North Kingstown is a town in
Washington County,
Rhode Island
Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...
, United States, and is part of the
Providence metropolitan area. The population was 27,732 in the
2020 census. North Kingstown is home to the birthplace of American
portrait
A portrait is a portrait painting, painting, portrait photography, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expressions are predominant. The intent is to display the likeness, Personality type ...
ist
Gilbert Stuart
Gilbert Charles Stuart ( Stewart; December 3, 1755 – July 9, 1828) was an American painter from Rhode Island Colony who is widely considered one of America's foremost portraitists. His best-known work is an unfinished portrait of George Washi ...
, who was born in the village of
Saunderstown
Saunderstown is a small village and historic district in the towns of Narragansett and North Kingstown in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. Saunderstown has its own post office with the ZIP Code of 02874, which also includes a sma ...
. Within the town is
Quonset Point
Quonset Point (), also known simply as Quonset, is a small peninsula in Narragansett Bay in the town of North Kingstown, Rhode Island. Its name is widely known from the Quonset hut, which was first manufactured there. ''Quonset'' is an Algonqu ...
, location of the former
Naval Air Station Quonset Point, known for the invention of the
Quonset hut
A Quonset hut is a lightweight prefabricated structure of corrugated galvanized steel having a semi cylindrical cross-section. The design was developed in the United States, based on the Nissen hut introduced by the British during World War I ...
, as well as the historic village of
Wickford.
History
The area was first settled by
Roger Williams
Roger Williams (21 September 1603between 27 January and 15 March 1683) was an English-born New England Puritan minister, theologian, and author who founded Providence Plantations, which became the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation ...
and
Richard Smith Richard Smith may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Richard Penn Smith (1799–1854), American playwright
* Richard Smith (silent film director) (1886–1937), American silent film director
* Richard Smith (screenwriter), Scottish screenwriter, ...
who set up trading posts near Wickford where
Smith's Castle
Smith's Castle, built in 1678, is a house museum at 55 Richard Smith Drive, near Wickford, a village in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, United States. Smith's Castle is one of the oldest houses in the state. It was designated a National Historic ...
is today. The town of Kings Towne was founded in 1674, by the colonial government, and included the present day towns of North Kingstown,
South Kingstown,
Exeter
Exeter () is a city in Devon, South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol.
In Roman Britain, Exeter was established as the base of Legio II Augusta under the personal comm ...
, and
Narragansett. In 1723, Kings Towne was split into two parts, North Kingstown and South Kingstown, with North Kingstown, having the earliest settlements, retaining the 1674 establishment date. In 1742, the town of Exeter was taken from the western part of North Kingstown.
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the town has a total area of , of which is land and (25.28%) is water.
Demographics
As of the 2010 census,
there were 26,486 people, 10,436 households, and 7,347 families residing in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 94.7%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 1.0%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.6%
American Indian/Alaska Native, 1.3%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.5% from some other race
other races, and 1.9% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 2.4% of the population.
Of the 10,436 households, 70.4% were families, 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, and 29.6% were non-families. 24.2% of all households were made up of householders living alone. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.02. 75.4% of households resided in owner-occupied units and 24.6% in rental units.
According to the 2017 American Community Survey, the median income for a household in the town was $87,311 (adjusted to inflation), the median income for a family was $105,954, and the median income for married-couple families was $120,103.
Transportation
Wickford Junction is a terminus station on the
Providence/Stoughton Line
The Providence/Stoughton Line is an MBTA Commuter Rail service in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, primarily serving the southwestern suburbs of Boston. Most service runs entirely on the Northeast Corridor between South Station in Boston and Provi ...
of the
MBTA Commuter Rail
The MBTA Commuter Rail system serves as the commuter rail arm of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's transportation coverage of Greater Boston in the United States. Trains run over of track to 141 different stations, with 58 statio ...
, providing weekday train service to
Providence Station
Providence station is a railroad station in Providence, Rhode Island, served by Amtrak and MBTA Commuter Rail. The station has four tracks and two island platforms for passenger service, with a fifth track passing through for Providence and Worc ...
and Boston's
South Station
South Station, officially The Governor Michael S. Dukakis Transportation Center at South Station, is the largest railroad station and intercity bus terminal in Greater Boston and New England's second-largest transportation center after Logan In ...
.
RIPTA
The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) provides public transportation, primarily buses, in the state of Rhode Island. The main hub of the RIPTA system is Kennedy Plaza, a large bus terminal in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. In 202 ...
also services in the town inbound to
Providence
Providence often refers to:
* Providentia, the divine personification of foresight in ancient Roman religion
* Divine providence, divinely ordained events and outcomes in Christianity
* Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island in the ...
and outbound to
Narragansett or
Newport
Newport most commonly refers to:
*Newport, Wales
*Newport, Rhode Island, US
Newport or New Port may also refer to:
Places Asia
*Newport City, Metro Manila, a Philippine district in Pasay
Europe
Ireland
*Newport, County Mayo, a town on the ...
.
North Kingstown is also served by a passenger ferry connecting to the island of
Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard, often simply called the Vineyard, is an island in the Northeastern United States, located south of Cape Cod in Dukes County, Massachusetts, known for being a popular, affluent summer colony. Martha's Vineyard includes the s ...
.
Education
North Kingstown School Department is the municipal school district. It operates
North Kingstown High School.
Notable people
*
Elizabeth Beisel
Elizabeth Lyon Beisel (born August 18, 1992) is an American competition swimmer who specializes in backstroke and individual medley events. Beisel placed second in the 400m individual medley at the 2016 US Olympic Swimming Trials, qualifying fo ...
, two-time Olympic medalist swimmer
*
John Cole (1715–1777), was a lawyer and 12th Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court
* Captain
Daniel Fones
*
Gilbert Stuart
Gilbert Charles Stuart ( Stewart; December 3, 1755 – July 9, 1828) was an American painter from Rhode Island Colony who is widely considered one of America's foremost portraitists. His best-known work is an unfinished portrait of George Washi ...
(1755–1828), painter; his portrait of
George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
appears on the one dollar bill
Points of interest
*
Casey Farm
Casey Farm is a historic farm in Saunderstown, Rhode Island, United States. It is now a historic museum property, operated by Historic New England, and is open to the public.
History
Casey Farm occupies a tract of land that has been undivided i ...
(1725): An original colonial plantation that is today one of the oldest operational farms in
New England
New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...
.
*
Davis Memorial Wildlife Refuge
Davis may refer to:
Places Antarctica
* Mount Davis (Antarctica)
* Davis Island (Palmer Archipelago)
* Davis Valley, Queen Elizabeth Land
Canada
* Davis, Saskatchewan, an unincorporated community
* Davis Strait, between Nunavut and Green ...
: 96 acres of forest and wetlands preserved by the
Audubon Society of Rhode Island.
*
Devil's Foot Rock: A footprint-like natural impression or possibly
petrosomatoglyph
A petrosomatoglyph is a supposed image of parts of a human or animal body in rock. They occur all over the world, often functioning as an important form of symbolism, used in religious and secular ceremonies, such as the crowning of kings. Some a ...
. Legends going back to the colonial era tell of a Native American woman being chased by the devil. Some say that she fled from Boston. Her pursuer is said to have left his footprints at Devil's Foot Rock, then at Chimney Hill in South Kingstown, and finally at Block Island.
*
Gilbert Stuart Birthplace
The Gilbert Stuart Birthplace and Museum is located in Saunderstown, Rhode Island, US. Gilbert Stuart was born on December 3, 1755, in the colonial-era house located on the property, becoming a famous American portraitist of the 18th and 19th ce ...
and Museum (1751): The house in which American portraitist Gilbert Stuart was born in 1755. The museum features works from throughout Stuart's career and operational grist and snuff mills.
*
Historic Wickford Village: A historic seaside village which contains one of the largest collections of preserved 18th-century houses in the
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States, also referred to as the Northeast, the East Coast, or the American Northeast, is a geographic region of the United States. It is located on the Atlantic coast of North America, with Canada to its north, the Southe ...
. Wickford also has a large and scenic harbor.
*
David S. Baker Estate: Home of Rhode Island's first elected Governor to never be seated.
*
Quonset Air Museum
The Quonset Air Museum was an aerospace museum located in Quonset Point Business Park in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.
The museum's collection included: missiles, aircraft and over 5000 smaller aviation artifacts. An extensive archive of magaz ...
: A large museum located at the former
Naval Air Station Quonset Point which focuses on military aviation history.
*
Smith's Castle
Smith's Castle, built in 1678, is a house museum at 55 Richard Smith Drive, near Wickford, a village in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, United States. Smith's Castle is one of the oldest houses in the state. It was designated a National Historic ...
(1678): A colonial plantation located on the shore of Narragansett Bay.
*
Quonset Point
Quonset Point (), also known simply as Quonset, is a small peninsula in Narragansett Bay in the town of North Kingstown, Rhode Island. Its name is widely known from the Quonset hut, which was first manufactured there. ''Quonset'' is an Algonqu ...
, a former military base which was once the home of the Naval Construction Battalions known as the
Seabees
United States Naval Construction Battalions, better known as the Navy Seabees, form the U.S. Naval Construction Force (NCF). The Seabee nickname is a heterograph of the initial letters "CB" from the words "Construction Battalion". Depending upon ...
Other National Historic Places in North Kingstown
*
Allen-Madison House (1801)
*
Camp Endicott
Camp Endicott was a United States Navy Seabee facility, part of Davisville Naval Construction Battalion Center at Quonset Point in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. A surviving portion of the camp, now mostly demolished, was listed on the National ...
(1942)
*
Crowfield Historic District
The Crowfield Historic District is a small residential historic district (United States), historic district in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. It encompasses a cluster of four early 20th-century summer houses, all connected via family or friends ...
*
Davisville Historic District
*
George Douglas House
The George Douglas House is an historic house at Tower Hill and Gilbert Stuart Roads in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. Its oldest section dated to the 1730s, it is one of a small number of surviving colonial-era stone ender houses in the stat ...
(1738)
*
George Fayerweather Blacksmith Shop (1819)
*
Ezekial Gardner House
*
Hamilton Mill Village Historic District
*
Lafayette Village
Lafayette Village is a historic district extending along Ten Rod Road in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. It encompasses a linear rural and industrial village, running from the Wickford Junction railroad crossing in the west to Angel Avenue in the ...
*
Stephen Northup House
The Stephen Northup House (also known as the "Stephen Northrup House") is a historic house at 99 Featherbed Lane in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.
History
The original house on the site may have been built in 1660 with an addition around 1712 ...
(1712)
*
Old Narragansett Cemetery
The Old Narragansett Cemetery is an historic cemetery on Shermantown Road in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. Variant names for the cemetery include Narragansett Cemetery, Platform Cemetery, and The Platform Cemetery. The cemetery occupies a plot ...
*
Old Narragansett Church
Old Narragansett Church (also known as Old St. Paul's Church and St. Paul's Episcopal Church) is a historic Episcopal church located at 60 Church Lane in Wickford, Rhode Island, believed to be the oldest Episcopal church building in the Northe ...
(1707)
*
Palmer-Northrup House (1680)
*
Joseph Pierce Farm
*
Plum Beach Light (1899)
*
Poplar Point Light (1831)
*
Rathbun House
*
Esbon Sanford House (1832)
*
Saunderstown Historic District
Saunderstown is a small village and historic district in the towns of Narragansett and North Kingstown in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. Saunderstown has its own post office with the ZIP Code of 02874, which also includes a sma ...
*
Six Principle Baptist Church
Six Principle Baptist Church (also known as Stony Lane Baptist Church, Stony Lane Six Principle Baptist Church and Old Baptist Meeting House) is a historic church in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. As of 2009 it was one of the last surviving hist ...
(1703)
*
Joseph Slocum House (1750)
*
Spink Farm (1798)
*
St. Paul's Church (1847)
*
YWCA Site
The YWCA Site is an archaeological site in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.
The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
See also
*National Register of Historic Places listings in Washington County, Rhode Island
__NO ...
File:Old Narragansett Church Wickford front view.jpg, Old Narragansett Church, built in 1707, is the oldest Episcopal Church building in New England
File:Baptist Church in Wickford RI.jpg, Baptist Church in Wickford
See also
*
North Kingstown School District
The North Kingstown School Department is a school district in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It operates five elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school, and one specialty school in North Kingstown
North Kingstown is a town in Wa ...
*
References
External links
Town of North Kingstown website
{{authority control
Towns in Washington County, Rhode Island
Narragansett Bay
Populated coastal places in Rhode Island
Providence metropolitan area
Towns in Rhode Island