Kingston is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...

and

census designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...

(CDP) along the border of South Brunswick Township in Middlesex County and Franklin Township in Somerset County, and also located relatively near

Princeton Princeton University is a private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the Unit ...

in Mercer County in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

.GCT-PH1 - Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County – County Subdivision and Place from the 2010 Census Summary File 1 for Somerset County, New Jersey

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

. Accessed February 11, 2013.New Jersey: 2010 - Population and Housing Unit Counts - 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32)

, August 2012. Accessed February 11, 2013. The historic settlement is in the Raritan Valley region, located along the course of the

Millstone River The Millstone River is a tributary of the Raritan River in central New Jersey in the United States.Gertler, Edward. ''Garden State Canoeing'', Seneca Press, 2002. The Millstone River begins in western Monmouth County, New Jersey, Monmouth Co ...

. As of the 2020 census, the CDP's population was 1,581, of which 1,272 were in South Brunswick Township and 309 in Franklin Township. The New Jersey State Planning Commission created the Kingston Village Advisory Committee in 2001 to address issues related to this distinct area. Both South Brunswick and Franklin appoint members to the committee, which holds an annual meeting to discuss issues pertinent to the Kingston area. Kingston is (so far) unique as the only village center that has been officially designated by the New Jersey State Planning Commission. Kingston is located in five historic districts and is part of the Millstone River Valley Scenic Byway. The

Delaware and Raritan Canal The Delaware and Raritan Canal (D&R Canal) is a canal in central New Jersey, built in the 1830s, that connects the Delaware River to the Raritan River. It was an efficient and reliable means of transportation of freight between Philadelphia and ...

and Rockingham State Historic Site are a short distance away.

History

Jediah Higgins purchased from the Native Americans in the early 18th century and the town of Kingston was established. Kingston's location on the

Lenape The Lenape (, , ; ), also called the Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. The Lenape's historica ...

Assunpink Trail where it crossed the

and later becoming part of the King's Highway was the prime factor in its early prominence. Kingston was by far the most active and important village, being situated on both the heavily traveled King's Road and Millstone River, combining commercial activities of both mills and taverns.

Geography

Kingston is in southwestern Middlesex County, in the western end of South Brunswick Township, and in southern Somerset County, occupying the southern tip of Franklin Township. It is bordered to the east by Heathcote in Middlesex County and to the north by East Rocky Hill in Somerset County. It is bordered to the west by the

, which forms the Mercer County line. The borough of

borders Kingston across the Millstone River.

New Jersey Route 27 Route 27 is a state highway in New Jersey, United States. It runs from U.S. Route 206 (US 206) in Princeton, Mercer County, northeast to an interchange with McCarter Highway ( Route 21) and Broad Street in Newark, Essex County. ...

is Kingston's Main Street; Route 27 leads southwest to its terminus in the center of Princeton, and northeast to

New Brunswick New Brunswick is a Provinces and Territories of Canada, province of Canada, bordering Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the northeast, the Bay of Fundy to the southeast, and the U.S. state of Maine to ...

, the Middlesex county seat. According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, 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 U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

, the Kingston CDP has an area of , of which are land and , or 3.55%, are water. The Millstone River, which runs along the western edge of Kingston, is a north-flowing tributary of the

Raritan River The Raritan River is a river of the U.S. state of New Jersey. Its Drainage basin, watershed drains much of the mountainous areas in the North Jersey, northern and Central Jersey, central sections of the state, emptying into the Raritan Bay near ...

and thus part of the watershed of

Lower New York Bay Lower New York Bay is a section of New York Bay south of the Narrows (the strait between Staten Island and Brooklyn). The eastern end of the Bay is marked by two spits of land, Sandy Hook, New Jersey, and Rockaway, Queens. The waterway bet ...

Demographics

2010 census

Middlesex County portion

The 2010 United States census counted 1,222 people, 533 households, and 303 families in the CDP. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 566 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 71.28% (871)

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 6.30% (77) Black or African American, 0.25% (3) Native American, 14.73% (180) Asian, 0.00% (0)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 5.32% (65) from other races, and 2.13% (26) from two or more races.

Hispanic or Latino ''Hispanic'' and '' Latino'' are ethnonyms used to refer collectively to the inhabitants of the United States who are of Spanish or Latin American ancestry (). While many use the terms interchangeably, for example, the United States Census Bureau ...

of any race were 10.64% (130) of the population.DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Kingston CDP, New Jersey

. Accessed November 29, 2012. Of the 533 households, 26.1% had children under the age of 18; 47.8% were married couples living together; 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 43.2% were non-families. Of all households, 37.5% were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 3.10. 22.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 30.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 90.6 males.

Somerset County portion

The 2010 United States census counted 271 people, 124 households, and 81 families in the CDP. The

was . There were 126 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 94.10% (255)

, 2.58% (7) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 2.21% (6) Asian, 0.00% (0)

, 0.74% (2) from other races, and 0.37% (1) from two or more races.

of any race were 5.54% (15) of the population. Of the 124 households, 23.4% had children under the age of 18; 52.4% were married couples living together; 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 34.7% were non-families. Of all households, 28.2% were made up of individuals and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.68. 16.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.1% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 31.4% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.5 years. For every 100 females, the population had 103.8 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 94.8 males.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 1,292 people, 561 households, and 315 families living in the CDP. The

was . There were 576 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the CDP was 74.07%

, 8.05%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.62% Native American, 10.06% Asian, 4.33% from other races, and 2.86% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 11.69% of the population.DP-1 - Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 from the Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Kingston CDP, New Jersey

. Accessed November 29, 2012. There were 561 households, out of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.7% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.7% were non-families. 36.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 3.08. In the CDP the population was spread out, with 20.3% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 36.4% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $65,962, and the median income for a family was $80,242. Males had a median income of $56,371 versus $46,250 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for Kingston was $34,457. None of the families and 1.0% of the population were living below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including no under eighteens and none of those over 64.

Religion

Kingston Presbyterian Church

The Kingston Presbyterian Church was organized in 1723 and was initially located in a log building adjacent to the

. The old tombstones surround the site where the church once stood in the Kingston Cemetery. The Reverend Eleazer Wales was the first recorded minister of the church. The original church building in the cemetery burned down in 1791, and new building was erected in 1792 on the original foundation. The congregation used this building until 1852, when the larger building on Main Street in Kingston was constructed on land purchased from Elijah Stout. In 1853, the church building in the cemetery was sold and was later dismantled. Two additions were constructed on the 1852 site. Sunday school rooms were added to the back of the structure in the late 1940s. In the late 1980s another addition was added which added a new kitchen facility, additional space in the assembly room, pastors study and office. Kingston NJ Presby PHS738

The church suffered through some difficult times during the remainder of the 1700s. During this period, Princeton University was built and the village of Princeton expanded, while the population of Kingston declined. (At that time, Kingston extended as far as Snowden Lane.) Consequently, the church lost many members to the "new" Presbyterian Church down the road in Princeton. It was also during this time that the Revolutionary War was fought in the area, and British officers were quartered in local homes. Gen. Washington became a recognizable figure in the Kingston area at the time. Not only did he lead his troops past the church to escape Cornwallis, but he also had his headquarters hardly a mile from the church while the Continental Congress sat in Nassau Hall. In 1800, the Kingston Presbyterian Church began a period of prosperity and growth, which continues to this day. The church sent its first foreign missionaries to China in the early 1800s.

Kingston United Methodist Church

During the month of February 1878, the people of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Rocky Hill brought an evangelist, Miss Lizzie Sharp, to conduct revival meetings in their church. There were some twenty or more of Kingston people who attended these meetings, and who decided to form a Methodist church in Kingston. A site was purchased for $250 on what is now Church Street, across from the Kingston Cemetery. Building began September 20, 1878, and was completed and dedicated on January 30, 1879. A nursery was later added. Kingston United Methodist Church 0262

National Register of Historic Places

The following sites and districts in Kingston are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

: * Rockingham Historic Site, George Washington's last war-time headquarters in 1783, added in 1970 it is #70000394. * Delaware and Raritan Canal Historic District was added in 1973, it is district #73001105. * Kingston Mill Historic District was added in 1986, it is district #86000707. * Kingston Village Historic District was added in 1990, it is district #89002163. * King's Highway Historic District was added in 2000, it is district #00001493. * Princeton Nurseries Historic District, was added in August 2018, it is district #08000899.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Kingston include: * Cynthia Gooding (1924–1988),

folk singer Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...

* Andrew Zwicker (born 1964), physicist and member of the

New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...

O"Dea, Colleen
"Profile: Pursuing Physics And Politics – With A Little Surfing Thrown In"
NJ Spotlight, December 16, 2015. Accessed November 10, 2018. "Home: Kingston"

References

External links

* Kingston Greenways Association: http://kingstongreenways.org/ * Friends of Princeton Nursery Lands: http://fpnl.org/ * Kingston Historical Society: http://www.khsnj.org/
No 92

Preservation New Jersey: Vanishing Villages

Kingston Women's Chorus
* * {{Authority control Census-designated places in Middlesex County, New Jersey Census-designated places in New Jersey Census-designated places in Somerset County, New Jersey Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey South Brunswick, New Jersey