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Kinston, North Carolina

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City of Kinston, North Carolina
City
Location of Kinston within North Carolina.
Location of Kinston within North Carolina.
Government
 • MayorBuddy Ritch
Area
 • Total43.7 km2 (16.9 sq mi)
 • Land43.3 km2 (16.7 sq mi)
 • Water0.4 km2 (0.2 sq mi)
Elevation
13 m (43 ft)
Population
 (2008)
 • Total22,360
 • Density546.7/km2 (1,416/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
28501-28504
Area code252
FIPS code37-35920Template:GR
GNIS feature ID0988015Template:GR
Websitehttp://www.ci.kinston.nc.us/

Kinston is a city in Lenoir County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 23,688 at the 2000 census. The population was estimated at 22,360 in 2008.[1] It has been the county seat of Lenoir County since its formation in 1791 Template:GR. Kinston is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region.

Kinston is home of the N.C. Global TransPark (GTP), a combined airport and industrial complex developed by the state in Lenoir County; Grainger Stadium, home to the Kinston Indians minor league baseball team; Caswell Center, a campus providing support services and boarding for mentally handicapped; and Lenoir Memorial Hospital.

In 2009, it was announced that Kinston is a recipient of the prestigious All-America City Award. This marks the second time in twenty years the city has won the title, the last time being in 1988.[2]

History

Early history

At the time of English settlement, the area was inhabited by the Neusiok Indians. 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, they called the area Atkins Bank, referring to a bluff once owned by Robert Atkins just above the Neuse River. Atkins Bank was the site of farms, a tobacco warehouse, and a Church of England mission.

Kinston was created by an act of the North Carolina General Assembly in December of 1762 as Kingston, in honor of King George III 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 the American 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 Richard Caswell, but the name was reverted to Kinston the following year.

File:Downtown kinston.jpg
Lenoir County Courthouse in downtown Kinston

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 the Neuse River. The two principal roads within these borders were named for King George and Queen Charlotte. They remain King and Queen Street to this day. Other streets were named in honor of Governor Dobbs (later renamed Independent Street) and the commissioners.

In December of 1791, an act was passed in the General Assembly to abolish Dobbs County and form Lenoir and Glasgow counties. At that time, Kinston was designated the county seat for Lenoir County.

Throughout this period, Kinston was an unincorporated town. It finally became incorporated through an act of the legislature in January 1849. Following incorporation, the population grew rapidly. In 1850, the population was estimated at 455 people, and just ten years later, it had more than doubled to over one thousand.

Civil War

During the onset of the Civil War, Camp Campbell and Camp Johnston were established near the city as training camps, and a bakery on Queen Street was converted to produce hardtack in large quantities. There was also a factory for the production of shoes for the military located in Kinston. The Battle of Kinston took place in and around the city on December 14, 1862.

The Battle of Southwest Creek (March 8, 1865) also occurred very near the city. It was at this later battle that the Confederate Ram Neuse was destroyed. Remnants of the ship have been salvaged, and the construction of a replica vessel has been completed. The replica was placed close to the original's resting place at the bank of the Neuse River on Heritage St. in Kinston. Union Army forces occupied the city following the battle. United States troops were assigned to the area through the Reconstruction period.

File:Harmony hall.jpg
Harmony Hall

Post-Reconstruction

Despite the hardships of war and Reconstruction, the population of the city continued to grow. By 1870, the population had increased to eleven hundred people and grew to more than seventeen hundred within a decade.

During the late nineteenth century, there was expansion into new areas of industry, most notably the production of horse-drawn carriages. Kinston also became a major tobacco and cotton trading center. By the start of the twentieth century, more than five million pounds of tobacco were being sold annually in Kinston's warehouses. Along with the growth in population and industry was a growth in property values. Some parcels increased in value more than fivefold within a twenty-year period.

20th Century

New industries were founded, including lumber and cotton mills, as North Carolina businessmen invested in processing their own crops. Professional sports was introduced in the form of a minor league baseball team. Later growth would come in the form of a Du Pont plant for the manufacture of polyester fibers, and manufacturing plants for pharmaceuticals. 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 (406 mm) of rain to the area.[3], 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 "The Flood of the Century."[4] The Neuse River y}} (35.270676, -77.585130)Template:GR.

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 23,688 people, 9,829 households, and 6,074 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,415.7 people per square mile (546.7/km²). There were 11,229 housing units at an average density of 671.1/sq mi (259.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 35.27% White, 62.64% African American. In the city the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 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 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 81.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 74.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,630, and the median income for a family was $35,867. Males had a median income of $28,688 versus $21,442 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,779. About 19.7% of families and 23.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.0% of those under age 18 and 18.9% of those age 65 or over.

File:Queen street methodist.jpg
Queen Street United Methodist Church

Religion

As with most of North Carolina, Kinston is predominately Christian Protestant with large concentrations of Baptists, Methodists, and various other evangelical groups. Episcopalians, Presbyterians, and Disciples of Christ also constitute a significant portion of the population.

The Roman Catholic community in Kinston has seen steady growth over the years with the migration of hispanic workers to the area. Catholic migrants have also come from the northeastern United States who work for the North Carolina Global TransPark and in nearby Greenville, North Carolina.

For many years, Kinston had a sizeable Jewish community. As with most Jewish communities in the rural South, it has seen a steady decline. Temple Israel, Kinston's only synagogue, supports around 20 families.

Education

College

High schools

  • Kinston High School
  • Lenoir County Early College
  • North Lenoir High School
  • South Lenoir High School

Middle schools

  • Rochelle Middle School
  • Woodington Middle School
  • E.B. Frink Middle School
  • Savannah Middle School

Elementary schools

  • Banks Elementary School
  • C.H. Bynum Middle School
  • Teacher's Memorial Elementary School
  • Contentnea Elementary School
  • Northwest Elementary School
  • Moss Hill Elementary School
  • Southeast Elementary School
  • Southwood Elementary School
  • Northeast Elementary School

Alternative school

  • Sampson School
  • Kennedy Home

Private schools

Culture

The Neuse Regional Library system is headquartered in Kinston and operates braches in Kinston, LaGrange, Pink Hill, as well as locations in Greene and Jones Counties.[5]

The CSS Neuse, listed on the National Register of Historic Places[6], and Caswell Memorial house the remains of the hull of the Confederate ironclad. A video detailing the history of the CSS Neuse is available for viewing at the Caswell Memorial. The Lenoir County Confederate Memorial, the Caswell family cemetery, and the Lenoir County Korean and Vietnam War Memorial are located at the site. There is also a Civil War Trails marker.[7]

The Cultural Heritage Museum (CHM) was organized in the winter of 2000 on South Queen Street as a new economic development catalyst for Kinston, Lenoir County and eastern North Carolina. The heritage tourism project was created to recognize the contributions of African Americans in numerous fields. It pays tribute to the more than 200,000 black soldiers and 7,000 white officers of the United States Colored Troops who fought with the Union forces in the American Civil War. It also honors black military veterans from all wars, Carl Long and the Negro Baseball League players, local heroes, and Africa and Black History in general. The CHM intends to generate jobs and promote economic expansion opportunities.[8]

Sports and recreation

Sports

Grainger Stadium is home to the Kinston Indians minor league baseball team as well as youth and college level baseball tournaments. The town has hosted professional baseball since 1908, and among the many alumni is Rick Ferrell who has been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, and Manny Ramirez.[9]

File:Grainger stadium.jpg
Historic Grainger Stadium

The Kinston Drag Strip hosts a variety of motor sports events throughout the year. Kinston has three golf courses: the Kinston Country Club, Falling Creek Golf Course, and Bill Fay Park Par 3 Golf Course. Barnet Park is home to Kinston Disc Golf. Fairfield Park has the Sprayground. The "Galaxy of Sports" is a recreational facility including a bowling alley, skating rink, and a health club.

In 1956, Kinston was the site of a rare, perfect game of billiards, as Willie Mosconi sank 150 balls in a row in one inning against Jimmy Moore.[10]

Parks and recreation

The city contains the following parks:[11]

  • Neuseway Nature Park, Campground and Meeting Facility
  • Bill Fay Memorial Park - Par 3 Golf Course
  • Emma Webb Park
  • Fairfield Park - Sprayground
  • Holloway Park
  • Lovit Hines Park
  • Southeast Park
  • Barnet Park - Kinston Disc Golf
  • Bill Ellis Skate and BMX Park

Transportation

Passenger

Roads

  • The main highway in Kinston is US 70, which offers access to the North Carolina coast and I-95.
  • Other highways that serve Kinston include US 258, NC 11, NC 58, and NC 55.

Notable people born in Kinston

See also

Bibliography

  • Cooper, Edwin B., Jr., et al. (eds.) (1981). The Heritage of Lenoir County. The Lenoir County Historical Association. ISBN 0-894-59155-X. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Johnson, Talmage C., and Charles R. Holloman (1954). The Story of Kinston and Lenoir County. Edwards and Broughton Company. ASIN B000FRTZB8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Kohler, Mike (1976). 200 Years of Progress: A Report of the History and Achievements of the People of Lenoir County, 1776-1976. Kinston-Lenoir County Bicentennial Commission. ASIN B0006CVK5G.
  • Little, M. Ruth, and Robbie D. Jones (1998). Coastal Plain and Fancy: The Historic Architecture of Lenoir County and Kinston, North Carolina. The Lenoir County Historical Association. ISBN 0-966-83190-X.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Powell, William S. (1963). Annals of Progress: The Story of Lenoir County and Kinston, North Carolina. State Department of Archives and History. ISBN 0-86526-124-5.

References

  1. ^ Kinston, North Carolina (NC) Detailed Profile - relocation, real estate, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, news, sex offenders
  2. ^ 2009-06-20 "Overview". ENC Today Website. Site Editor. 2009. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  3. ^ Hurricane Fran - September 3-9, 1996
  4. ^ North Carolina School Video Catalog
  5. ^ Branch Libraries of the Neuse Regional Library System
  6. ^ Impromptu Web Query
  7. ^ CSS Neuse State Historic Site
  8. ^ Culturalheritagemuseum.Org
  9. ^ Dalimonte, David E. "Kinston Has a Rich Tradition in Baseball". Retrieved 2008-03-20.
  10. ^ "Willie Mosconi, 80, Who Ruled The World of Billiards With Style", New York Times
  11. ^ Lenoir County North Carolina Parks
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