Kingston, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kingston, Washington
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Kingston Ferry Terminal at dusk
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| Nickname(s):
"Little City by the Sea"
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Location of Kingston, Washington
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| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Kitsap |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.08 sq mi (5.39 km2) |
| • Land | 1.87 sq mi (4.84 km2) |
| • Water | 0.22 sq mi (0.56 km2) |
| Elevation | 69 ft (21 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 2,515 |
| • Density | 1,208.5/sq mi (466.6/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
98346
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| Area code(s) | 360 |
| FIPS code | 53-35870 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1512350 |
Kingston is a small community in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. It used to be called Appletree Cove. In 2020, about 2,515 people lived here. Kingston is located right by Appletree Cove and Puget Sound. It's also home to a big Washington State Ferry terminal, which connects it to Edmonds.
Contents
Geography
Kingston is in the northeast part of Kitsap County. It sits on the eastern side of the Kitsap Peninsula. Washington State Route 104 goes through Kingston, starting from the ferry terminal. This road leads northwest about 7 miles (11 km) to Port Gamble. Bremerton is about 26 miles (42 km) southwest by road.
The Kingston area covers about 2.1 square miles (5.4 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
Climate
Kingston has a climate with warm summers and mild, wet winters. Here's a quick look at the weather:
| Climate data for Kingston, Washington | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 64 (18) |
66 (19) |
78 (26) |
83 (28) |
89 (32) |
92 (33) |
110 (43) |
93 (34) |
93 (34) |
87 (31) |
73 (23) |
62 (17) |
110 (43) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 47 (8) |
50 (10) |
54 (12) |
59 (15) |
64 (18) |
70 (21) |
76 (24) |
76 (24) |
71 (22) |
60 (16) |
51 (11) |
46 (8) |
60 (16) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 37 (3) |
37 (3) |
39 (4) |
43 (6) |
48 (9) |
52 (11) |
56 (13) |
57 (14) |
53 (12) |
47 (8) |
41 (5) |
36 (2) |
46 (8) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 18 (−8) |
19 (−7) |
28 (−2) |
32 (0) |
35 (2) |
42 (6) |
48 (9) |
47 (8) |
42 (6) |
29 (−2) |
20 (−7) |
10 (−12) |
10 (−12) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 4.81 (122) |
3.43 (87) |
3.51 (89) |
2.77 (70) |
2.16 (55) |
1.63 (41) |
0.79 (20) |
0.97 (25) |
1.52 (39) |
3.41 (87) |
5.84 (148) |
5.43 (138) |
36.27 (921) |
History
Kingston was started in 1853 by Benjamin Bannister. It was first known as "Appletree Cove". By 1880, it became a town focused on cutting down trees for wood, known as a lumber town. The mill closed in the early 1900s. Kingston is often called the "little city by the sea." It's a main entry point to the Olympic Peninsula and a key spot for social and business activities in the northern Kitsap Peninsula.
How Kingston Got Its Name
In 1869, W.S. Ladd and his wife built a small house at Appletree Cove. Nine years later, a man named Michael King bought the house. He brought ten oxen and ten men with him. They worked slowly, cutting down trees on the hills around Appletree Cove.
King built many small buildings and shelters for his men and animals along the shore. By 1882, his work was done, and he moved on. The empty buildings were left behind. People who lived in the area started calling the place "King's Town" as a joke. Over time, this name changed to Kingston, and it stuck.
A Dream of a Resort Town
The plan for Kingston as a town was officially made on April 24, 1890. Two men, C.C. Calkins and Samuel B. Brierly, created the plan. Calkins had a big dream for Kingston. He wanted it to be a resort town where people from Seattle would come for vacations.
Calkins even called it "the Monterey of Washington." He had drawings for a huge hotel by the water, a boat launch, a church on the hill, and even a college. But not as many people came to live there as Calkins hoped. So, Calkins gave up and left. The town grew slowly, but never became the big resort Calkins had imagined.
Population
Kingston has grown steadily over the years. Here's how the population has changed:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2000 | 1,611 | — | |
| 2010 | 2,099 | 30.3% | |
| 2020 | 2,515 | 19.8% | |
| Sources: | |||
In 2000, there were 1,611 people living in Kingston. By 2020, the population had grown to 2,515 people. The community is made up of people from various backgrounds.
Getting Around
Kingston is an important place for travel, especially because of its ferry system.
- Ferry Service: Kingston has a Washington State Ferries terminal. You can take a ferry with your car or just as a passenger to Edmonds.
- Past Passenger Ferry: In 2012, a passenger-only ferry service called SoundRunner, which went to Seattle, stopped running because it was losing money. One of its boats, the Spirit of Kingston, was later used for the King County Water Taxi fleet.
- New Fireboat: In 2016, Kingston received a new, modern fireboat. This boat is 38 feet (12 meters) long and can travel very fast. It can pump a lot of water to fight fires. The U.S. government helped pay for most of it. This fireboat can also help with oil spills or other emergencies. It has special sensors to find hot spots in fires and help with search and rescue.
- Fast Ferry to Seattle: In November 2018, Kitsap Fast Ferries started a new service from Kingston directly to Seattle.
Education
Students in Kingston attend schools that are part of the North Kitsap School District. The schools in Kingston include:
- Kingston Co-op Preschool
- Gordon Elementary
- Kingston Middle School
- Spectrum Community School
- Wolfle Elementary
- Kingston High School
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Port Gamble | Eglon, Hansville | Puget Sound | |
| Lofall |  |
Puget Sound, Edmonds | ||
 Kingston  |
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| Poulsbo, Suquamish | Indianola | Puget Sound |
See also
In Spanish: Kingston (Washington) para niños
