very similar in i t s o r ig ina l conception to both the Meteer (K-l l ) and the Perkins (K-lU) Houses on Water S t r ee t , but i t has been a l te red several ti-ies such that i t i s novf an in t e r e s t i ng assortment of a rch i tec tura l s tyles and ideas ,

•'•he o r ig ina l bui lding i s a 2^-stori'"", 3 bay brick Georgian house irith a symmetrical facadej the facade i s l a i d in a l l header br ick. The sash in a l l of the vrindo^ws in the o r ig ina l sect ion of the house are 9/6, The houje s i t s on a stone foundation, has end chi.nneys (ijhich are T-shaped), There are segmental arches over the vfindo'ws and segmental sash in the gabled dormers on the (recently added) cedar shingle roof.

The a l t e r a t i o n s t o the house include a large cats l ide roof addition on the -water s ide , the addition and l a t e r removal of a single storj^ porch which ran around the house, the addi t ion of a tvm-story stucco vring to the eas t , and 19tn century cornice and roof overhang and 19th century door trim and i n t e r i o r .

CONTINUE ON SEPARATE SHEET IF NECESSARY

SIGNIFICANCE K-19

PERIOD

—PREHISTORIC

_ 1 4 0 0 - 1 4 9 9

_ 1 5 C X I 1 5 9 9

— 1600 1699

— 1 7 0 0 - 1 7 9 9

- 1 8 0 0 - 1 8 9 9

_ 1 9 0 0 -

AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE -

—ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC

—ARCHEOLOGY HISTORIC

AGRICULTURE

^-ARCHITECTURE

ART

— C O M M E R C E

COMMUNICATIONS

SPECIFIC DATES - i - ^ ' ' ^ h C-nt" ',T'J

— C O M M U N I T Y PLANNING

—CONSERVATION

—ECONOMICS

—EDUCATION

—ENGINEERING

- CHECK AND JUSTIFY BELOW

—LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

— L A W

—LITERATURE

—MILITARY

— M U S I C

—EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT —PHILOSOPHY

—INDUSTRY

—INVENTION

—POLITICS/GOVERNMENT

BUILDER/ARCHITECT

—RELIGION

—SCIENCE

—SCULPTURE

—SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN

—THEATER

—TRANSPORTATION

—OTHER (SPECIFYI

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

The o r i g i n a l s ec t ion of Chester House i s of l id - lS th centirry o r i g i n , contemporary v.'ith i t s s i s t e r houses , the Meeteer and Perk ins Houses. I t s a l t e r a t i o n s have made been so ex t ens ive t h a t the h o u s e ' s a r c h i t e c t u r a l i n t e r e s t now compares iri.th t h a t of t h e John K. Aldridge House (K-7) a t 103 '^feter S t r e e t : both a re »»f»i»»8si©H-^f express r e c o r d s of s e v e r a l succes s ive gene ra t ions of s t y l e and t a s t e .

CONTINUE ON SEPARATE SHEET I F NECESSARY

K-19

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES

CONTINUE ON SEPARATE SHEET I F NECESSARY

GEOGRAPHICAL DATA ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY

VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION Boginning at the south side of Front S t r ee t where the project ion of the li.ne i f the b r i c k wall on the southwest side of the l o t i n t e r s e c t s Front S t ree t and running thence by and with said projected l i ne of said brick wall and in a southeaster ly d i rec t ion 103 f e e t , 9 inches to the southeast end of said wal l ; thence at r ighr angles" to said l i n e and in a nor theas ter ly direct ion 6 feet with the l i n e of the lands about the Bridge Keeper'ss House of the Chester River Bridge (demolished); thence p a r a l l e l with the northeast l i n e of Maple Avenue and in a southeasterly direct ion about 63 feet to the wa te r s of the Chester River and in a nor theaster ly direction to the end of a l i n e drawn

LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY BOUNDARIES

p a r r a l l e l wi th t h e f i r s t l i n e he re in be ing the Eas t l i n e of the lands now or formerly of Mrs. M. I r e l a n d ; thence with the l i n e of s a i d I r e l a n d l o t and in a n o r t h w e s t e r l y d i r e c t i o n t o said Front S t r e e t ; thence with said Street and in a sou thwes te r ly d i r e c t i o n 134 f t 5 inches to the b b e g i n n i n g . COUNTY

FORM PREPARED BY NAME/TITLE

Robert Neill, Historic Sitee Surveyor ORGANIZATION DATE

Maryland Historical Trust / Town of Chestertown May, 1976 STREETS. NUMBER TELEPHONE

CITY OR TOWN STATE ' ~

The Maryland Historic Sites Inventory was officially created by an Act of the Maryland Legislature, to be found in the Annotated Code of Maryland, Article 41, Section 181 KA, 19 74 Supplement.

The Survey and Inventory are being prepared for information and record purposes only and do not constitute any infringe­ment of individual property rights.

RETURN TO: Maryland Historical Trust The Shaw House, 21 State Circle Annapolis, Maryland 21401 (301) 267-1438

K-19 Chester House 201 Water St. Chestertown Chestertown Quad. Kent County