An 18th-century jewel on Maryland's Eastern Shore, Chestertown dates to 1706 when it served as a thriving Mid-Atlantic port and prosperous shipbuilding and trading center. From its perch on the banks of the Chester River, the town today boasts a treasure trove of perfectly preserved 18th- and 19th-century homes that once belonged to Chestertown's wealthy merchants. The historic buildings are the backdrop for visitors who enjoy ambling along red-brick sidewalks, peeking over garden walls and exploring antique shops, galleries, specialty stores and sidewalk cafes. Among the town's finest historic buildings are the Hynson-Ringgold House, renowned for its unusual antler staircase and hip roof, and Wide Hall, a masterpiece of Georgian architecture built in 1769 by Thomas Smyth, Kent County's most prosperous merchant and an illustrious Revolutionary War figure. The "Custom House," dating from the 1740s and known for its intricate Flemish Bond brickwork, stands beside the public dock at the foot of High Street. Chestertown's popular Tea Time House Tour, sponsored each October by the Historical Society of Kent County, offers visitors the chance to steal a look into many spectacular homes. During Memorial Day weekend, history comes to life at the annual Chestertown Tea Party, where re-enactors celebrate the events of May 23, 1774, when, as oral tradition has it, local residents boarded the brigantine Geddes and consigned its shipment of tea to the depths of the river. For outdoor enthusiasts, Chestertown has it all -- kayaking and boating on the Chester River and hiking and biking along the drop-dead gorgeous Chesapeake Coast.

For these reasons, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the country's largest private, nonprofit preservation organization, today named Chestertown, Md., to its 2007 list of America's Dozen Distinctive Destinations, an annual list of unique and lovingly preserved communities in the United States. Chestertown was selected from 63 destinations in 27 states that were nominated by individuals, preservation organizations and local communities.

"Chestertown is a treasure hidden in plain sight," said Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. "A small, historic and relatively unspoiled Eastern Shore town, Chestertown had the good sense to hang on to what makes it so special. The result is a vibrant community that offers travelers an ideal retreat."