Kingston, Rhode Island



Kingston is a village and a census-designated place in the town of South Kingstown, Rhode Island, United States, and the site of the main campus of the University of Rhode Island. Much of the village center is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Kingston Village Historic District.

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 120-year-old Kingston Railroad Station, which 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 of 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

 * Wakefield, Rhode Island (3 miles)
 * Peace Dale, Rhode Island (3 miles)
 * Narragansett, Rhode Island (5 miles)

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 Kingston 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

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.