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Kinston is a city in
Lenoir County, North Carolina Lenoir County ( )Talk Like a Tarheel
, from the North Carolina Co ...
, United States, with a population of 19,900 as of the 2020 census. It has been the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
of Lenoir County since its formation in 1791. Kinston is located in the coastal plains region of eastern North Carolina. In 2009, Kinston won the
All-America City Award The All-America City Award is a community recognition program in the United States given by the National Civic League. The award recognizes the work of communities in using inclusive civic engagement to address critical issues and create stron ...
. This marks the second time in 21 years the city has won the title.


History


Early history

At the time of English settlement, the area was inhabited by the Neusiok people. Preceding the historic tribe,
indigenous peoples There is no generally accepted definition of Indigenous peoples, although in the 21st century the focus has been on self-identification, cultural difference from other groups in a state, a special relationship with their traditional territ ...
of a variety of cultures had lived in the area for thousands of years. Before the English colonists established the city, the area was called "Atkins Bank", referring to a bluff once owned by Robert Atkins just above the
Neuse River The Neuse River ( , Tuscarora: Neyuherú·kęʔkì·nęʔ) is a river rising in the Piedmont of North Carolina and emptying into Pamlico Sound below New Bern. Its total length is approximately , making it the longest river entirely contained in N ...
; it was the site of farms, a
tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...
warehouse, and a
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...
mission Mission (from Latin 'the act of sending out'), Missions or The Mission may refer to: Geography Australia *Mission River (Queensland) Canada *Mission, British Columbia, a district municipality * Mission, Calgary, Alberta, a neighbourhood * ...
. Kinston was created by an act of the
North Carolina General Assembly The North Carolina General Assembly is the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of the Government of North Carolina, state government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the North Carolina Senate, Senate and the North Ca ...
in December 1762 as "Kingston", in honor of
King George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and ...
, who had just recently ascended to the throne. The bill to incorporate it was introduced by Richard Caswell, who made his home there and later served as the first governor of the state of North Carolina from 1776 to 1780. After victory in the
American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...
, the citizens renamed the city "Kinston" in 1784 to show the population's disavowal of royalty. In 1833, Kinston briefly became "Caswell", in honor of Governor Caswell, but the name Kinston was restored the following year. Commissioners appointed to design the town began to accept "subscriptions" for numbered lots. To keep a lot, subscribers were required to build brick homes of specific dimensions within three years or lose their rights to the property. The town was laid out with border streets named East, North, and South, with the western border the
Neuse River The Neuse River ( , Tuscarora: Neyuherú·kęʔkì·nęʔ) is a river rising in the Piedmont of North Carolina and emptying into Pamlico Sound below New Bern. Its total length is approximately , making it the longest river entirely contained in N ...
. The two principal roads within these borders were named for King George and
Queen Charlotte Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Sophia Charlotte; 19 May 1744 – 17 November 1818) was Queen of Great Britain and Ireland as the wife of King George III from their marriage on 8 September 1761 until her death in 1818. The Acts of Un ...
. They remain King and Queen Streets to this day. Other streets were named in honor of Governor
Arthur Dobbs Arthur Dobbs (2 April 1689 – 28 March 1765) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator who served as the governor of North Carolina from 1754 to 1764. Early life and career Arthur Dobbs was born in Girvan, Ayrshire where his mot ...
(later renamed Independence Street) and the commissioners. In December 1791, an act was passed in the General Assembly to abolish Dobbs County and form Lenoir and Glasgow (now Greene) Counties. At that time, Kinston was designated the county seat for Lenoir County. Kinston was incorporated as a town through an act of the legislature in January 1849, after which the population grew rapidly. In 1850, the population was estimated at 455 people, and just 10 years later, it had more than doubled to over 1000.


Civil War

During the onset of the
Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
, Camp Campbell and Camp Johnston were established near the city as training camps, and a bakery on Queen Street was converted to produce
hardtack Hardtack (or hard tack) is a type of dense Cracker (food), cracker made from flour, water, and sometimes salt. Hardtack is inexpensive and long-lasting. It is used for sustenance in the absence of perishable foods, commonly during long sea voyage ...
in large quantities. Also, a factory for the production of shoes for the military was located in Kinston. The Battle of Kinston took place in and around the city on December 14, 1862. From February 5 to February 22, 1864, 22 Union soldiers of the 2nd North Carolina Union Volunteer Infantry Regiment were executed by
hanging Hanging is killing a person by suspending them from the neck with a noose or ligature strangulation, ligature. Hanging has been a standard method of capital punishment since the Middle Ages, and has been the primary execution method in numerou ...
in the city. These men had been captured in the Battle of New Bern by Confederate troops, and were found to have previously served in North Carolina Partisan Ranger units. General
George Pickett George Edward Pickett (January 16,Military records cited by Eicher, p. 428, and Warner, p. 239, list January 28. The memorial that marks his gravesite in Hollywood Cemetery lists his birthday as January 25. Thclaims to have accessed the baptis ...
ordered that they should be court martialed for desertion from the Confederate Army, and the subsequent hangings were carried out by the 54th Regiment, North Carolina Troops, under the command of General
Robert Hoke Robert Frederick Hoke (May 27, 1837 – July 3, 1912) was a Confederate major general during the American Civil War. He was present at one of the earliest battles, the Battle of Big Bethel, where he was commended for coolness and judgment ...
. Fifteen of these men were from Jones County, and had all started their service in the 8th Battalion North Carolina Partisan Rangers. The Battle of Wyse Fork, also known as the Battle of Southwest Creek (March 7–10, 1865), took place near the city. At this later battle, the Confederate
ram Ram, ram, or RAM most commonly refers to: * A male sheep * Random-access memory, computer memory * Ram Trucks, US, since 2009 ** List of vehicles named Dodge Ram, trucks and vans ** Ram Pickup, produced by Ram Trucks Ram, ram, or RAM may also ref ...
'' Neuse'' was scuttled to avoid capture by Union troops. Remnants of the ship have been salvaged, and were on display at Richard Caswell Park on West Vernon Avenue. A climate-controlled museum has been built on downtown Queen Street, and has moved the hulk there to prevent further deterioration of the original ship's remains. A full-scale replica vessel (''Ram Neuse II'') has been constructed near the original's resting place (known as the "Cat's Hole") beside the bank of the Neuse River on Heritage Street in Kinston. Union Army forces occupied the city following the battle. United States troops were assigned to the area through the
Reconstruction era The Reconstruction era was a period in History of the United States, US history that followed the American Civil War (1861-65) and was dominated by the legal, social, and political challenges of the Abolitionism in the United States, abol ...
.


After Reconstruction

Despite the hardships of war and Reconstruction, the population of the city continued to grow. By 1870, the population had increased to 1,100 people and grew to more than 1,700 within a decade. During the late 19th century, an expansion into new areas of industry occurred, most notably the production of horse-drawn
carriage A carriage is a two- or four-wheeled horse-drawn vehicle for passengers. In Europe they were a common mode of transport for the wealthy during the Roman Empire, and then again from around 1600 until they were replaced by the motor car around 1 ...
s. Kinston also became a major
tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...
- and
cotton Cotton (), first recorded in ancient India, is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure ...
-trading center. By the start of the 20th century, more than 5 million pounds of tobacco were being sold annually in Kinston's warehouses. Along with the growth in population and industry came a growth in property values. Some parcels increased in value more than five-fold within a 20-year period. On April 6, 1916, Joseph Black was taken from the Lenoir County Jail and lynched by a mob of armed men. He was accused of assisting his son in an escape attempt.


20th century

New industries were founded, including
lumber Lumber is wood that has been processed into uniform and useful sizes (dimensional lumber), including beams and planks or boards. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, window frames). ...
and cotton mills, as North Carolina businessmen invested in processing their own crops. Professional sports were introduced in the form of a minor league
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
team. Later growth came from a
DuPont Dupont, DuPont, Du Pont, duPont, or du Pont may refer to: People * Dupont (surname) Dupont, also spelled as DuPont, duPont, Du Pont, or du Pont is a French surname meaning "of the bridge", historically indicating that the holder of the surname re ...
plant for the manufacture of
polyester Polyester is a category of polymers that contain one or two ester linkages in every repeat unit of their main chain. As a specific material, it most commonly refers to a type called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Polyesters include some natura ...
fibers, and manufacturing plants for
pharmaceuticals Medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal product, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy ( pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the ...
. Growth finally slowed following the 1960s, with the shift in textile production overseas. Efforts to reinvigorate the economy through various means have had limited success. Kinston was heavily impacted by flooding in 1996 and 1999.
Hurricane Fran Hurricane Fran caused extensive damage in the United States in early September 1996. The sixth named storm, fifth hurricane, and third major hurricane of the 1996 Atlantic hurricane season, Fran developed from a tropical wave near Cape Verde on ...
struck the North Carolina coast on September 5, 1996, and brought of rain to the area, causing the Neuse River to flood portions of the city. On September 16, 1999,
Hurricane Floyd Hurricane Floyd was a very powerful and large tropical cyclone which struck the Bahamas and the East Coast of the United States. It was the sixth list of named tropical cyclones, named storm, fourth hurricane, and third major hurricane in the 1 ...
struck the area, bringing of rain. It caused what locals have called a flood of the century. 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 ...
lists these Kinston sites: American Tobacco Company Prizery, Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad Freight Depot, Baptist Parsonage, Robert L. Blalock House, B. W. Canady House, CSS Neuse, Hill-Grainger Historic District, Hotel Kinston, Jesse Jackson House, Kennedy Memorial Home Historic District, Kinston Apartments, Kinston Baptist-White Rock Presbyterian Church, Kinston Battlefield, Kinston Commercial Historic District, Kinston Fire Station-City Hall, Lenoir County Courthouse, Mitchelltown Historic District, Peebles House, Peoples Bank Building, Queen-Gordon Streets Historic District, Standard Drug No. 2, Sumrell and McCoy Building, Trianon Historic District, Tull-Worth-Holland Farm, and Dempsey Wood House.


Geography

Kinston is in the
Atlantic coastal plain The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...
region of North Carolina. It is mainly on the northeast side of the Neuse River, and is northeast of the center of Lenoir County. It is east of Goldsboro, south of Greenville, and west of
New Bern New Bern, formerly Newbern, is a city in Craven County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. It had a population of 31,291 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is located at the confluence of the Neuse River, Neuse a ...
. The Atlantic Ocean at Emerald Isle is to the southeast, and
Raleigh Raleigh ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, second-most populous city in the state (after Charlotte, North Carolina, Charlotte) ...
, the state capital, is to the northwest. 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 city of Kinston has a total area of , of which , or 0.95%, is covered by water.


Climate

According to the
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
, Kinston has a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
, ''Cfa'' on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Kinston was on July 20, 1977, and August 20–22, 1983, while the coldest temperature recorded was on January 21, 1985.


Demographics


2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, 19,900 people, 8,901 households, and 5,050 families were residing in the city.


2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, 21,677 people were living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 67.7% Black, 27.8% White, 0.2% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.1% from some other race, and 1.1% from two or more races. About 2.4% were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.


2000 census

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, 23,688 people, 9,829 households, and 6,074 families were living in the city. 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 1,415.7 people/sq mi (546.7/km2). The 11,229 housing units averaged 671.1/sq mi (259.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 35.27% White, 62.64% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 1.1% from other races, and 0.67% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 1.14% of the population. Of the 9,829 households, 28.0% had children under 18 living with them, 35.7% were married couples living together, 22.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.2% were not families. About 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.29, and the average family size was 2.94. In the city, the age distribution was 24.4% under 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.8 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 74.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $26,630, and for a family was $35,867. Males had a median income of $28,688 versus $21,442 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 the city was $17,779. About 19.7% of families and 23.0% of the population were 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 32.0% of those under age 18 and 18.9% of those age 65 or over.


Government and infrastructure

The North Carolina Department of Public Safety (earlier the
North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention The North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (DJJDP) was a state agency of North Carolina, headquartered in Raleigh.Democratic candidate Dontario Hardy beat incumbent B.J. Murphy by a margin of 205 votes. City Councilman Robert A. Swinson IV was re-elected alongside newcomer Kristal Suggs, completing Kinston's first ever all African-American city council.


Infrastructure


Health care

Kinston is served by UNC Lenoir Health Care, a nonprofit hospital located near NC 11 in Kinston. The hospital offers inpatient, outpatient and
preventive healthcare Preventive healthcare, or prophylaxis, is the application of healthcare measures to prevent diseases.Hugh R. Leavell and E. Gurney Clark as "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting physical and mental health a ...
services for the residents of Lenoir, Greene and
Jones Jones or Joneses may refer to: People and fictional characters *Jones (surname), a common Welsh and English surname * List of people with surname Jones, including fictional characters ** Justice Jones (disambiguation) ** Judge Jones (disambiguati ...
counties. General services include general medical, surgical, obstetrical, and
gynecological Gynaecology or gynecology (see American and British English spelling differences) is the area of medicine concerned with conditions affecting the female reproductive system. It is often paired with the field of obstetrics, which focuses on pre ...
care. Specialized services include
cardiology Cardiology () is the study of the heart. Cardiology is a branch of medicine that deals with disorders of the heart and the cardiovascular system. The field includes medical diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery di ...
,
pulmonology Pulmonology (, , from Latin ''pulmō, -ōnis'' "lung" and the Greek suffix "study of"), pneumology (, built on Greek πνεύμων "lung") or pneumonology () is a medical specialty that deals with diseases involving the respiratory tract. ...
,
oncology Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with the study, treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of cancer. A medical professional who practices oncology is an ''oncologist''. The name's Etymology, etymological origin is the Greek word ὄγ ...
,
radiology Radiology ( ) is the medical specialty that uses medical imaging to diagnose diseases and guide treatment within the bodies of humans and other animals. It began with radiography (which is why its name has a root referring to radiation), but tod ...
,
urology Urology (from Ancient Greek, Greek wikt:οὖρον, οὖρον ''ouron'' "urine" and ''wiktionary:-logia, -logia'' "study of"), also known as genitourinary surgery, is the branch of medicine that focuses on surgical and medical diseases of t ...
, and
vascular surgery Vascular surgery is a surgical subspecialty in which vascular diseases involving the arteries, veins, or lymphatic vessels, are managed by medical therapy, minimally-invasive catheter procedures and surgical reconstruction. The specialty evolve ...
.


Transportation


Passenger

Kinston is not served directly by passenger trains. The closest
Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
station is to the northwest in Wilson.


Air

Kinston is served by the
Kinston Regional Jetport Kinston Regional Jetport , also known as Stallings Field, is a public airport located three miles (5 km) northwest of the central business district of Kinston, a city in Lenoir County, North Carolina. The airport has a single runway that ...
. From here, Bill Harrelson of
Fredericksburg, Virginia Fredericksburg is an Independent city (United States), independent city in Virginia, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 27,982. It is south of Washington, D.C., and north of Richmond, Virginia, R ...
, left and returned on his Guinness world record-setting "around-the-globe-over-the-poles" flight in his custom-built Lancair N6ZQ, between December 2014 and January 2015. Raleigh–Durham International Airport is the closest major airport, northwest of Kinston, with service to more than 45 domestic and international destinations.


Road

* The main highway in Kinston is US 70, an east–west highway that provides access to the North Carolina coast and major cities to the west, such as Raleigh and Greensboro and
I-95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, north to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the ...
. * I-795 is the closest
interstate highway The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, or the Eisenhower Interstate System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Hi ...
to Kinston, crossing US-70 in Goldsboro. * Other highways that serve Kinston include
US 258 U.S. Route 258 (US 258) is a spur of U.S. Route 58, US 58 in the U.S. states of North Carolina and Virginia. The United States Numbered Highways, U.S. Highway runs from U.S. Route 17 Business (Jacksonville, North Carolina), US 17 Business and ...
,
NC 11 North Carolina Highway 11 (NC 11) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Traveling in a north–south alignment through Eastern North Carolina, it connects the towns and cities of Wallace, Kenansville, Kinston, ...
, NC 58, NC 55, and NC 148. Intercity bus service to Kinston is provided by
Greyhound The English Greyhound, or simply the Greyhound, is a dog breed, breed of dog, a sighthound which has been bred for coursing, greyhound racing and hunting. Some are kept as show dogs or pets. Greyhounds are defined as a tall, muscular, smooth-c ...
.


Religion

As with most of North Carolina, Kinston is predominantly
Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
with large concentrations of
Baptists Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...
, Methodists, and various other
evangelical Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of th ...
groups. Episcopalians,
Presbyterians Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...
, and
Disciples of Christ The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States and Canada. The denomination started with the Restoration Movement during the Second Great Awakening, first existing during the 19th ...
also constitute a significant portion of the population. The
Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
community in Kinston has seen steady growth over the years with the migration of
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 ...
workers to the area. Catholic migrants have also come from the
Northeastern United States The Northeastern United States (also referred to as the Northeast, the East Coast, or the American Northeast) is List of regions of the United States, census regions United States Census Bureau. Located on the East Coast of the United States, ...
who work for the North Carolina
Global TransPark The North Carolina Global TransPark (GTP) is a 2,500 acre, Multimodal transport, multi-modal industrial/airport site in Eastern North Carolina. As an agency of the State of North Carolina, the GTP is considered a key engine for driving the economy ...
and in nearby Greenville. Kinston at one time had a sizeable
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
community. As with most Jewish communities in the rural
South South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...
, it has seen a steady decline. Temple Israel, Kinston's only
synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...
, has a few remaining members.


Education


Public college

* Lenoir Community College


Private college

* United American Free Will Baptist Bible College


Public schools

* Kinston High School * Lenoir County Early College * North Lenoir High School * South Lenoir High School * Contentnea-Savannah School * Children's Village Academy * Rochelle Middle School * Woodington Middle School * Banks Elementary School * Northwest Elementary School * Moss Hill Elementary School * Southeast Elementary School * Southwood Elementary School * Northeast Elementary School


Private schools

* Arendell Parrott Academy, a nonsectarian private school (kindergarten-grade 12) * Bethel Christian Academy, a Christian private school (kindergarten-grade 12)


Culture


Arts and theater

One of Kinston's most notable buildings is the Grainger Hill Performing Arts Center, formerly Grainger High School. Constructed in 1924 after a fire destroyed the previous Kinston High School building, the school was named after Jesse W. Grainger, a local
truck farm A market garden is the relatively small-scale production of fruits, vegetables and flowers as cash crops, frequently sold directly to consumers and restaurants. The diversity of crops grown on a small area of land, typically from under to so ...
er who owned the land that the school was built upon and donated money to fund one-half of the building's $182,340 general contractor's fee. After the decision in 1970 to make way for the newly constructed and integrated Kinston High School, it served as Kinston Jr. High School until 1987 (when ninth-grade students were moved to the campus of Kinston High School and eighth-grade students were relocated to the campus of Rochelle Middle School). After the school's closure, the building was sold to a private developer, who renovated the school and turned it into a performing arts center. The property was most recently sold to the Landmark Development Group, which renovated the building into Grainger Elderly Housing, a 57-unit apartment complex for low-income elderly residents.


Tourism and recreation

The Neuse Regional Library system is headquartered in Kinston and operates branches in Kinston,
LaGrange Joseph-Louis Lagrange (born Giuseppe Luigi LagrangiaPink Hill, as well as locations in Greene and Jones Counties. Kinston is home to the CSS ''Neuse'', which is 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 ...
. Its remains are on display in the CSS ''Neuse'' Civil War Interpretive Center. The Lenoir County Confederate Memorial, the Caswell family cemetery, and the Lenoir County
Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, people from the Korean peninsula or of Korean descent * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Korean **Korean dialects **See also: North–South differences in t ...
and
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
Memorial are located nearby. There is also a Civil War Trails marker. The Cultural Heritage Museum, built in 2000 on South Queen Street as a new economic development catalyst for Kinston and the surrounding areas of eastern North Carolina, was created to recognize the contributions of
African Americans African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa ...
in numerous fields. It pays tribute to the more than 200,000 Black soldiers and 7,000 White officers of the
United States Colored Troops United States Colored Troops (USCT) were Union Army regiments during the American Civil War that primarily comprised African Americans, with soldiers from other ethnic groups also serving in USCT units. Established in response to a demand fo ...
who fought with the Union forces in the Civil War. It also honors Black military veterans from all wars,
Carl Long James Carlyle Long (born September 20, 1967) is an American former professional stock car racing driver, mechanic, and team owner. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 66 Toyota Supra for MBM Motorsports. In th ...
and the Negro Baseball League players, local heroes, and Africa and Black history in general. The museum intends to generate jobs and promote economic expansion opportunities. Kinston is home to several notable restaurants. The Chef & the Farmer, recipient of a James Beard Award, started by Vivian Howard and Ben Knight, is located in downtown Kinston. The PBS series ''
A Chef's Life ''A Chef's Life'' is an American documentary-style cooking show created by Cynthia Hill (director), Cynthia Hill and Vivian Howard. The series was produced by Markay Media and was broadcast by PBS. The series premiered September 7, 2013, and its ...
'' focuses on the restaurant, owners, and local farmers from whom it sources. Also a proponent of sustainable practices and local ingredients, Mother Earth Brewing was founded in Kinston in the summer of 2008. Other local attractions include the Neuseway Nature Center and Planetarium, the Kinston Center for the Arts, the Global Transit Park (GTP),
Grainger Stadium Grainger Stadium is a baseball stadium located in Kinston, North Carolina. It is the home ballpark for the Down East Bird Dawgs who competes in the Frontier League (FL), as well as the annual Freedom Classic between Navy and Air Force. It has a ...
, the Caswell Center, and Lenoir Memorial Hospital. Annual festivities in Kinston include the Sand in the Streets concert series held at Pearson Park, the Annual BBQ Festival on the Neuse River, and the Festival on the Neuse.


Sports

Kinston's
Grainger Stadium Grainger Stadium is a baseball stadium located in Kinston, North Carolina. It is the home ballpark for the Down East Bird Dawgs who competes in the Frontier League (FL), as well as the annual Freedom Classic between Navy and Air Force. It has a ...
is currently the home to the Down East Bird Dawgs of the
Frontier League The Frontier League (FL; French: ''Ligue Frontière'', LF) is a professional baseball league in North America composed of 18 teams – 15 in the United States and 3 in Canada. The FL is one of the eight independent baseball leagues in North Ame ...
(FL). It was previously home to the Kinston Indians minor league baseball team, as well as youth and college level baseball tournaments. The town first hosted professional baseball in 1908 and among the many alumni is
Rick Ferrell Richard Benjamin Ferrell (October 12, 1905 – July 27, 1995) was an American professional baseball player, coach, scout, and executive. He played for 18 seasons as a catcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1929 through 1947 for the St. Lou ...
, who was inducted into the
Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by a private foundation. It serves as the central collection and gathering space for the history of baseball in the United S ...
,
Manny Ramirez Manuel Arístides Ramírez Onelcida (born May 30, 1972) is a Dominican Americans (Dominican Republic), Dominican-American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for parts of 19 seasons. He played wit ...
, and Lonnie Chisenhall. The Kinston Drag Strip hosts a variety of motor-sports events throughout the year. Kinston also has three golf courses: Kinston Country Club, Falling Creek Country Club, and Bill Fay Park Par 3 Golf Course. Barnet Park is home to a disc golf course. The Galaxy of Sports recreational facility includes a
bowling alley A bowling alley (also known as a bowling center, bowling lounge, bowling arena, or historically bowling club) is a facility where the sport of bowling is played. It can be a dedicated facility or part of another, such as a clubhouse or dwelling ...
, skating rink, and health club. In 2012,
Woodmen of the World WoodmenLife (officially Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Society) is a not-for-profit fraternal benefit society founded in 1890, based in Omaha, Nebraska, United States, that operates a large privately held insurance company for its members. ...
constructed the Woodmen of the World Community Center and Lions Water Adventure Park, a facility that offers a cardio and strength-training center, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, several corporate reception areas, and conference rooms, as well as a quarter-mile elevated track and several sporting courts. The center is now owned by the city of Kinston and is called the Kinston Community Center. In 1956, Kinston was the site of a rare, perfect game of
billiards Cue sports are a wide variety of games of skill played with a cue stick, which is used to strike billiard balls and thereby cause them to move around a cloth-covered table bounded by elastic bumpers known as . Cue sports, a category of stic ...
, as
Willie Mosconi William Joseph Mosconi (; June 27, 1913 – September 17, 1993) was an American professional pool player from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mosconi is widely considered one of the greatest pool players of all time. Between the years of 1941 a ...
sank 150 balls in a row in one inning against Jimmy Moore. In 2018, ESPN called Kinston "America's Basketball Heaven". According to the ESPN article, one in 52.7 players on Kinston High School's varsity team makes the NBA.


Parks and recreation

* Neuseway Nature Park, Campground, and Meeting Facility * Pearson Park * Bill Fay Memorial Park * Emma Webb Park * Fairfield Park * Holloway Park * Lovit Hines Park * Southeast Park * Barnet Park * Lions Adventure Water Park


Notable people

* Larry Beck, professional golfer *
Jocelyn Brown Jocelyn Lorette Brown (born November 25, 1950), sometimes credited as Jocelyn Shaw, is an American Rhythm and blues, R&B and dance music, dance singer. She has a Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart entry solely in her name. Brown sang ...
, singer * James Tim Brymn, jazz musician * Reggie Bullock, NBA player for the
Dallas Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Divisi ...
*
Carter Capps Carter Lewis Capps (born August 7, 1990) is an American former professional baseball pitcher, and current pitching coach for the Seattle Redhawks. Capps played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, and Miami M ...
, All-America baseball player at Mt. Olive College and MLB relief pitcher * William Caswell, Revolutionary War general *
Dwight Clark Dwight Edward Clark (January 8, 1957 – June 4, 2018) was an American professional football wide receiver who played for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL) from 1979 He was a member of San Francisco's first two Sup ...
, retired NFL receiver for
San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...
, noted for "The Catch" * Quinton Coples, defensive end formerly of the
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
*
Steve Cowper Stephen Cambreleng Cowper (born August 21, 1938) is an American Democratic politician who was the sixth governor of Alaska from 1986 to 1990. He was governor during the 1989 ''Exxon Valdez'' oil spill. Cowper is the CEO of Steve Cowper & Asso ...
, former governor of Alaska * Richard Cray, singer * Tony Dawson, retired NBA player * Ed Grady, actor * Susannah Sarah Washington Graham, First Lady of North Carolina * Chris Hatcher, MLB pitcher * Malcolm Howard, federal judge * Vivian Howard, chef *
Brandon Ingram Brandon Xavier Ingram (born September 2, 1997) is an American professional basketball player for the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the second overall pick in the 2016 N ...
, NBA player for the
New Orleans Pelicans The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division (NBA), Southwest Division of the Western Confere ...
* Cedric "Cornbread" Maxwell, retired NBA player * Richard McCoy Jr., aircraft hijacker * Mitchell's Christian Singers, gospel group * Robert "Brother Ah" Northern, jazz musician, educator, radio host * Susan Owens, Washington State Supreme Court justice *
Maceo Parker Maceo Parker (; born February 14, 1943) is an American funk and soul jazz saxophonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s, Parliament-Funkadelic in the 1970s and Prince in the 2000s. Parker was a prominent soloist on many of ...
, musician *
Melvin Parker Melvin Parker (June 7, 1944 – December 3, 2021) was an American drummer. He and his brother, saxophonist Maceo Parker, were key members of James Brown (musician), James Brown's band. Life and career Parker was born in Kinston, North Carolina on ...
, drummer * Marion A. Parrott, lawyer, activist *
Jaime Pressly Jaime Elizabeth Pressly (born July 30, 1977) is an American actress and model. Known for her role as Joy Turner on the NBC sitcom ''My Name Is Earl'' (2005–2009), she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy ...
, actress, model * Barbara Roy, singer * Ted Sampley, Vietnam veteran and POW-MIA activist *
Christa Sauls Christa Sauls (born April 15, 1972) is an American model and actress. Career Sauls started her television career in the mid-1990s with roles in '' Step by Step'' and ''Baywatch Nights''. In 1997 she appeared in the '' Conan'' series and had a ...
, actress, model *
Charles Shackleford Charles Edward Shackleford (April 22, 1966 – January 27, 2017) was an American professional basketball player who played several seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played center and power forward, he was renowned for hi ...
, retired NBA player * J. Carlyle Sitterson, educator *
Tab Smith Talmadge "Tab" Smith (January 11, 1909 – August 17, 1971) was an American swing and rhythm and blues alto saxophonist. He is best remembered for the tracks " Because of You" and "Pretend". He worked with Count Basie, the Mills Rhythm Bo ...
, swing saxophonist * Frank Snepp, journalist *
Jerry Stackhouse Jerry Darnell Stackhouse (born November 5, 1974) is an American basketball coach and former professional player who is an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association. Stackhouse played college basketball f ...
, retired NBA player * George Suggs, MLB pitcher * Ola B. Watford, geophysicist * Mitchell Wiggins, retired NBA player *
Tyrone Willingham Lionel Tyrone Willingham (born December 30, 1953) is a former American football player and coach. He was the head coach at Stanford University (1995–2001), the University of Notre Dame (2002–2004), and the University of Washington (2005–2 ...
, college football coach


See also

* West Pharmaceutical Services explosion


References


Further reading

* * * * *


External links

*
Kinston–Lenoir County Chamber of Commerce
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kinston, North Carolina Cities in Lenoir County, North Carolina County seats in North Carolina Populated places established in 1762 Populated places on the Neuse River Cities in North Carolina