Editing Kingston, Oklahoma (section)

==History==

Kingston was originally known as Helen.  The community was named for Helen Willis, daughter of [[J.H. Willis]], a prominent early-day resident.  On April 4, 1894, a post office was established at Helen and was called Kingston, Indian Territory.  The post office took its name from Jeff King, a longtime local resident.<ref>George H. Shirk.  ''Oklahoma Place Names'' (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1965), pp. 100 & 118.</ref>

At the time of its founding, Helen, later Kingston, was located in [[Pickens County, Chickasaw Nation]], in [[Indian Territory]].<ref>Charles Goins, ''Historical Atlas of Oklahoma'' (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2006), plate 105.</ref> This was one of the Five Civilized Tribes required to [[Indian Removal|remove]] to this area from the Southeast United States in the 1830s.

The early settlement included a general store, cotton gin, and a schoolhouse that doubled as a church.<ref name=EOHC-Kingston>{{cite web|last1=Gray|first1=Paulline|title=Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Kingston|url= http://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=KI015|website=Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture|publisher=Oklahoma History Center|access-date=April 10, 2017}}</ref>

Several of the  older buildings in Kingston were torn down in the late 1980s for redevelopment of the area for a new hardware store and lumberyard.  The town constructed a new multipurpose activity building, which is located on the high school campus.  The oldest remaining building in Kingston, which originally was the town bank, has been adapted for retail use as Dee's Creative Corner.

Kingston's High School Alumni Association, founded in 1911 soon after statehood, is the oldest active alumni association in the state of Oklahoma.  Each year graduates of Kingston High School are given the opportunity to join the association.  Through their donations and fund raisers, the Alumni Association helps to send local students to college.

Notable figures include country music singer, Dale Lay, and rock and roll drummer Greg Upchurch. Lay released several country albums, several radio singles, and performed at the [[Grand Ole Opry]] in Nashville, Tennessee. He developed and supported the Kingston High School band. For several years, Lay raised money to buy new instruments and band uniforms at his annual benefit concert.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}

Dale’s son, Anthony Lay, is a nationally syndicated radio personality. He goes by the moniker “The AntMan” and hosts a syndicated Saturday night show, "Country House Party", broadcast on more than 80 iHeart Country radio stations across the nation. {{citation needed|date=October 2021}}

Greg Upchurch began his rock career with the band Puddle of Mudd. Since 2005 he has been the drummer for 3 Doors Down. Upchurch first developed his percussion skills in the Kingston High School band.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}

On [[Tornado outbreak of March 21–23, 2022|March 21, 2022]], an EF2 tornado caused significant damage to structures.