A Growing Collection

Stories from Kingston's Past

The tales, controversies, and untold chapters that shaped three centuries of a small New England town

Illustration of Indigenous life along Kingston waterways

Traces of the First People: Indigenous History in Kingston

For thousands of years before English settlement, the land we now call Kingston was home to Native peoples whose presence shaped the region’s rivers, forests, and travel routes. Their history is written into the soil itself.

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Illustration of Hannah Thomas at Gurnet Point lighthouse

Military1776

Hannah Thomas: America’s First Female Lighthouse Keeper

When her husband General John Thomas died in the Revolution, Hannah took up the flame at Gurnet Point — becoming the first woman in American history to serve as a lighthouse keeper.

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Church & Society1828

Father Against Son: The Religious “Civil War” of 1828

When Faith Split a Town in Two — For over a century, the First Parish Church was the undisputed heart of Kingston. Then in 1828, a theological storm made landfall on the banks of the Jones River.

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Industry & Trade1815

Kingston's Industrial Boom: A Snapshot from 1815

Mills, Forges, and Factories on the Jones River — By 1815, Kingston had 6 grist mills, 4 sawmills, 2 anchor works, a forge, 3 tool shops, and 2 cotton factories.

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Waterpower & Industry1815

A Town Built on Waterpower

How the Jones River Powered a Community of Makers — Kingston's industrial growth was no accident. The Jones River and its tributaries provided steady, reliable waterpower for mills, forges, and factories.

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Military1776Coming Soon

General John Thomas: The Hero of Dorchester Heights

The Kingston-born physician who became a Revolutionary War general, led the fortification of Dorchester Heights, and died serving his country in Quebec.

Stories from Kingston's Past

Traces of the First People: Indigenous History in Kingston

Hannah Thomas: America’s First Female Lighthouse Keeper

Father Against Son: The Religious “Civil War” of 1828

Kingston's Industrial Boom: A Snapshot from 1815

A Town Built on Waterpower

General John Thomas: The Hero of Dorchester Heights

More Stories Coming