Chestertown Tea Party Society

The Children of the American Revolution is an active children's patriotic, hereditary organization that has local societies all over the United States. Any boy or girl under the age of twenty-one who is a direct descendant of a man or woman who rendered loyal service to the cause of American Independence is eligible for membership in C.A.R. The organization strives to train good citizens, develop leaders and promote love of the United States of America and it's heritage among young people.

This one hundred and five year organization was started by Harriet Lothrop, the author of The Five Little Peppers while she was regent of a Daughters of the American Revolution chapter in Massachusetts. Chapters of the Daughters or Sons of the American Revolution may sponsor a C.A.R. Society. Today there are more than 8,000 members in all but a very few states.

When the Society was reorganized, its name was changed to Chester Tea Party so that its name would be associated with the American Revolution. The present Society's six members were enrolled on October 16, 1989. The Society has received Gold Merit Awards for eight years including Outstanding Society in the Nation 2001-2002

Approximately five months after the Boston Tea Party, irate Kent Countians boarded Port Collector William Geddes' brigantine and tossed the detested tea into the Chester River on May 23, 1774, in sympathy with the Bostonians. In recent years, thousands enjoy the annual Tea Party Festival during Memorial Day Weekend. The Society is named for the 1774 historical event and not the modern festival.

Chestertown Tea Party is an active Society on local, state and national levels. For eight consecutive years, it has earned both state and national Gold Metal Awards. Its members hold state chairmanships and offices. The Society receives a wide array of awards at State Conference and an occasional one at National Convention. Members enjoy marching in the Tea Party Parade, placing flowers at the grave of William Paca, a Signer of the Declaration of Independence, on July 4th and carrying flags at the Massing of the Colors at the Naval Academy. They take an active part in Maryland C.A.R. State Conference.

This Society works to carry out the State and National Themes and Projects whether it is Maryland Eat Your Spinach, Build Bridges to the Future, Light the Future or The Spirit of America. To do so, we have washed the engines at the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum, sorted archaeological finds at Londontowne, planted daffodil bulbs off I-95 and done landscaping at the State Archives Building.

Chestertown Tea Party usually meets nine times a year including a swimming party and a field trip. Members have fun while learning about our country, the people, places and events that have resulted in the Spirit of America.

From about 1951 to 1977, Old Kent Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution sponsored the Kitty Knight Society, Children of the American Revolution. It was a small but active and viable society for a number of years. Two of its Senior Society Presidents presently have grandchildren who are members of the Chestertown Tea Party Society. The Kitty Knight Society won awards and hosted C.A.R. State Conference at Washington College in Chestertown. Kitty Knight was a brave, feisty young woman who lived in Georgetown, Maryland. When the British proposed to burn her house during the War of 1812, she refused to leave. She succeeded in preventing their burning her house and that of a nearby, old lady who was ill.