Kinston, North Carolina | |
|---|---|
 Queen Street United Methodist Church (left) and theHotel Kinston (center) | |
 Seal | |
 Location of Kinston withinNorth Carolina | |
| Coordinates:35°16′29″N77°35′37″W / 35.27472°N 77.59361°W /35.27472; -77.59361 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Lenoir |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Dontario Hardy (D) |
| Area | |
• Total | 18.43 sq mi (47.73 km2) |
| • Land | 18.28 sq mi (47.34 km2) |
| • Water | 0.15 sq mi (0.40 km2) |
| Elevation | 82 ft (25 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 19,900 |
| • Density | 1,088.9/sq mi (420.41/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes | 28501-28504 |
| Area code | 252 |
| FIPS code | 37-35920[3] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2404838[2] |
| Website | www |
Kinston is a city inLenoir County, North Carolina, United States, with a population of 19,900 as of the2020 census.[4] It has been thecounty seat of Lenoir County since its formation in 1791.[5] Kinston is located in the coastal plains region of eastern North Carolina.
In 2009, Kinston won theAll-America City Award. This marks the second time in 21 years the city has won the title.[6]
At the time of English settlement, the area was inhabited by theNeusiok people. Preceding the historic tribe,indigenous peoples of a variety of cultures had lived in the area for thousands of years. Before the English colonists established the city, the area was called "Atkins Bank", referring to a bluff once owned by Robert Atkins just above theNeuse River; it was the site of farms, atobacco warehouse, and aChurch of Englandmission.
Kinston was created by an act of theNorth Carolina General Assembly in December 1762 as "Kingston", in honor ofKing George III,[7] who had just recently ascended to the throne. The bill to incorporate it was introduced by Richard Caswell, who made his home there and later served as the first governor of the state of North Carolina from 1776 to 1780. After victory in theAmerican Revolution, the citizens renamed the city "Kinston" in 1784 to show the population's disavowal of royalty. In 1833, Kinston briefly became "Caswell", in honor of Governor Caswell, but the name Kinston was restored the following year.
Commissioners appointed to design the town began to accept "subscriptions" for numbered lots. To keep a lot, subscribers were required to build brick homes of specific dimensions within three years or lose their rights to the property. The town was laid out with border streets named East, North, and South, with the western border theNeuse River. The two principal roads within these borders were named for King George andQueen Charlotte. They remain King and Queen Streets to this day. Other streets were named in honor of GovernorArthur Dobbs (later renamed Independence Street) and the commissioners.
In December 1791, an act was passed in the General Assembly to abolish Dobbs County and form Lenoir andGlasgow (now Greene) Counties. At that time, Kinston was designated the county seat for Lenoir County.
Kinston was incorporated as a town through an act of the legislature in January 1849, after which the population grew rapidly. In 1850, the population was estimated at 455 people, and just 10 years later, it had more than doubled to over 1000.
During the onset of theCivil War, Camp Campbell and Camp Johnston were established near the city as training camps, and a bakery on Queen Street was converted to producehardtack in large quantities. Also, a factory for the production of shoes for the military was located in Kinston. TheBattle of Kinston took place in and around the city on December 14, 1862.
From February 5 to February 22, 1864, 22 Union soldiers of the2nd North Carolina Union Volunteer Infantry Regiment were executed byhanging in the city.[8] These men had been captured in theBattle of New Bern by Confederate troops, and were found to have previously served in North CarolinaPartisan Ranger units. GeneralGeorge Pickett ordered that they should be court martialed for desertion from the Confederate Army, and the subsequent hangings were carried out by the 54th Regiment, North Carolina Troops, under the command of GeneralRobert Hoke. Fifteen of these men were fromJones County, and had all started their service in the 8th Battalion North Carolina Partisan Rangers.
TheBattle of Wyse Fork, also known as the Battle of Southwest Creek (March 7–10, 1865), took place near the city. At this later battle, the ConfederateramNeuse was scuttled to avoid capture byUnion troops. Remnants of the ship have been salvaged, and were on display at Richard Caswell Park on West Vernon Avenue. A climate-controlled museum has been built on downtown Queen Street, and has moved the hulk there to prevent further deterioration of the original ship's remains. A full-scale replica vessel (Ram Neuse II) has been constructed near the original's resting place (known as the "Cat's Hole") beside the bank of the Neuse River on Heritage Street in Kinston. Union Army forces occupied the city following the battle. United States troops were assigned to the area through theReconstruction era.
_-_DPLA_-_c0ebafb8180499bc6492e09ac6c64bf8_(page_77)_(cropped).jpg)
Despite the hardships of war and Reconstruction, the population of the city continued to grow. By 1870, the population had increased to 1,100 people and grew to more than 1,700 within a decade.
During the late 19th century, an expansion into new areas of industry occurred, most notably the production of horse-drawncarriages. Kinston also became a majortobacco- andcotton-trading center. By the start of the 20th century, more than 5 million pounds of tobacco were being sold annually in Kinston's warehouses. Along with the growth in population and industry came a growth in property values. Some parcels increased in value more than five-fold within a 20-year period.
On April 6, 1916, Joseph Black was taken from the Lenoir County Jail and lynched by a mob of armed men. He was accused of assisting his son in an escape attempt.[9]
New industries were founded, includinglumber and cotton mills, as North Carolina businessmen invested in processing their own crops. Professional sports were introduced in the form of a minor leaguebaseball team. Later growth came from aDuPont plant for the manufacture ofpolyester fibers, and manufacturing plants forpharmaceuticals. Growth finally slowed following the 1960s, with the shift in textile production overseas. Efforts to reinvigorate the economy through various means have had limited success.
Kinston was heavily impacted by flooding in 1996 and 1999.Hurricane Fran struck the North Carolina coast on September 5, 1996, and brought 16 inches (410 mm) of rain to the area,[10] causing the Neuse River to flood portions of the city. On September 16, 1999,Hurricane Floyd struck the area, bringing 17 inches (430 mm) of rain. It caused what locals have called a flood of the century.[11]
TheNational Register of Historic Places lists these Kinston sites:American Tobacco Company Prizery,Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad Freight Depot,Baptist Parsonage,Robert L. Blalock House,B. W. Canady House,CSS Neuse,Hill-Grainger Historic District,Hotel Kinston,Jesse Jackson House,Kennedy Memorial Home Historic District,Kinston Apartments,Kinston Baptist-White Rock Presbyterian Church,Kinston Battlefield,Kinston Commercial Historic District,Kinston Fire Station-City Hall,Lenoir County Courthouse,Mitchelltown Historic District,Peebles House,Peoples Bank Building,Queen-Gordon Streets Historic District,Standard Drug No. 2,Sumrell and McCoy Building,Trianon Historic District,Tull-Worth-Holland Farm, andDempsey Wood House.[12]
Kinston is in theAtlantic coastal plain region of North Carolina. It is mainly on the northeast side of the Neuse River, and is northeast of the center of Lenoir County. It is 26 miles (42 km) east ofGoldsboro, 30 miles (48 km) south ofGreenville, and 35 miles (56 km) west ofNew Bern. The Atlantic Ocean atEmerald Isle is 57 miles (92 km) to the southeast, andRaleigh, the state capital, is 80 miles (130 km) to the northwest.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the city of Kinston has a total area of 18.6 sq mi (48.1 km2), of which 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km2), or 0.95%, is covered by water.[13]
According to theKöppen climate classification, Kinston has ahumid subtropical climate,Cfa on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Kinston was 103 °F (39.4 °C) on July 20, 1977, and August 20–22, 1983, while the coldest temperature recorded was −2 °F (−18.9 °C) on January 21, 1985.[14]
| Climate data for Kinston, North Carolina, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1966–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 80 (27) | 84 (29) | 89 (32) | 95 (35) | 100 (38) | 101 (38) | 103 (39) | 103 (39) | 102 (39) | 96 (36) | 87 (31) | 83 (28) | 103 (39) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 74.1 (23.4) | 75.9 (24.4) | 82.2 (27.9) | 86.9 (30.5) | 92.3 (33.5) | 96.1 (35.6) | 97.4 (36.3) | 96.0 (35.6) | 92.2 (33.4) | 87.1 (30.6) | 80.7 (27.1) | 74.6 (23.7) | 98.6 (37.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 56.1 (13.4) | 60.0 (15.6) | 66.7 (19.3) | 75.4 (24.1) | 82.0 (27.8) | 87.9 (31.1) | 90.6 (32.6) | 88.8 (31.6) | 83.8 (28.8) | 76.0 (24.4) | 66.7 (19.3) | 58.9 (14.9) | 74.4 (23.6) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 45.7 (7.6) | 48.4 (9.1) | 54.5 (12.5) | 63.4 (17.4) | 70.7 (21.5) | 77.7 (25.4) | 81.0 (27.2) | 79.2 (26.2) | 74.0 (23.3) | 64.6 (18.1) | 55.2 (12.9) | 48.5 (9.2) | 63.6 (17.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 35.3 (1.8) | 36.8 (2.7) | 42.4 (5.8) | 51.3 (10.7) | 59.5 (15.3) | 67.6 (19.8) | 71.4 (21.9) | 69.6 (20.9) | 64.2 (17.9) | 53.1 (11.7) | 43.8 (6.6) | 38.0 (3.3) | 52.7 (11.5) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 16.7 (−8.5) | 21.2 (−6.0) | 25.0 (−3.9) | 33.9 (1.1) | 44.6 (7.0) | 55.2 (12.9) | 62.3 (16.8) | 60.0 (15.6) | 51.7 (10.9) | 36.4 (2.4) | 27.0 (−2.8) | 22.5 (−5.3) | 14.9 (−9.5) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −2 (−19) | 3 (−16) | 8 (−13) | 24 (−4) | 25 (−4) | 42 (6) | 52 (11) | 47 (8) | 38 (3) | 24 (−4) | 17 (−8) | 6 (−14) | −2 (−19) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 3.74 (95) | 3.20 (81) | 3.84 (98) | 3.53 (90) | 3.92 (100) | 5.53 (140) | 5.79 (147) | 6.36 (162) | 6.64 (169) | 3.56 (90) | 3.46 (88) | 3.29 (84) | 52.86 (1,344) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.3 (0.76) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.3 (0.76) | 0.7 (1.77) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 8.3 | 7.7 | 8.2 | 7.4 | 8.1 | 9.3 | 11.0 | 10.1 | 8.1 | 6.3 | 7.2 | 8.1 | 99.8 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| Source 1: NOAA[15] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service[14] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 455 | — | |
| 1860 | 1,333 | 193.0% | |
| 1870 | 1,103 | −17.3% | |
| 1880 | 1,216 | 10.2% | |
| 1890 | 1,726 | 41.9% | |
| 1900 | 4,106 | 137.9% | |
| 1910 | 6,995 | 70.4% | |
| 1920 | 9,771 | 39.7% | |
| 1930 | 11,362 | 16.3% | |
| 1940 | 15,388 | 35.4% | |
| 1950 | 18,336 | 19.2% | |
| 1960 | 24,819 | 35.4% | |
| 1970 | 23,020 | −7.2% | |
| 1980 | 25,234 | 9.6% | |
| 1990 | 25,295 | 0.2% | |
| 2000 | 23,688 | −6.4% | |
| 2010 | 21,677 | −8.5% | |
| 2020 | 19,900 | −8.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[16] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 4,854 | 24.39% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 13,615 | 68.42% |
| Native American | 33 | 0.17% |
| Asian | 208 | 1.05% |
| Pacific Islander | 10 | 0.05% |
| Multiracial or other | 577 | 2.9% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 603 | 3.03% |
As of the2020 United States census, 19,900 people, 8,901 households, and 5,050 families were residing in the city.
As of the2010 United States census, 21,677 people were living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 67.7% Black, 27.8% White, 0.2% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.1% from some other race, and 1.1% from two or more races. About 2.4% were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.
As of thecensus[3] of 2000, 23,688 people, 9,829 households, and 6,074 families were living in the city. Thepopulation density was 1,415.7 people/sq mi (546.7/km2). The 11,229 housing units averaged 671.1/sq mi (259.1/km2). Theracial makeup of the city was 35.27% White, 62.64% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 1.1% from other races, and 0.67% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 1.14% of the population.
Of the 9,829 households, 28.0% had children under 18 living with them, 35.7% were married couples living together, 22.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.2% were not families. About 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.29, and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city, the age distribution was 24.4% under 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.8 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 74.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,630, and for a family was $35,867. Males had a median income of $28,688 versus $21,442 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $17,779. About 19.7% of families and 23.0% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 32.0% of those under age 18 and 18.9% of those age 65 or over.
TheNorth Carolina Department of Public Safety (earlier theNorth Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention) operates the Dobbs Youth Development Center juvenile correctional facility in Kinston. The facility, which opened in 1944, has a prisoner capacity of 44.[18]
In the 2017 municipal elections,Democratic candidate Dontario Hardy beat incumbent B.J. Murphy by a margin of 205 votes.[19] City Councilman Robert A. Swinson IV was re-elected alongside newcomer Kristal Suggs, completing Kinston's first ever all African-American city council.[20]
Kinston is served byUNC Lenoir Health Care, a nonprofit hospital located near NC 11 in Kinston. The hospital offersinpatient, outpatient andpreventive healthcare services for the residents ofLenoir,Greene andJones counties. General services include general medical, surgical,obstetrical, andgynecological care. Specialized services includecardiology,pulmonology,oncology,radiology,urology, andvascular surgery.
Kinston is not served directly by passenger trains. The closestAmtrak station is 40 miles (64 km) to the northwest inWilson.
Kinston is served by theKinston Regional Jetport (IATA:ISO,ICAO:KISO). From here, Bill Harrelson ofFredericksburg, Virginia, left and returned on his Guinness world record-setting "around-the-globe-over-the-poles" flight in his custom-builtLancair N6ZQ, between December 2014 and January 2015.[21]
Raleigh–Durham International Airport is the closest major airport, 96 miles (154 km) northwest of Kinston, with service to more than 45 domestic and international destinations.
Intercity bus service to Kinston is provided byGreyhound.
As with most of North Carolina, Kinston is predominantlyProtestant with large concentrations ofBaptists,Methodists, and various otherevangelical groups.Episcopalians,Presbyterians, andDisciples of Christ also constitute a significant portion of the population.[citation needed]
TheRoman Catholic community in Kinston has seen steady growth over the years with the migration ofHispanic workers to the area. Catholic migrants have also come from theNortheastern United States who work for the North CarolinaGlobal TransPark and in nearby Greenville.[citation needed]
Kinston at one time had a sizeableJewish community. As with most Jewish communities in the ruralSouth, it has seen a steady decline.Temple Israel, Kinston's onlysynagogue, has a few remaining members.[22]
One of Kinston's most notable buildings is theGrainger Hill Performing Arts Center, formerly Grainger High School. Constructed in 1924 after a fire destroyed the previous Kinston High School building, the school was named after Jesse W. Grainger, a localtruck farmer who owned the land that the school was built upon and donated money to fund one-half of the building's $182,340 general contractor's fee. After the decision in 1970 to make way for the newly constructed and integratedKinston High School, it served as Kinston Jr. High School until 1987 (when ninth-grade students were moved to the campus of Kinston High School and eighth-grade students were relocated to the campus of Rochelle Middle School). After the school's closure, the building was sold to a private developer, who renovated the school and turned it into a performing arts center. The property was most recently sold to the Landmark Development Group, which renovated the building into Grainger Elderly Housing, a 57-unit apartment complex for low-income elderly residents.
The Neuse Regional Library system is headquartered in Kinston and operates branches in Kinston,LaGrange, andPink Hill, as well as locations in Greene and Jones Counties.[23]
Kinston is home to theCSSNeuse, which is listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.[12] Its remains are on display in the CSSNeuse Civil War Interpretive Center. The Lenoir County Confederate Memorial, the Caswell family cemetery, and the Lenoir CountyKorean andVietnam War Memorial are located nearby. There is also a Civil War Trails marker.[24]
The Cultural Heritage Museum, built in 2000 on South Queen Street as a new economic development catalyst for Kinston and the surrounding areas of eastern North Carolina, was created to recognize the contributions ofAfrican Americans in numerous fields. It pays tribute to the more than 200,000 Black soldiers and 7,000 White officers of theUnited States Colored Troops who fought with the Union forces in the Civil War. It also honors Black military veterans from all wars,Carl Long and theNegro Baseball League players, local heroes, and Africa andBlack history in general. The museum intends to generate jobs and promote economic expansion opportunities.[25]
Kinston is home to several notable restaurants. The Chef & the Farmer, recipient of a James Beard Award, started byVivian Howard and Ben Knight, is located in downtown Kinston. The PBS seriesA Chef's Life focuses on the restaurant, owners, and local farmers from whom it sources. Also a proponent of sustainable practices and local ingredients,Mother Earth Brewing was founded in Kinston in the summer of 2008.
Other local attractions include theNeuseway Nature Center and Planetarium, the Kinston Center for the Arts, the Global Transit Park (GTP),Grainger Stadium, the Caswell Center, andLenoir Memorial Hospital.
Annual festivities in Kinston include the Sand in the Streets concert series held at Pearson Park, the Annual BBQ Festival on the Neuse River, and the Festival on the Neuse.
Kinston'sGrainger Stadium is currently the home to theDown East Bird Dawgs of theFrontier League (FL). It was previously home to theKinston Indians minor league baseball team, as well as youth and college level baseball tournaments. The town first hosted professional baseball in 1908 and among the many alumni isRick Ferrell, who was inducted into theBaseball Hall of Fame,Manny Ramirez, andLonnie Chisenhall.[26]
The KinstonDrag Strip hosts a variety of motor-sports events throughout the year. Kinston also has three golf courses: Kinston Country Club, Falling Creek Country Club, and Bill Fay Park Par 3 Golf Course. Barnet Park is home to adisc golf course. The Galaxy of Sports recreational facility includes abowling alley,skating rink, and health club.
In 2012,Woodmen of the World constructed the Woodmen of the World Community Center and Lions Water Adventure Park, a 53,000 sq ft (4,900 m2) facility that offers a cardio and strength-training center, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, several corporate reception areas, and conference rooms, as well as a quarter-mile elevated track and several sporting courts. The center is now owned by the city of Kinston and is called the Kinston Community Center.
In 1956, Kinston was the site of a rare, perfect game ofbilliards, asWillie Mosconi sank 150 balls in a row in one inning againstJimmy Moore.[27]
In 2018, ESPN called Kinston "America's Basketball Heaven". According to the ESPN article, one in 52.7 players on Kinston High School's varsity team makes the NBA.[28]
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
