Kingston is a town in the Southeastern corner of New Hampshire in the Seacoast region of the state. The town is situated in Central Rockingham County and encompasses a total area of 20.9 square miles, all but 1.3 of which is land. As of the 2010 United States Census, Kingston was home to 6,025 people.
The town of Kingston was established after King Philip’s War, as a result of peace treaties with local Indian tribes. It was originally a part of nearby Hampton, but when residents petitioned King William of England for a separate township, it was granted and the area was need for his majesty. It became the fifth town to be established in the state of New Hampshire and was officially incorporated at a town in 1694.
Over the years, Kingston has been home to many well-known individuals, most notably Josiah Bartlett, the second signee of the Declaration of Independence and the first president of the state of New Hampshire. To this day, the original home of Bartlett, now called the Josiah Bartlett House, still stands in the town’s historic district. Other notable sights include: the Cemetery at the Plains, where Bartlett is buried; the First Universalist Church, built in 1879; Kingston State Hill Park; the Lone Tree Scout Reservation; Kingston Historical Museum; and Rockrimmon Hill, the highest point in the town.
Though the area only contains a small amount of water, it is home to the parts of several bodies of water, including Powwow River, Little River, Exeter River and the Piscataqua River watershed. The town of Kingston is governed by an elected Board of Selectmen. It boasts a full-time police department, a municipal fire department and municipal emergency medical services. The area’s biggest employers are Sanborn Regional School District, Sears Logistics, the Town of Kingston, 1686 Kingston House Restaurant, Northland Forest and Safeway Transportation Co. Children attend schools in the Sanborn Regional School District, which also serves the nearby towns of Fremont and Newton.