Kingston, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
Kingston is a coastal town in Plymouth County
, Massachusetts
, United States
. According to the 2010 Census, it had a population of 12,629.
had landed in Plymouth the Wampanoags were severely damaged from rapidly spreading pandemics
from earlier contacts with European
s. Several ancient Native American
burial sites have been located within the borders of Kingston.
Originally the north precinct of the town of Plymouth, Kingston was first settled by Europeans in 1620, shortly after the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock
. Modern day Kingston is believed to be the site of several bloody battles during King Phillip's War from 1675-1676. It is public record that the residence of Governor Bradford was raided by the natives before the Wampanoags were completely devastated.
50 years later, Kingston was incorporated as a distinct town in 1726 following a tax dispute between the residents of north and south Plymouth. Before then, Kingston was the upperclass portion of Plymouth. Kingston is home to the longest continuously run boat yard in North America
. The Revolutionary War era brig
, USS Independence
, was built by Kingston shipbuilders
and has emerged as a town icon, featured on the Kingston town seal, as well as as the subject of the town song, "Independence". The tenure of the Independence in the Massachusetts Navy was short, however; the ship was captured in battle off the coast of Nova Scotia
by HMS Hope
and HMS Nancy
.
In the early-to-middle 19th century, Kingston flourished as not only a center for shipbuilding, but ice harvesting as well. Jones River Pond, the largest body of freshwater in town, was used during the long New England
winters to harvest ice which would then be shipped throughout the world. Jones River Pond was even renamed to Silver Lake
for marketing purposes during the height of the ice harvesting export industry and retains the name today. Kingston is also home to the first co-op store in North America, which was closed when the Silver Lake Post Office shut down operations in 1954.
In the 1950s Kingston was transformed from a small rural town into an extension of the Boston
metropolitan area when Route 3
was constructed, which connects Boston to Cape Cod
and has two exits in Kingston (and a third exit immediately over the town line in Duxbury). The town saw its largest population boom in the 1990s, however, when the Old Colony Railroad
was reopened as a commuter rail line, connecting once-rural Kingston with Boston, making Kingston an even more viable place for commuters to live.
, the town has a total area of 20.4 square miles (52.8 km²), of which, 18.5 square miles (48.0 km²) of it is land and 1.9 square miles (4.8 km²) of it (9.12%) is water. Kingston borders the towns of Pembroke
to the north, Duxbury to the northeast, Plymouth to the south, Carver
to the southwest, and Plympton
to the west. Kingston is approximately eighteen miles southeast of Brockton
and thirty-five miles south-southeast of Boston.
Kingston lies on Kingston Bay, an inlet to the larger Plymouth Bay
. The Jones River
runs through the town from its source, Silver Lake
, to the bay. There are several brooks that branch off the river, as well as several other smaller ponds throughout the town, including Muddy Pond
. There is a state forest in the town, located in the southern portion of the town. Kingston is also the site of Gray's Beach, in a neighborhood called Rocky Nook
, just north of the Plymouth town line.
Route 3
, also known as the Pilgrims Highway, runs through the eastern portion of town. There are two exits for Kingston, at the Independence Mall
in the southern portion of town, and at Route 3A. There is also an exit just over the Duxbury town line where Route 3A again crosses the highway. The new highway portion of U.S. Route 44
also passes through the southern portion of town, along the edge of the state forest, on its way to its new intersection with Route 3. Additionally, Routes 27
, 53, 80 ad 106 all end in the town, with all except Route 27 (which ends at Route 106) ending at their intersections with Route 3A.
Kingston is one of the two termini of the Kingston/Plymouth line of the MBTA's
Commuter Rail system. The Kingston terminus is located just off of Route 3, north of the mall. Regional air service can be reached at Plymouth Municipal Airport
; the nearest national and international air service can be reached at Logan International Airport
in Boston.
Kingston is also located on the 42nd parallel
, recognized by a roadside memorial on Landing Road near the Bay Farms area.
of 2009, there were 12,484 people, 4,363 households, and 2,940 families residing in the town. The population density
was 674.8 people per square mile (260.1/km²). There were 4,707 housing units at an average density of 254.5 per square mile (98.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.3% white, 0.1% Black or African American
, 0.3% Native American, 2.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.7% from other races
, and 0.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.6% of the population.
There were 4,363 households out of which 35.6% had children over the age of 24 living with them, 56.6% were married couples
living together, 7.9% had a female householder with 5 husbands present, and 32.6% were non-families. 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.36.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.3% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 90 years of age or older. The median age was 65 years. For every 100 females there were 86.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.08 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $79,045, and the median income for a family was $99,438. Males had a median income of $67,712 versus $48,846 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $36,771. About 3.3% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.7% of those under age 18 and 12.5% of those age 65 or over.
Kingston is represented in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
as a part of the Twelfth Plymouth District, which includes Plympton and portions of Duxbury, Halifax, Middleborough and Plymouth. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate
as a part of the Plymouth and Barnstable District, which includes Bourne, Falmouth, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Sandwich and portions of Barnstable. The town is patrolled by the First (Norwell) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police
.
On the national level, Kingston is a part of Massachusetts's 10th congressional district
, and is currently represented by Bill Keating. The state's senior (Class II) member of the United States Senate
, re-elected in 2008, is John Kerry
. The junior (Class I) senator, elected in 2010, is Scott Brown
.
Kingston operates under the open town meeting
form of government, led by a town administrator and a board of selectmen
. Kingston's town offices moved into a new building in 2003, closer to its animal control and highway department facilities on Evergreen Street
, on the opposite side of Evergreen Cemetery from the old building. The town operates its own police and fire departments, with a branch firehouse located near the Plymouth town line. The town's EMT service brings its patients to nearby Jordan Hospital
in Plymouth. The town has a single post office, located along Route 3A. The Kingston Public Library is located just across the street from the old town hall, and is a part of the Old Colony Library Network.
Once students reach seventh grade they are sent to Silver Lake Regional Middle School and then Silver Lake Regional High School
, both in Kingston. Silver Lake's teams are known as the Lakers, and their colors are red and silver. Their chief rival is Pembroke High School
, whom they play in the annual Thanksgiving Day football game. Pembroke was previously part of the Silver Lake Regional School District but withdrew in 2005. A new Silver Lake High School building finished construction in January 2006. The official school website can be found at the Silver Lake Regional School District Website. Silver Lake operates its own vocational facilities; if a trade is chosen that is not supported by Silver Lake students are sent to South Shore Vocational Technical High School in Hanover, MA. Silver Lake was recognized in 2008 by Boston Magazine as being one of the 30 smartest public high schools in Massachusetts. This is based on criteria including student achievement, college preparation, athletics programs, electives and the overall cost per community.
Kingston is home to one private school, Sacred Heart
, which is located along Bishops Highway (Route 80) just south of Route 44. It serves students from kindergarten through twelfth grade.
and Providence, RI media markets, receiving WCVB (ABC), WBZ
(CBS), and WHDH (NBC) news from Boston. Recently WFXT
(Fox 25) has added a news bureau which covers Kingston.
, The Patriot Ledger
, Brockton Enterprise, and the Kingston Reporter. The Kingston Observer stopped printing in 2009.
service from Boston's South Station
is provided by the MBTA with a stop in Kingston
on its Plymouth/Kingston Line. Not all non-peak trains stop at Kingston - some trains terminate at Plymouth
instead.
Plymouth County, Massachusetts
Plymouth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of 2010, the population was 494,919. Its county seats are Plymouth and Brockton...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. According to the 2010 Census, it had a population of 12,629.
History
Before European settlers arrived in Kingston it was within the tribal home to the Wampanoag people. Even before the MayflowerMayflower
The Mayflower was the ship that transported the English Separatists, better known as the Pilgrims, from a site near the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, England, to Plymouth, Massachusetts, , in 1620...
had landed in Plymouth the Wampanoags were severely damaged from rapidly spreading pandemics
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
from earlier contacts with European
European ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
s. Several ancient Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
burial sites have been located within the borders of Kingston.
Originally the north precinct of the town of Plymouth, Kingston was first settled by Europeans in 1620, shortly after the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock
Plymouth Rock
Plymouth Rock is the traditional site of disembarkation of William Bradford and the Mayflower Pilgrims who founded Plymouth Colony in 1620. It is an important symbol in American history...
. Modern day Kingston is believed to be the site of several bloody battles during King Phillip's War from 1675-1676. It is public record that the residence of Governor Bradford was raided by the natives before the Wampanoags were completely devastated.
50 years later, Kingston was incorporated as a distinct town in 1726 following a tax dispute between the residents of north and south Plymouth. Before then, Kingston was the upperclass portion of Plymouth. Kingston is home to the longest continuously run boat yard in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. The Revolutionary War era brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
, USS Independence
USS Independence
USS Independence may refer to:*USS Independence was a brigantine built at Kingston, Massachusetts in mid-1776. The brig served in the Massachusetts State Navy and cruised off New England until captured by the Royal Navy in early 1777....
, was built by Kingston shipbuilders
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
and has emerged as a town icon, featured on the Kingston town seal, as well as as the subject of the town song, "Independence". The tenure of the Independence in the Massachusetts Navy was short, however; the ship was captured in battle off the coast of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
by HMS Hope
HMS Hope
Sixteen ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Hope:*Hope was a 48-gun galleon launched in 1559. She was rebuilt with 38-guns and renamed Assurance in 1604 and was broken up in 1645....
and HMS Nancy
HMS Nancy
HM Schooner Nancy was a schooner, built in Detroit in 1789. She served for several years in the fur trade on the Great Lakes, but is best known for playing a part in the Anglo-American War of 1812, serving as a vital supply ship for the British...
.
In the early-to-middle 19th century, Kingston flourished as not only a center for shipbuilding, but ice harvesting as well. Jones River Pond, the largest body of freshwater in town, was used during the long New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
winters to harvest ice which would then be shipped throughout the world. Jones River Pond was even renamed to Silver Lake
Silver Lake (Plymouth County, Massachusetts)
Silver Lake is a lake in Pembroke, Kingston, and Plympton, Massachusetts, south of Route 27 and east of Route 36. The Pembroke/Plympton town line is entirely within the lake, and a portion of the western shoreline of the lake is the town line with Halifax. The lake is the principal water supply...
for marketing purposes during the height of the ice harvesting export industry and retains the name today. Kingston is also home to the first co-op store in North America, which was closed when the Silver Lake Post Office shut down operations in 1954.
In the 1950s Kingston was transformed from a small rural town into an extension of the Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
metropolitan area when Route 3
Route 3 (Massachusetts)
Route 3 is a southward continuation of U.S. Route 3, connecting Cambridge, Massachusetts with Cape Cod. All of it, except for the northernmost end in downtown Boston and Cambridge, is a freeway....
was constructed, which connects Boston to Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
and has two exits in Kingston (and a third exit immediately over the town line in Duxbury). The town saw its largest population boom in the 1990s, however, when the Old Colony Railroad
Old Colony Railroad
The Old Colony Railroad was a major railroad system, mainly covering southeastern Massachusetts and parts of Rhode Island. It operated from 1845 to 1893. Old Colony trains ran from Boston to points such as Plymouth, Fall River, New Bedford, Newport, Providence, Fitchburg, Lowell and Cape Cod...
was reopened as a commuter rail line, connecting once-rural Kingston with Boston, making Kingston an even more viable place for commuters to live.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 20.4 square miles (52.8 km²), of which, 18.5 square miles (48.0 km²) of it is land and 1.9 square miles (4.8 km²) of it (9.12%) is water. Kingston borders the towns of Pembroke
Pembroke, Massachusetts
Pembroke is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 16,927 at the 2000 census.The southwestern section of Pembroke is also known as Bryantville...
to the north, Duxbury to the northeast, Plymouth to the south, Carver
Carver, Massachusetts
Carver is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,163 at the 2000 census, with an estimated 2008 population of 11,574. It is named for John Carver, the first governor of the Plymouth Colony.- Demographics :...
to the southwest, and Plympton
Plympton, Massachusetts
Plympton is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 2,820 at the 2010 census. The United States senator William Bradford was born here.- History :Plympton was first settled in 1662 as the western parish of Plymouth...
to the west. Kingston is approximately eighteen miles southeast of Brockton
Brockton, Massachusetts
Brockton is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States; the population was 93,810 in the 2010 Census. Brockton, along with Plymouth, are the county seats of Plymouth County...
and thirty-five miles south-southeast of Boston.
Kingston lies on Kingston Bay, an inlet to the larger Plymouth Bay
Plymouth Bay
Plymouth Bay is the name of a small, well-protected bay of the Atlantic Ocean on the western shore of larger Cape Cod Bay along the coastline of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts...
. The Jones River
Jones River
The Jones River is a river running through Kingston, Massachusetts. The river drains about , has its source in Silver Lake and drains into Kingston Bay. Land surrounding the river is 52% forested, of which 22% has been developed for residential use...
runs through the town from its source, Silver Lake
Silver Lake (Plymouth County, Massachusetts)
Silver Lake is a lake in Pembroke, Kingston, and Plympton, Massachusetts, south of Route 27 and east of Route 36. The Pembroke/Plympton town line is entirely within the lake, and a portion of the western shoreline of the lake is the town line with Halifax. The lake is the principal water supply...
, to the bay. There are several brooks that branch off the river, as well as several other smaller ponds throughout the town, including Muddy Pond
Muddy Pond (Kingston, Massachusetts)
Muddy Pond, also known as Lake Providence, is a pond in Kingston, Massachusetts, located east of Route 80 and south of U.S. Route 44. The pond is not open to the public. The Sisters of Divine Providence runs Camp Mishannock, a summer camp for girls, at this pond. The water quality is impaired due...
. There is a state forest in the town, located in the southern portion of the town. Kingston is also the site of Gray's Beach, in a neighborhood called Rocky Nook
Rocky Nook, Massachusetts
Rocky Nook is a neighborhood in Kingston, Massachusetts. The neighborhood sits on a small peninsula of land on Kingston Bay where the Jones River meets the Atlantic Ocean, near Duxbury, Massachusetts. Rocky Nook was once a resort neighborhood with most of its houses originally built as summer...
, just north of the Plymouth town line.
Route 3
Route 3 (Massachusetts)
Route 3 is a southward continuation of U.S. Route 3, connecting Cambridge, Massachusetts with Cape Cod. All of it, except for the northernmost end in downtown Boston and Cambridge, is a freeway....
, also known as the Pilgrims Highway, runs through the eastern portion of town. There are two exits for Kingston, at the Independence Mall
Independence Mall (Massachusetts)
Independence Mall, also known as the Kingston Mall, is a one story enclosed shopping center with 100 stores and restaurants. Built in 1989, the mall serves the South Shore-History:Bradlees and JC Penney closed in early 2001...
in the southern portion of town, and at Route 3A. There is also an exit just over the Duxbury town line where Route 3A again crosses the highway. The new highway portion of U.S. Route 44
U.S. Route 44
U.S. Route 44 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 237 miles through four states in the Northeastern region of the United States. The western terminus is at U.S. Route 209 and New York State Route 55 in Kerhonkson, a hamlet in the Hudson Valley region of New York...
also passes through the southern portion of town, along the edge of the state forest, on its way to its new intersection with Route 3. Additionally, Routes 27
Route 27 (Massachusetts)
-Route description:Route 27 runs in a sweeping arc from Kingston to Chelmsford. For most of its route, it acts as an intermediate route between Interstate 95 and Interstate 495....
, 53, 80 ad 106 all end in the town, with all except Route 27 (which ends at Route 106) ending at their intersections with Route 3A.
Kingston is one of the two termini of the Kingston/Plymouth line of the MBTA's
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, often referred to as the MBTA or simply The T, is the public operator of most bus, subway, commuter rail and ferry systems in the greater Boston, Massachusetts, area. Officially a "body politic and corporate, and a political subdivision" of the...
Commuter Rail system. The Kingston terminus is located just off of Route 3, north of the mall. Regional air service can be reached at Plymouth Municipal Airport
Plymouth Municipal Airport (Massachusetts)
Plymouth Municipal Airport is a town-owned, public-use airport located four nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Plymouth, a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States...
; the nearest national and international air service can be reached at Logan International Airport
Logan International Airport
General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways...
in Boston.
Kingston is also located on the 42nd parallel
42nd parallel north
The 42nd parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 42 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean....
, recognized by a roadside memorial on Landing Road near the Bay Farms area.
Demographics
As of the American Community SurveyAmerican Community Survey
The American Community Survey is an ongoing statistical survey by the U.S. Census Bureau, sent to approximately 250,000 addresses monthly . It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the decennial census...
of 2009, there were 12,484 people, 4,363 households, and 2,940 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 674.8 people per square mile (260.1/km²). There were 4,707 housing units at an average density of 254.5 per square mile (98.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.3% white, 0.1% Black or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.3% Native American, 2.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.7% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.6% of the population.
There were 4,363 households out of which 35.6% had children over the age of 24 living with them, 56.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.9% had a female householder with 5 husbands present, and 32.6% were non-families. 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.36.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.3% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 90 years of age or older. The median age was 65 years. For every 100 females there were 86.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.08 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $79,045, and the median income for a family was $99,438. Males had a median income of $67,712 versus $48,846 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $36,771. About 3.3% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.7% of those under age 18 and 12.5% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
as a part of the Twelfth Plymouth District, which includes Plympton and portions of Duxbury, Halifax, Middleborough and Plymouth. The town is represented in the Massachusetts Senate
Massachusetts Senate
The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the state...
as a part of the Plymouth and Barnstable District, which includes Bourne, Falmouth, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Sandwich and portions of Barnstable. The town is patrolled by the First (Norwell) Barracks of Troop D of the Massachusetts State Police
Massachusetts State Police
The Massachusetts State Police is an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Executive Office of Public Safety and Security responsible for criminal law enforcement and traffic vehicle regulation across the state...
.
On the national level, Kingston is a part of Massachusetts's 10th congressional district
Massachusetts's 10th congressional district
Massachusetts's 10th congressional district is a political constituency that includes parts of the South Shore of Massachusetts, and all of Cape Cod and the islands. With a population of 635,901 and a land area of , it is the most populous of Massachusetts's ten congressional districts and the...
, and is currently represented by Bill Keating. The state's senior (Class II) member of the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, re-elected in 2008, is John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
. The junior (Class I) senator, elected in 2010, is Scott Brown
Scott Brown
Scott Brown is a United States senator.Scott Brown may also refer to:-Sportsmen:*Scott Brown , American college football coach of Kentucky State...
.
Kingston operates under the open town meeting
Open town meeting
An open town meeting is a form of town meeting in which all registered voters of a town may vote . This form of government is typical of smaller municipalities in the New England region of the United States....
form of government, led by a town administrator and a board of selectmen
Board of selectmen
The board of selectmen is commonly the executive arm of the government of New England towns in the United States. The board typically consists of three or five members, with or without staggered terms.-History:...
. Kingston's town offices moved into a new building in 2003, closer to its animal control and highway department facilities on Evergreen Street
Evergreen Street
Evergreen Street is a main east-west street in Kingston, Massachusetts.-Description:Evergreen Street begins at the junction of Route 27 and Route 106. The street ends at Route 3A in Kingston Center, just south of the crossing of Route 3A and the MBTA Commuter Rail's Plymouth/Kingston Line....
, on the opposite side of Evergreen Cemetery from the old building. The town operates its own police and fire departments, with a branch firehouse located near the Plymouth town line. The town's EMT service brings its patients to nearby Jordan Hospital
Jordan Hospital
Jordan Hospital is a hospital located in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Founded in 1901, it is today the largest hospital in the Southern region of the South Shore. Jordan is an acute care, 150-bed, not-for-profit community hospital serving 12 towns in Plymouth and Barnstable counties...
in Plymouth. The town has a single post office, located along Route 3A. The Kingston Public Library is located just across the street from the old town hall, and is a part of the Old Colony Library Network.
Education
Kingston is a member of the Silver Lake Regional School District along with Halifax and Plympton. Although the towns in the Silver Lake School District share a middle school and a high school, each operates their own elementary schools. Kingston operates the Kingston Elementary School and Kingston Intermediate School for students from kindergarten through sixth grade.Once students reach seventh grade they are sent to Silver Lake Regional Middle School and then Silver Lake Regional High School
Silver Lake Regional High School
Silver Lake Regional High School is a public, regional high school in Massachusetts' South Shore region. It serves as the secondary school for the Silver Lake Regional School District, comprising the towns of Kingston, Plympton and Halifax, Massachusetts...
, both in Kingston. Silver Lake's teams are known as the Lakers, and their colors are red and silver. Their chief rival is Pembroke High School
Pembroke High School
Pembroke High School, is a public secondary school located on 80 Learning Lane in Pembroke, Massachusetts.The school serves students in grades 9-12 and has an approximate student population of 930 students...
, whom they play in the annual Thanksgiving Day football game. Pembroke was previously part of the Silver Lake Regional School District but withdrew in 2005. A new Silver Lake High School building finished construction in January 2006. The official school website can be found at the Silver Lake Regional School District Website. Silver Lake operates its own vocational facilities; if a trade is chosen that is not supported by Silver Lake students are sent to South Shore Vocational Technical High School in Hanover, MA. Silver Lake was recognized in 2008 by Boston Magazine as being one of the 30 smartest public high schools in Massachusetts. This is based on criteria including student achievement, college preparation, athletics programs, electives and the overall cost per community.
Kingston is home to one private school, Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart High School (Kingston, Massachusetts)
Sacred Heart High School is a private college preparatory high school of Roman Catholic denomination in Kingston, Massachusetts. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. The school is operated by the Sisters of Divine Providence and has been educating students in grades 7-12...
, which is located along Bishops Highway (Route 80) just south of Route 44. It serves students from kindergarten through twelfth grade.
Television
Kingston is covered in both the BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and Providence, RI media markets, receiving WCVB (ABC), WBZ
WBZ-TV
WBZ-TV, virtual channel 4, is a CBS owned-and-operated television station, located in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. WBZ-TV's studios and office facilities, shared with sister station WSBK-TV , are located in the Allston-Brighton section of Boston, and its transmitter is located in Needham,...
(CBS), and WHDH (NBC) news from Boston. Recently WFXT
WFXT
WFXT is a television station owned and operated by the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, located in Boston, Massachusetts. The station's studio and office facility is in Dedham, Massachusetts, and its transmitter is located in Needham, Massachusetts...
(Fox 25) has added a news bureau which covers Kingston.
Newspapers
Kingston is covered in print media by the Boston Globe, Boston HeraldBoston Herald
The Boston Herald is a daily newspaper that serves Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and its surrounding area. It was started in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States...
, The Patriot Ledger
The Patriot Ledger
The Patriot Ledger is a daily afternoon newspaper published in Quincy, Massachusetts and serving the South Shore. Its circulation is 55,000 on weekdays and 63,000 for its Weekend edition which is published on Saturday mornings....
, Brockton Enterprise, and the Kingston Reporter. The Kingston Observer stopped printing in 2009.
Transportation
Commuter railRegional rail
Commuter rail, also called suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates between a city center, and the middle to outer suburbs beyond 15km and commuter towns or other locations that draw large numbers of commuters—people who travel on a daily basis...
service from Boston's South Station
South Station
South Station, New England's second-largest transportation center , located at the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Summer Street in Dewey Square, Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest train station and intercity bus terminal in Greater Boston, a prominent train station in the northeastern...
is provided by the MBTA with a stop in Kingston
Kingston (MBTA station)
Kingston / Route 3 is a passenger rail station on MBTA Commuter Rail's Plymouth/Kingston Line. it is located at 194 Marion Drive in Kingston, Massachusetts, which is west of Independence Mall Shopping Center off of Exit 8 on Massachusetts Route 3, hence the dual name.Kingston station was built in...
on its Plymouth/Kingston Line. Not all non-peak trains stop at Kingston - some trains terminate at Plymouth
Plymouth (MBTA station)
Plymouth is a passenger rail station on MBTA Commuter Rail's Plymouth/Kingston Line. The station is located in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in the Cordage Park complex of North Plymouth. Plymouth is one terminus of the MBTA's Kingston/Plymouth Old Colony Line, the other being the Kingston station in...
instead.
See also
- Frederic C. Adams Public LibraryFrederic C. Adams Public LibraryFrederic C. Adams Public Library is a building at 33 Summer Street in Kingston, Massachusetts.Designed by Joseph Everett Chandler , a major proponent of the Colonial Revival style, the library was built in 1898 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001...
, built in 1898 - Bradford House (Major John Bradford Homestead)Bradford House (Kingston, Massachusetts)Bradford House is an historic house at 50 Landing Road in Kingston, Massachusetts. The Jones River Village Historical Society is located in the house, known as the Major John Bradford Homestead....
, built in 1714
Notable residents
- William BradfordWilliam Bradford (1590-1657)William Bradford was an English leader of the settlers of the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts, and served as governor for over 30 years after John Carver died. His journal was published as Of Plymouth Plantation...
, governor - Joseph Ripley ChandlerJoseph Ripley ChandlerJoseph Ripley Chandler was a Whig member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.-Biography:Joseph R. Chandler was born in Kingston, Massachusetts. He was engaged in commercial work in Boston, Massachusetts, and moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1815...
, congressman - Neil CicieregaNeil CicieregaNeil Stephen Cicierega , is an American comedian, filmmaker and musician. He is the creator of a genre of Flash animation known as "Animutation". He has also released several albums as a musician under the stage name "Lemon Demon"....
, internet personality and musician - Chris CooperChris Cooper (actor)Christopher W. "Chris" Cooper is an American film actor. He became well known in the late 1990s. He has appeared in supporting performances in several major Hollywood films, including The Bourne Identity, American Beauty, Capote, The Town, The Kingdom, Syriana, October Sky, Seabiscuit, and...
, actor - Marianne Leone CooperMarianne Leone CooperMarianne Leone is an American film and television actress, screenwriter, and essayist. She is likely best-known for her recurring role as Christopher Moltisanti's mother on The Sopranos....
, actress - Rich CroninRich CroninRichard Burton "Rich" Cronin was an American singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer and primary songwriter for the pop group Lyte Funkie Ones or LFO.-Early life:...
, singer, songwriter (LFO) - Percy Keese FitzhughPercy Keese FitzhughPercy Keese Fitzhugh is an American author of nearly 100 books for children and young adults.-Biography:Percy Keese Fitzhugh was born in Brooklyn, New York. He attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. Records do not indicate that he graduated. He married Harriet Lloyd LePorte on July 13, 1900 in...
, author - John Holmes, congressman and senator
- Christopher PrinceChristopher PrinceChristopher Prince was a merchant, farmer and political figure in Nova Scotia. He represented Granville township in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1772 to 1780....
, merchant, farmer and political figure - Marshall StricklandMarshall StricklandMarshall Strickland is an American basketball player. He played college basketball at Indiana University for four years from 2002 to 2006. He is originally from Kingston, MA and went to Winchendon Prep in Winchendon, MA before transferring to South Carroll High School in Carroll County, Maryland. ...
, basketball player - Peleg WadsworthPeleg WadsworthPeleg Wadsworth was an American officer during the American Revolutionary War and a Congressman from Massachusetts representing the District of Maine. He was also grandfather of noted American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.Wadsworth was born in Duxbury, Massachusetts, to Peleg and Susanna ...
, military officer