Kingston, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kingston
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Location of Kingston in DeKalb County, Illinois.
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Location of Illinois in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | DeKalb |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.01 sq mi (2.61 km2) |
| • Land | 0.98 sq mi (2.55 km2) |
| • Water | 0.03 sq mi (0.07 km2) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,108 |
| • Density | 1,126.02/sq mi (434.83/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code(s) |
60145
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| Area code(s) | 815 |
| FIPS code | 17-40065 |
Kingston is a small village located in DeKalb County, Illinois, in the United States. In 2020, about 1,108 people lived there. This was a slight decrease from 1,164 people in 2010.
Contents
History of Kingston
Kingston was first settled in 1835 by the Pottawatomie Native American tribe. It was one of the earliest communities in DeKalb County. The first post office opened in 1837, with Levi Lee as the postmaster.
The village of Kingston officially began in 1875. This happened when the Chicago & Pacific railroad built tracks and a train station there. The station was on land owned by Lyman Stuart, an early settler. Lyman and his brother, James Stuart, even paid to move a church called Pleasant Hill to the new village site. They planned out the village in May 1876.
In January 1886, a big fire destroyed several wooden buildings on Main Street. A farmer named John Uplinger offered to build new brick buildings if the citizens voted to make Kingston an official village. In May 1886, people voted, and 69 people said yes to becoming a village, while 17 said no.
Lyman Stuart started a lumber yard in 1876. John Uplinger bought it in 1882. After John Uplinger passed away in 1892, his son, B. F. "Frank" Uplinger, took over. Frank built a grain elevator in 1892. He also sold coal and salt. In 1921, he sold his business to the Kingston Farmers Cooperative. Frank's brother, John H. Uplinger, owned a hardware store and sold farm tools. He also worked as the postmaster. Another brother, Charles Uplinger, ran the meat market.
The citizens voted for a public school in 1879, which opened in 1881. Sadly, it burned down in 1895. A second school opened that same year, but it also burned down in 1954. Kingston got telephone service in 1898, indoor plumbing in 1910, and electricity in 1913.
Because two railroads passed through Kingston, it became a busy place for business. By the 1900s, Kingston had many different stores and services. These included a hardware store, department store, grocery, meat market, and a paint shop. There was also a hotel, bank, bakery, shoe store, barber shop, and a pool hall. Other businesses included a saloon, general store, creamery, and a funeral home. There was also a saw mill, coal and lumber yard, two blacksmith shops, and two places to keep horses. Kingston even had its own baseball team called The Kingston Tigers! Some of these businesses were destroyed in another big fire in 1908.
W. H. Bell, who was the village president, started the first Kingston Picnic. This picnic became an annual event. In 1912, when The Kingston Township Park opened, the picnic had a permanent home. The Kingston Picnic was held for over 100 years, celebrating its 100th anniversary in 1976.
Geography of Kingston
Kingston covers a total area of about 1.015 square miles (2.63 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 0.99 square miles (2.56 square kilometers), is land. A small part, about 0.025 square miles (0.065 square kilometers), is water.
People and Population
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 138 | — | |
| 1890 | 295 | 113.8% | |
| 1900 | 305 | 3.4% | |
| 1910 | 294 | −3.6% | |
| 1920 | 235 | −20.1% | |
| 1930 | 242 | 3.0% | |
| 1940 | 259 | 7.0% | |
| 1950 | 327 | 26.3% | |
| 1960 | 406 | 24.2% | |
| 1970 | 481 | 18.5% | |
| 1980 | 618 | 28.5% | |
| 1990 | 562 | −9.1% | |
| 2000 | 980 | 74.4% | |
| 2010 | 1,164 | 18.8% | |
| 2020 | 1,108 | −4.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
According to the 2020 census, 1,108 people lived in Kingston. There were 400 households and 301 families. The village had about 1,097 people per square mile.
Most of the people in Kingston (about 85.47%) were White. A small number were African American, Native American, or Asian. About 10.92% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
Out of the 400 households, about 40.8% had children under 18 living with them. Most households (61.75%) were married couples. About 20% of households were people living alone. The average household had about 3.37 people.
The average age of people in Kingston was 37.3 years. About 25.7% of the population was under 18 years old.
Education in Kingston
Kingston is part of the Genoa-Kingston Community Unit School District. This district also serves the nearby town of Genoa.
The district has four public schools:
- Genoa Elementary School (for Grades 3-5)
- Kingston Elementary School (for Grades K-2)
- Genoa-Kingston Middle School (for Grades 6-8)
- Genoa-Kingston High School (for Grades 9-12)
The school district's team name is the Cogs. This name is an acronym, meaning "Community of Genoa Schools." It also suggests teamwork, like cogs in a machine working together. Some local history says it stands for "Consolidation of Genoa Schools."
See also
In Spanish: Kingston (Illinois) para niños
