North Kingstown is a town in Washington County,

Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area and the seventh-least populous, with slightly fewer than 1.1 million residents as of 2020, but i ...

, United States, and is part of the

Providence metropolitan area The Providence metropolitan area is a region extending into eight counties in two states, and is the 38th largest metropolitan area in the United States. Anchored by the city of Providence, Rhode Island, it has an estimated population of 1,622,5 ...

. The population was 27,732 in the 2020 census. North Kingstown is home to the birthplace of American

portrait A portrait is a painting, 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, and even the mood of the person. For this ...

ist Gilbert Stuart, who was born in the village of Saunderstown. 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 Algonqui ...

, location of the former

Naval Air Station Quonset Point A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It inclu ...

, 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 ...

, as well as the historic village of

Wickford Wickford is a town and civil parish in the south of the English county of Essex, with a population of 33,486. Located approximately 30 miles (50 km) east of London, it is within the Borough of Basildon along with the original town of Basi ...

History

The area was first settled by Roger Williams 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 L ...

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 South Kingstown is a town in, and the county seat of, Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 31,931 at the 2020 census. South Kingstown is the second largest town in Rhode Island by total geographic area, behind New ...

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 c ...

, 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 An economy is an area of th ...

, 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 lightness, 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 diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...

, 1.0%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

, 0.6% American Indian/Alaska Native, 1.3% Asian, 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, 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 viceroyalties for ...

or Latino 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 Wickford Junction is a commuter rail station located in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, United States. It is the southern terminus of the MBTA Commuter Rail Providence/Stoughton Line and serves as a park and ride location for commuters to ...

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 Pr ...

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 ...

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 ...

also services in the town inbound to Providence 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 th ...

Education

North Kingstown School Department 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 ...

is the municipal school district. It operates

North Kingstown High School North Kingstown Senior High School (North Kingstown High School) is a public secondary school located in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. The school, which serves grades 9–12, is attended by residents of both North Kingstown and Jamestown. As of ...

Notable people

* Elizabeth Beisel, 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 Captain Daniel Fones (born 9 March 1713, Conanicut Island, Jamestown, Rhode Island – , North Kingstown, Washington, Rhode Island) was the leading military commander for Rhode Island in the Siege of Louisbourg (1745). He was the captain of '' ...

* Gilbert Stuart (1755–1828), painter; his portrait of George Washington 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 province ...

. * Davis Memorial Wildlife Refuge: 96 acres of forest and wetlands preserved by the

Audubon Society The National Audubon Society (Audubon; ) is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation of birds and their habitats. Located in the United States and incorporated in 1905, Audubon is one of the oldest of such organ ...

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 ...

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. 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: A large museum located at the former

which focuses on military aviation history. *

(1678): A colonial plantation located on the shore of Narragansett Bay. *

, a former military base which was once the home of the Naval Construction Battalions known as the

Seabees , colors = , mascot = Bumblebee , battles = Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Cape Gloucester, Los Negros, Guam, Peleliu, Tarawa, Kwajalein, Saipan, Tinian, Iwo Jima, Phi ...

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 The Davisville Historic District is a historic district on Davisville Road in Davisville, Rhode Island, a village in North Kingstown. It encompasses the site of an early 19th-century mill, and several associated buildings, including five houses ...

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 state ...

(1738) * George Fayerweather Blacksmith Shop (1819) *

Ezekial Gardner House The Ezekial Gardner House was an historic house at 297 Pendar Road in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. It was a -story wood-frame house, with a gambrel roof. The oldest portion of the house dated to the early 18th century, and was the best-pres ...

* Hamilton Mill Village Historic District * Lafayette Village * Stephen Northup House (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 North ...

(1707) * Palmer-Northrup House (1680) *

Joseph Pierce Farm The Joseph Pierce Farm is an historic farm at 933 Gilbert Stuart Road in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. It consists of of land, along with an 18th-century farmhouse and a number of 19th-century outbuildings. The oldest portion of the house, i ...

Plum Beach Light Plum Beach Light (Lighthouse), built in 1899, is a sparkplug lighthouse in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. The lighthouse was built using pneumatic caisson engineering. A granite base was added in 1922. The light was deactivated in 1941 when the ...

(1899) *

Poplar Point Light Poplar Point Light (Lighthouse), built in 1831, is an historic lighthouse in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. It stands at the end of Poplar Point, marking the southern point of Wickford Harbor. The lighthouse was built in 1831 with a stone keeper' ...

(1831) * Rathbun House *

Esbon Sanford House The Esbon Sanford House is an historic house at 88 Featherbed Lane in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. It is a -story wood-frame structure, five bays wide, with a central chimney and simple Federal-Greek Revival transitional styling. The main e ...

(1832) * Saunderstown Historic District *

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 The Joseph Slocum House is an historic house on Slocum Road (about 1/4 mile south of Indian Corner Road) in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. It is a -story wood-frame house, five bays wide, with a large central chimney. It faces south on the eas ...

(1750) *

Spink Farm The Spink Farm is a historic farm at 1325 Shermantown Road in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. The only surviving element of the farmstead on this farm is the main house, a -story five-bay wood-frame structure built in 1798 by Isaac Spink. The ho ...

(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

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