kids encyclopedia robot

Kingston, Rhode Island facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Kingston, Rhode Island
Kingston, Rhode Island is located in Rhode Island
Kingston, Rhode Island
Kingston, Rhode Island
Location in Rhode Island
Kingston, Rhode Island is located in the United States
Kingston, Rhode Island
Kingston, Rhode Island
Location in the United States
Country United States
State Rhode Island
County Washington
Area
 • Total 1.56 sq mi (4.05 km2)
 • Land 1.56 sq mi (4.03 km2)
 • Water 0.007 sq mi (0.02 km2)
Elevation
246 ft (75 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 6,974
 • Density 4,471/sq mi (1,722.0/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
02881
Area code(s) 401
FIPS code 44-38980
GNIS feature ID 1217812
Kingston Village Historic District
Kings County Courthouse (Kingston Free Library).jpg
Kings County Court House (now a public library) where the Constitution was last voted against by Rhode Island in 1790
Area 470 acres
Architectural style Greek Revival, Late Victorian, Federal, Colonial
NRHP reference No. 74000011
Added to NRHP May 1, 1974
Kingston Rhode Island in 1900
Kingston in 1900 on Kingstown Road near the intersection of South Road, showing the village well
Washington County Jailhouse (Pettaquamscutt Historical Society)
Washington County Jail (1858 & 1861). This building housed prisoners awaiting trial in the county courthouse. It is the current home of the South County History Center.

Kingston is a village and a census-designated place within the town of South Kingstown in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States, and the site of the main campus of the University of Rhode Island. The population was 6,974 at the 2010 census. Much of the village center is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Kingston Village Historic District. It was originally known as Little Rest.

History

The village was originally called Little Rest, but was renamed Kingston in 1826. It was the county seat for Washington County (formerly Kings County) from 1752 until 1894, when a new courthouse was built in nearby West Kingston. West Kingston is also the site of the historic Kingston Railroad Station which opened in June, 1875. The station is served by Amtrak on its Northeast Corridor.

South Kingstown established the Kingston Historic District in 1959, and much of Kingston village became a National Register historic district in 1974 as Kingston Village Historic District. The historic district is located just outside the campus of the University of Rhode Island and contains many fine examples of 18th and 19th century architecture. The historic district includes 38 buildings.

The University of Rhode Island was established at Kingston in 1888 as the Rhode Island Agricultural School and Agricultural Experiment Station, by funding from the Hatch Act of 1887. In 1892 the Agricultural School became the Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts with funding from the Second Morrill Land Grant Act of 1890, later becoming Rhode Island State College in 1909 and the University of Rhode Island in 1951.

Nearby populated areas

Climate

Climate data for Kingston, Rhode Island
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °F (°C) 37.7
(3.2)
38.6
(3.7)
46.4
(8.0)
56.7
(13.7)
67.0
(19.4)
75.5
(24.2)
80.6
(27.0)
79.3
(26.3)
73.2
(22.9)
63.6
(17.6)
52.2
(11.2)
41.4
(5.2)
59.4
(15.2)
Average low °F (°C) 18.9
(−7.3)
19.6
(−6.9)
27.2
(−2.7)
35.4
(1.9)
44.7
(7.1)
53.8
(12.1)
59.8
(15.4)
58.5
(14.7)
51.6
(10.9)
41.0
(5.0)
32.6
(0.3)
23.0
(−5.0)
38.8
(3.8)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 4.5
(110)
3.9
(99)
5.0
(130)
4.4
(110)
3.8
(97)
3.5
(89)
3.1
(79)
4.3
(110)
3.9
(99)
3.9
(99)
4.7
(120)
4.8
(120)
49.6
(1,260)
Source: Weatherbase

Churches and houses of worship

Religious denominations represented with churches in Kingston or on the university campus are Roman Catholicism, the United Church of Christ, Episcopalians, United Methodists, Baptists, and Judaism.

Economy

In addition to the university, major businesses in Kingston include APC by Schneider Electric and the Arnold Lumber Company.

Education

Public schools are operated by the South Kingstown School District. Educational institutions in Kingston include:

  • The Compass School, a public K-8 charter school
  • Kingston Hill Academy, a public K-5 charter school
  • University of Rhode Island
  • Gordon Research Conferences center

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Kingston (Rhode Island) para niños

kids search engine
Kingston, Rhode Island Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.