North Kingstown, Rhode Island
Encyclopedia
North Kingstown is a town
in Washington County
, Rhode Island
, United States
. The population was 26,486 at the 2010 census
. The famous American portrait
ist Gilbert Stuart
was born in the village of Saunderstown
, located in the southern region of North Kingstown.
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
, and Narragansett
. In 1722, 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.
, the town has a total area of 58.3 square miles (151 km²). 43.6 square miles (112.9 km²) of it is land and 14.8 square miles (38.3 km²) of it (25.28%) is water.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 26,326 people, 10,154 households, and 7,310 families residing in the town. The population density
was 603.9 people per square mile (233.2/km²). There were 10,743 housing units at an average density of 246.4 per square mile (95.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.71% White, 0.97% African American, 0.55% Native American, 0.95% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.53% from other races
, and 1.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.77% of the population.
There were 10,154 households out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.6% were married couples
living together, 46.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $60,027, and the median income for a family was $69,559. Males had a median income of $20,668 versus $18,399 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $28,139. About 18.8% of families and 16.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.6% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.
(1755–1828), the American painter whose portrait of George Washington
appears on the one dollar bill.
North Kingstown is also home to Quonset Point
, a former military base which was once the home of the Naval Construction Battalions known as the SeaBees.
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...
in Washington County
Washington County, Rhode Island
Washington County, commonly known colloquially as South County, is a county located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Washington County borders Kent County to the north, New London County in Connecticut to the west, Suffolk County in New York to the southwest, the Atlantic...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 26,486 at the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
. The famous American portrait
Portrait
thumb|250px|right|Portrait of [[Thomas Jefferson]] by [[Rembrandt Peale]], 1805. [[New-York Historical Society]].A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness,...
ist Gilbert Stuart
Gilbert Stuart
Gilbert Charles Stuart was an American painter from Rhode Island.Gilbert Stuart is widely considered to be one of America's foremost portraitists...
was born in the village of Saunderstown
Saunderstown, Rhode Island
Saunderstown is a small village and historic district in the towns of Narragansett and North Kingstown in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States....
, located in the southern region of North Kingstown.
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, Rhode Island
South Kingstown is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 30,639 at the 2010 census.South Kingstown includes the villages of Kingston, West Kingston, Wakefield, Peace Dale, Snug Harbor, Tuckertown, East Matunuck, Matunuck, Green Hill, and Perryville. Peace...
, Exeter
Exeter, Rhode Island
Exeter is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. Exeter extends east from the Connecticut border to the town of North Kingstown. It is bordered to the north by West Greenwich and East Greenwich, and to the south by Hopkinton, Richmond and South Kingstown. Exeter's postal code...
, and Narragansett
Narragansett, Rhode Island
Narragansett is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 15,868 at the 2010 census, but there is a greater population in the summer. The nickname for the town is "Gansett". The town of Narragansett occupies a narrow strip of land running along the eastern bank...
. In 1722, 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 BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 58.3 square miles (151 km²). 43.6 square miles (112.9 km²) of it is land and 14.8 square miles (38.3 km²) of it (25.28%) is water.
Demographics
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 26,326 people, 10,154 households, and 7,310 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 603.9 people per square mile (233.2/km²). There were 10,743 housing units at an average density of 246.4 per square mile (95.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 95.71% White, 0.97% African American, 0.55% Native American, 0.95% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.53% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.77% of the population.
There were 10,154 households out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 46.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $60,027, and the median income for a family was $69,559. Males had a median income of $20,668 versus $18,399 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $28,139. About 18.8% of families and 16.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.6% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.
Notable facts
North Kingstown is the birthplace of Gilbert StuartGilbert Stuart
Gilbert Charles Stuart was an American painter from Rhode Island.Gilbert Stuart is widely considered to be one of America's foremost portraitists...
(1755–1828), the American painter whose portrait of George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
appears on the one dollar bill.
North Kingstown is also home to Quonset Point
Quonset Point
Quonset Point, also known simply as Quonset, is a small peninsula in Narragansett Bay in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It is contained entirely within the town of North Kingstown. "Quonset" is a Native American word likely meaning "small long place".Quonset Point was the location of Naval Air...
, a former military base which was once the home of the Naval Construction Battalions known as the SeaBees.
Points of interest
- Casey FarmCasey FarmCasey Farm in Saunderstown, Rhode Island, USA, is a historic farm established around 1750.-History:This mid 18th-century farmstead overlooking Narragansett Bay was the center of a plantation that produced food for local and foreign markets...
(1725) - An original colonial plantation that is today one of the oldest operational farms in New EnglandNew EnglandNew England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. - Davis Memorial Wildlife Refuge - 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 petrosomatoglyphPetrosomatoglyphA petrosomatoglyph is an image of parts of a human or animal body incised in rock. Many were created by Celtic peoples, such as the Picts, Scots, Irish, Cornish, Cumbrians, Bretons and Welsh. These representations date from the Early Middle Ages; others of uncertain purpose date back to megalithic...
. Legends going back to the colonial era tell of a squaw 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 and MuseumGilbert Stuart BirthplaceThe Gilbert Stuart Birthplace and Museum is a small museum located in Saunderstown, Rhode Island, USA. On December 3, 1755, Gilbert Stuart, a famous American portraitist of the 18th and 19th centuries, was born in the colonial-era house located on the property...
(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 VillageWickford, Rhode IslandWickford is a small village in the town of North Kingstown, Rhode Island, United States, which is named after Wickford in Essex, England. Wickford is located on the west side of Narragansett Bay, just about a 20 minute drive across two bridges from Newport, Rhode Island...
- A Historic Seaside Village which contains one of the largest collections of preserved 18th century houses in the Northeastern United StatesNortheastern United StatesThe Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
. Wickford also has a large and scenic harbor. - Quonset Air MuseumQuonset Air MuseumFounded in September 1992, the Quonset Air Museum was dedicated as an educational facility whose current mission is to preserve and interpret Rhode Island's aviation Heritage....
- A large Museum located near the Quonset Naval Air Station which focuses on military aviation history. - Smith's CastleSmith's CastleSmith's Castle, built in 1678, is a house museum on Cocumscussoc 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 Landmark in 1993 as Cocumscussoc Archeological Site, due to the...
(1678) - A colonial plantation located on the shore of Narragansett Bay.
Other National Historic Places in North Kingstown
- Allen-Madison HouseAllen-Madison HouseThe Allen-Madison House is an historic house on Post Road in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.The house was built in 1801 in a Federal style and is now owned by the U.S. Navy and was added to the National Historic Register in 1980....
(1801) - Camp EndicottCamp EndicottCamp Endicott, later known as Davisville Naval Construction Battalion Center, was a United States Navy base Seabee base. It is now a historic site between Seventh and Tenth streets in North Kingstown, Rhode Island....
(1942) - Crowfield Historic DistrictCrowfield Historic DistrictCrownfield Historic District is a historic district at Boston Neck Road in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.The district was largely built in 1906 with many shingle style houses and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985....
- Davisville Historic DistrictDavisville Historic DistrictDavisville Historic District is a historic district on Davisville Road in Davisville, Rhode Island, a village in North Kingstown, Rhode Island....
- George Douglas HouseGeorge Douglas HouseThe George Douglas House is an historic site south of Allenton at Tower Hill and Gilbert Stuart Roads in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.The house was built in 1738 and added to the National Historic Register in 1975....
(1738) - George Fayerweather Blacksmith ShopGeorge Fayerweather Blacksmith ShopFayerweather, George, Blacksmith Shop is an historic blacksmith building in Kingstown, Rhode Island.The shop was built in 1819 and added to the National Historic Register in 1984....
(1819) - Ezekial Gardner HouseEzekial Gardner HouseThe Ezekial Gardner House is an historic house at 297 Pendar Road in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.The house was built in a colonial revival style and added to the National Historic Register in 1985....
- Hamilton Mill Village Historic DistrictHamilton Mill Village Historic DistrictHamilton Mill Village Historic District is a historic district on Boston Neck and Martha Roads in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983....
- Lafayette VillageLafayette VillageLafayette Village is a historic district at Ten Rod Road in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.-External links:*...
- Stephen Northrup HouseStephen Northrup HouseStephen Northrup House is a historic house at 99 Featherbed Lane in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.-History of House:...
(1712) - Old Narragansett CemeteryOld Narragansett CemeteryOld Narragansett Cemetery is an historic cemetery on Shermantown Road in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.The cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985....
- Old Narragansett ChurchOld Narragansett ChurchOld 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 and is purported to be the oldest Episcopal church building in the Northeast.-History:The church congregation was founded...
(1707) - Palmer-Northrup HousePalmer-Northrup HouseThe Palmer-Northrup House is an historic site at 7919 Post Road in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.The house was likely built in the 1680s or earlier. Smith's Castle is located nearby...
(1680) - Joseph Pierce FarmJoseph Pierce FarmThe Joseph Pierce Farm is an historic farm at 933 Gilbert Stuart Road in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.The farm was added to the National Historic Register in 1985....
- Plum Beach Lighthouse (1899)
- Poplar Point Lighthouse (1831)
- Rathbun HouseRathbun HouseRathbun House is a historic house at 343 Beacon Drive in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.The house was added to the National Historic Register in 1985....
- Esbon Sanford HouseEsbon Sanford HouseEsbon Sanford House is an historic house at 88 Featherbed Lane in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.The house was built in 1832 and added to the National Historic Register in 1985...
(1832) - Saunderstown Historic District
- Six Principle Baptist ChurchSix Principle Baptist ChurchSix Principle Baptist Church is an historic church at 921 Old Baptist Road in North Kingstown, Rhode Island...
(1703) - Joseph Slocum HouseJoseph Slocum HouseJoseph Slocum House is an historic house at Slocum Road in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.The house was built in 1750 and added to the U.S.National Historic Register in 1985....
(1750) - Spink FarmSpink FarmSpink Farm is a historic farm at 1325 Shermantown Road in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.The farm was built in 1798 by Isaac Spink and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985....
(1798) - St. Paul's ChurchSt. Paul's Church (North Kingstown, Rhode Island)St. Paul's Church is a historic church at 76 Main Street in the village of Wickford within the town of North Kingstown, Rhode Island.The church was built in 1847 by Thomas Tefft and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.-See also:...
(1847) - The Young House
- YWCA SiteYWCA SiteThe YWCA Site is an historic Young Women's Christian Association site in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.The site was added to the National Historic Register in 1980....
External links
- Town of North Kingstown website
- North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce
- North Kingstown School Department
- Wickford Art Festival
- North East Independent Newspaper
- North Kingstown School DistrictNorth Kingstown School DistrictThe North Kingstown School District is a school district in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It operates five elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school in North Kingstown:*Fishing Cove Elementary School...