Editing Kinston, North Carolina

{{Use American English|date=March 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = Kinston, North Carolina
| settlement_type          = [[City]]
| image_skyline            = Queen Street United Methodist Church and the Kinston Hotel, Kinston, North Carolina.jpg
| imagesize                = 
| image_caption            = Queen Street United Methodist Church (left) and the [[Hotel Kinston]] (center)
| image_map                = NCMap-doton-Kinston.PNG
| mapsize                  = 250px
| map_caption              = Location of Kinston within [[North Carolina]]
| image_map1               = 
| mapsize1                 = 
| map_caption1             = 
| coordinates              = {{coord|35|16|29|N|77|35|37|W|region:US-NC_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type         = Country
| subdivision_name         = United States
| subdivision_type1        = State
| subdivision_name1        = [[North Carolina]]
| subdivision_type2        = County
| subdivision_name2        = [[Lenoir County, North Carolina|Lenoir]]
| subdivision_type3        = 
| subdivision_name3        = 
| established_date         = 
| leader_title             = Mayor
| leader_name              = Dontario Hardy (D)
| unit_pref                = Imperial
| area_total_km2           = 47.73
| area_total_sq_mi         = 18.43
| area_land_km2            = 47.34
| area_land_sq_mi          = 18.28
| area_water_km2           = 0.40
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.15
| elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft             = 82
| population_total         = 19900
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_density_km2   = 420.41
<!-- 2019 est. -->| population_density_sq_mi = 1088.86
| population_est           = 
| pop_est_as_of            = 
| pop_est_footnotes        = 
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
| postal_code              = 28501-28504
| area_code                = [[Area code 252|252]]
| website                  = {{URL|www.ci.kinston.nc.us}}
| footnotes                = 
| timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset               = &minus;5
| timezone_DST             = EDT
| utc_offset_DST           = &minus;4
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 37-35920<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info              = 2404838<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2404838}}</ref>
| area_footnotes           = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=September 20, 2022}}</ref>
| image_seal               = Kinston, NC City Seal.png
| population_footnotes     = 
}}

'''Kinston''' is a city in [[Lenoir County, North Carolina]], United States, with a population of 19,900 as of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Kinston city, North Carolina |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/kinstoncitynorthcarolina/POP010220#POP010220 |access-date=2023-04-11 |website=www.census.gov |language=en}}</ref> It has been the [[county seat]] of Lenoir County since its formation in 1791.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=2011-06-07 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=2011-05-31 }}</ref> Kinston is located in the coastal plains region of eastern North Carolina.

In 2009, Kinston won the [[All-America City Award]]. This marks the second time in 21 years the city has won the title.<ref>{{cite web| title = Overview| work = ENC Today Website | url =http://www.enctoday.com/news/city-56326-kfpress-kinston-little.html |date=2009-06-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710191920/http://www.enctoday.com/news/city-56326-kfpress-kinston-little.html |archive-date=2011-07-10|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== History ==
===Early history===
[[File:Peebles House.JPG|thumb|[[Harmony Hall (Kinston, North Carolina)|Harmony Hall]], the oldest building in Kinston, was owned by North Carolina's first governor, [[Richard Caswell]].]]
At the time of English settlement, the area was inhabited by the [[Neusiok]] people. Preceding the historic tribe, [[indigenous peoples of the Americas|indigenous peoples]] 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]]; it was the site of farms, a [[tobacco]] warehouse, and a [[Church of England]] [[Christian mission|mission]].

Kinston was created by an act of the [[North Carolina General Assembly]] in December 1762 as "Kingston", in honor of [[George III of the United Kingdom|King George III]],<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9V1IAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA176 | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=176}}</ref> 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 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 two principal roads within these borders were named for King George and [[Queen Charlotte]]. They remain King and Queen Streets to this day. Other streets were named in honor of Governor [[Arthur Dobbs]] (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 County, North Carolina|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 [[American Civil War|Civil War]], Camp Campbell and Camp Johnston were established near the city as training camps, and a bakery on Queen Street was converted to produce [[hardtack]] 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]] in the city.<ref name=Woodworth>{{cite book |last1=Woodworth |first1=Steven E. |title=The Art of Command in the Civil War |date=1998 |publisher=University of Nebraska Press |pages=52–66 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZH63_gUdUaEC}}</ref> These men had been captured in the [[Battle of New Bern (1864)|Battle of New Bern]] by Confederate troops, and were found to have previously served in North Carolina [[Partisan Ranger Act|Partisan Ranger]] units. General [[George Pickett]] 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]]. Fifteen of these men were from [[Jones County, North Carolina|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 [[ironclad warship#Ram craze|ram]] ''[[CSS Neuse|Neuse]]'' was scuttled to avoid capture by [[Union Army|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]].

===After Reconstruction===
[[File:Annual Catalogue of Rhodes Military Institute and Kinston Business College, Kinston, N.C. (1904-1906) - DPLA - c0ebafb8180499bc6492e09ac6c64bf8 (page 77) (cropped).jpg|thumb|Kinston's Orion Knitting Mills (1906)]]
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]]s. Kinston also became a major [[tobacco]]- and [[cotton]]-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.<ref>''Cincinnati Enquirer'', April 6, 1916</ref>

===20th century===
New industries were founded, including [[lumber]] 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]] team. Later growth came from a [[DuPont]] plant for the manufacture of [[polyester]] fibers, and manufacturing plants for [[pharmaceuticals]]. 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]] struck the North Carolina coast on September 5, 1996, and brought {{convert|16|in}} of rain to the area,<ref>[http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/fran1996.html Hurricane Fran - September 3-9, 1996<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> causing the Neuse River to flood portions of the city. On September 16, 1999, [[Hurricane Floyd]] struck the area, bringing {{convert|17|in}} of rain. It caused what locals have called a flood of the century.<ref>[http://www.neuselibrary.org/schoolvideocatalog/northcarolinasv.html North Carolina School Video Catalog<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723112156/http://www.neuselibrary.org/schoolvideocatalog/northcarolinasv.html |date=2008-07-23 }} The Neuse River (35.270676, -77.585130)</ref>

The [[National Register of Historic Places]] 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]], [[Battle of Kinston|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]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

==Geography==
Kinston is in the [[Atlantic coastal plain]] 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 {{convert|26|mi}} east of [[Goldsboro, North Carolina|Goldsboro]], {{convert|30|mi}} south of [[Greenville, North Carolina|Greenville]], and {{convert|35|mi}} west of [[New Bern, North Carolina|New Bern]]. The Atlantic Ocean at [[Emerald Isle, North Carolina|Emerald Isle]] is {{convert|57|mi}} to the southeast, and [[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]], the state capital, is {{convert|80|mi}} to the northwest.

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the city of Kinston has a total area of {{cvt|48.1|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|0.5|sqkm|order=flip|1|abbr=on}}, or 0.95%, is covered by water.<ref name="Gazetteer 2019">{{cite web| url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_cousubs_37.txt| title=U.S. Gazetteer Files: 2019: Places: North Carolina| website=U.S. Census Bureau Geography Division| access-date=June 25, 2020}}</ref>

===Climate===

According to the [[Köppen climate classification]], Kinston has a [[humid subtropical climate]], ''Cfa'' on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Kinston was {{convert|103|F|C|1}} on July 20, 1977, and August 20&ndash;22, 1983, while the coldest temperature recorded was {{convert|-2|F|C|1}} on January 21, 1985.<ref name = NOWData />

{{Weather box
|location = Kinston, North Carolina, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1966–present
|single line = Yes

|Jan record high F = 80
|Feb record high F = 84
|Mar record high F = 89
|Apr record high F = 95
|May record high F = 100
|Jun record high F = 101
|Jul record high F = 103
|Aug record high F = 103
|Sep record high F = 102
|Oct record high F = 96
|Nov record high F = 87
|Dec record high F = 83

|Jan avg record high F = 74.1
|Feb avg record high F = 75.9
|Mar avg record high F = 82.2
|Apr avg record high F = 86.9
|May avg record high F = 92.3
|Jun avg record high F = 96.1
|Jul avg record high F = 97.4
|Aug avg record high F = 96.0
|Sep avg record high F = 92.2
|Oct avg record high F = 87.1
|Nov avg record high F = 80.7
|Dec avg record high F = 74.6
|year avg record high F = 98.6

|Jan high F = 56.1
|Feb high F = 60.0
|Mar high F = 66.7
|Apr high F = 75.4
|May high F = 82.0
|Jun high F = 87.9
|Jul high F = 90.6
|Aug high F = 88.8
|Sep high F = 83.8
|Oct high F = 76.0
|Nov high F = 66.7
|Dec high F = 58.9
|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 45.7
|Feb mean F = 48.4
|Mar mean F = 54.5
|Apr mean F = 63.4
|May mean F = 70.7
|Jun mean F = 77.7
|Jul mean F = 81.0
|Aug mean F = 79.2
|Sep mean F = 74.0
|Oct mean F = 64.6
|Nov mean F = 55.2
|Dec mean F = 48.5
|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 35.3
|Feb low F = 36.8
|Mar low F = 42.4
|Apr low F = 51.3
|May low F = 59.5
|Jun low F = 67.6
|Jul low F = 71.4
|Aug low F = 69.6
|Sep low F = 64.2
|Oct low F = 53.1
|Nov low F = 43.8
|Dec low F = 38.0
|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = 16.7
|Feb avg record low F = 21.2
|Mar avg record low F = 25.0
|Apr avg record low F = 33.9
|May avg record low F = 44.6
|Jun avg record low F = 55.2
|Jul avg record low F = 62.3
|Aug avg record low F = 60.0
|Sep avg record low F = 51.7
|Oct avg record low F = 36.4
|Nov avg record low F = 27.0
|Dec avg record low F = 22.5
|year avg record low F = 14.9

|Jan record low F = -2
|Feb record low F = 3
|Mar record low F = 8
|Apr record low F = 24
|May record low F = 25
|Jun record low F = 42
|Jul record low F = 52
|Aug record low F = 47
|Sep record low F = 38
|Oct record low F = 24
|Nov record low F = 17
|Dec record low F = 6

|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 3.74
|Feb precipitation inch = 3.20
|Mar precipitation inch = 3.84
|Apr precipitation inch = 3.53
|May precipitation inch = 3.92
|Jun precipitation inch = 5.53
|Jul precipitation inch = 5.79
|Aug precipitation inch = 6.36
|Sep precipitation inch = 6.64
|Oct precipitation inch = 3.56
|Nov precipitation inch = 3.46
|Dec precipitation inch = 3.29
|year precipitation inch =

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 8.3
|Feb precipitation days = 7.7
|Mar precipitation days = 8.2
|Apr precipitation days = 7.4
|May precipitation days = 8.1
|Jun precipitation days = 9.3
|Jul precipitation days = 11.0
|Aug precipitation days = 10.1
|Sep precipitation days = 8.1
|Oct precipitation days = 6.3
|Nov precipitation days = 7.2
|Dec precipitation days = 8.1

|Jan snow inch = 0.3
|Feb snow inch = 0.1
|Mar snow inch = 0.0
|Apr snow inch = 0.0
|May snow inch = 0.0
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 0.0
|Nov snow inch = 0.0
|Dec snow inch = 0.3
|year snow inch =

|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 0.1
|Feb snow days = 0.0
|Mar snow days = 0.0
|Apr snow days = 0.0
|May snow days = 0.0
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.0
|Nov snow days = 0.0
|Dec snow days = 0.0

|source 1 = NOAA<ref name = NOAA>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00314689&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Kinston AG RSCH, NC
|access-date = February 20, 2023
}}
</ref>
|source 2 = National Weather Service<ref name = NOWData>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=mhx
|publisher = National Weather Service
|title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Morehead City
|access-date = February 20, 2023
}}
</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1850= 455
|1860= 1333
|1870= 1103
|1880= 1216
|1890= 1726
|1900= 4106
|1910= 6995
|1920= 9771
|1930= 11362
|1940= 15388
|1950= 18336
|1960= 24819
|1970= 23020
|1980= 25234
|1990= 25295
|2000= 23688
|2010= 21677
|2020= 19900
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Kinston racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US3735920&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=2021-12-24|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
| 4,854
| 24.39%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 13,615
| 68.42%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| 33
| 0.17%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| 208
| 1.05%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
| 10
| 0.05%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Multiracial American|Multiracial or other]]
| 577
| 2.9%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 603
| 3.03%
|}
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]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, 23,688 people, 9,829 households, and 6,074 families were living in the city. The [[population density]] was 1,415.7 people/sq mi (546.7/km<sup>2</sup>). The 11,229 housing units averaged 671.1/sq mi (259.1/km<sup>2</sup>). The [[Race (United States Census)|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]] for the city was $17,779. About 19.7% of families and 23.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], 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]]) operates the Dobbs Youth Development Center juvenile correctional facility in Kinston. The facility, which opened in 1944, has a prisoner capacity of 44.<ref>"[https://www.ncdps.gov/index2.cfm?a=000003,002476,003108,003110 Youth Development Centers] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222153326/https://www.ncdps.gov/index2.cfm?a=000003%2C002476%2C003108%2C003110 |date=2015-12-22 }}." [[North Carolina Department of Public Safety]]. Retrieved on December 16, 2015. "Dobbs Youth Development Center 3060 Dobbs Farm Road Kinston, N. C. 28504"</ref>

In the 2017 municipal elections, [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] candidate Dontario Hardy beat incumbent B.J. Murphy by a margin of 205 votes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://er.ncsbe.gov/contest_details.html?election_dt=11/07/2017&county_id=54&contest_id=1|title=NC SBE Election Contest Details|website=er.ncsbe.gov|access-date=2017-12-05}}</ref> City Councilman Robert A. Swinson IV was re-elected alongside newcomer Kristal Suggs, completing Kinston's first ever all African-American city council.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.witn.com/content/news/Historic-day-Monday-when-Kinston-council-is-sworn-in--461721173.html?ref=173|title=Kinston council is sworn in marking historic day|last=Oliver|first=Edward Sheehy/Lindsay|access-date=2017-12-05|language=en}}</ref>

==Infrastructure==
[[File:UNC Lenoir Healthcare Exterior.jpg|alt=Exterior shot of UNC Lenoir Health Care's entrance and fountain|thumb|UNC Lenoir Health Care]]

===Health care===
Kinston is served by [[UNC Lenoir Health Care]], a nonprofit hospital located near NC 11 in Kinston. The hospital offers [[Patient#Outpatients and inpatients|inpatient, outpatient]] and [[Preventive medicine|preventive healthcare]] services for the residents of [[Lenoir County, North Carolina|Lenoir]], [[Greene County, North Carolina|Greene]] and [[Jones County, North Carolina|Jones]] counties. General services include general medical, surgical, [[Obstetrics|obstetrical]], and [[Gynecology|gynecological]] care. Specialized services include [[cardiology]], [[pulmonology]], [[oncology]], [[radiology]], [[urology]], and [[vascular surgery]].

=== Transportation ===
==== Passenger ====
Kinston is not served directly by passenger trains. The closest [[Amtrak]] station is {{convert|40|mi}} to the northwest in [[Wilson, North Carolina|Wilson]].

==== Air ====
Kinston is served by the [[Kinston Regional Jetport]] {{Airport codes|ISO|KISO}}. From here, Bill Harrelson of [[Fredericksburg, Virginia]], 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.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.fredericksburg.com/features/stafford-pilot-bill-harrelson-flies-around-the-world-in-small/article_2538bb38-fb40-5a3c-9a20-f1b85e59535e.html|title=Stafford pilot Bill Harrelson flies around the world in small plane|last=Sullivan|first=Paul|date=2015-01-25|work=The Free Lance-Star|access-date=2018-01-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730225425/https://fredericksburg.com/features/stafford-pilot-bill-harrelson-flies-around-the-world-in-small/article_2538bb38-fb40-5a3c-9a20-f1b85e59535e.html|archive-date=2021-07-30|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Raleigh–Durham International Airport]] is the closest major airport, {{convert|96|mi}} northwest of Kinston, with service to more than 45 domestic and international destinations.

==== Road ====
* The main highway in Kinston is [[U.S. Route 70 in North Carolina|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 [[Interstate 95 in North Carolina|I-95]].
* [[Interstate 795 in North Carolina|I-795]] is the closest [[interstate highway]] to Kinston, crossing US-70 in Goldsboro.
* Other highways that serve Kinston include [[U.S. Route 258 (North Carolina)|US 258]], [[NC 11]], [[NC 58]], [[NC 55]], and [[NC 148]].

Intercity bus service to Kinston is provided by [[Greyhound Lines|Greyhound]].

==Religion==
As with most of North Carolina, Kinston is predominantly [[Protestant]] with large concentrations of [[Baptists]], [[Methodists]], and various other [[Evangelicalism|evangelical]] groups. [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopalians]], [[Presbyterians]], and [[Disciples of Christ]] also constitute a significant portion of the population.{{Citation needed|reason=Can't find any Census or study done confirming this.|date=December 2017}}

The [[Roman Catholic]] community in Kinston has seen steady growth over the years with the migration of [[Hispanic]] workers to the area. Catholic migrants have also come from the [[Northeastern United States]] who work for the North Carolina [[Global TransPark]] and in nearby Greenville.{{Citation needed|reason=Can't find any Census or study done confirming this.|date=December 2017}}

Kinston at one time had a sizeable [[Jewish]] community. As with most Jewish communities in the rural [[Southeastern United States|South]], it has seen a steady decline. [[Temple Israel (Kinston, North Carolina)|Temple Israel]], Kinston's only [[synagogue]], has a few remaining members.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://synagoguekinstonnc.org/index.html | title=Temple of Israel, Kinston | access-date=29 July 2019}}</ref>

==Education==
[[File:LCC - Library & Student Center Exterior.jpg|alt=Lenoir Community College's library and student center|thumb|Lenoir Community College's library and student center]]

===Public college===
* [[Lenoir Community College]]

===Private college===
* United American Free Will Baptist Bible College

===Public schools===
* [[Kinston High School (Kinston, North Carolina)|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 ===
[[File:Grainger Elderly Housing - Kinston, NC.jpg|left|thumb|Former Grainger Performing Arts Center, now Grainger Elderly Housing]]
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]]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 (North Carolina)|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.
[[File:Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library.jpg|thumb|Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library]]

=== Tourism and recreation ===
The Neuse Regional Library system is headquartered in Kinston and operates branches in Kinston, [[La Grange, North Carolina|LaGrange]], and [[Pink Hill, North Carolina|Pink Hill]], as well as locations in Greene and Jones Counties.<ref>[http://www.neuselibrary.org/branches/branches.html Branch Libraries of the Neuse Regional Library System<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080319003154/http://www.neuselibrary.org/branches/branches.html|date=2008-03-19}}</ref>

Kinston is home to the [[CSS Neuse|CSS ''Neuse'']], which is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris" /> 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 War|Korean]] and [[Vietnam War]] Memorial are located nearby. There is also a Civil War Trails marker.<ref>[http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/neuse/neuse.htm CSS Neuse State Historic Site<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080229061225/http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/neuse/neuse.htm |date=2008-02-29 }}</ref>

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]] 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]] who fought with the Union forces in the Civil War. It also honors Black military veterans from all wars, [[Carl Long (baseball)|Carl Long]] and the [[Negro league baseball|Negro Baseball League]] players, local heroes, and Africa and [[African diaspora|Black history]] in general. The museum intends to generate jobs and promote economic expansion opportunities.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.culturalheritagemuseum.org/ |title=Culturalheritagemuseum.Org<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2008-02-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151116134628/http://culturalheritagemuseum.org/ |archive-date=2015-11-16 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
[[File:Chef & the Farmer.jpg|left|thumb|Chef & the Farmer]]

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]]'' 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]], 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==
[[File:Grainger Stadium - Kinston, NC.jpg|thumb|Grainger Stadium parking lot & exterior]]
Kinston's [[Grainger Stadium]] is currently the home to the [[Down East Bird Dawgs]] of the [[Frontier League]] (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]], who was inducted into the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Baseball Hall of Fame]], [[Manny Ramirez]], and [[Lonnie Chisenhall]].<ref>{{cite web  |last = Dalimonte |first = David E. |title = Kinston Has a Rich Tradition in Baseball |url=http://www.kinstonindians.com/history/tradition.asp |access-date = 2008-03-20 }}</ref>

The Kinston [[Dragstrip|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]], [[ice rink|skating rink]], and health club.

In 2012, [[Woodmen of the World]] constructed the Woodmen of the World Community Center and Lions Water Adventure Park, a {{convert|53000|ft2|m2|adj=on|abbr=on}} 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]], as [[Willie Mosconi]] sank 150 balls in a row in one inning against [[Cowboy Jimmy Moore|Jimmy Moore]].<ref>{{cite news| url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CEFD9163BF93BA2575AC0A965958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=print | work=The New York Times | title="Willie Mosconi, 80, Who Ruled The World of Billiards With Style", ''New York Times'' | date=September 18, 1993}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web|title=How Kinston, North Carolina Became Greatest Producers of NBA Talent|url=http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/22467698/how-kinston-north-carolina-became-greatest-producer-nba-talent-america|website=ESPN|access-date=21 February 2018}}</ref>

===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<ref>[http://northcarolina.hometownlocator.com/features/cultural,class,Park,scfips,37107.cfm Lenoir County North Carolina Parks<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

==Notable people==
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Larry Beck]], professional golfer<ref>{{Cite journal|last=English|first=John|date=August 1957|title=AN HOSPITABLE CLUB AND A FINE YOUNG PLAYER|url=http://gsrpdf.lib.msu.edu/ticpdf.py?file=/1950s/1957/570805.pdf|journal=Usga Journal and Turf Management|via=Michigan State University}}</ref>
* [[Jocelyn Brown]], singer<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.stalbansreview.co.uk/leisure/music/11864090.Dance_music_legend_Jocelyn_Brown_talks_family__music_and_living_in_England_ahead_of_St_Albans_show/|title=Dance-music legend Jocelyn Brown on family, music and living in England ahead of St Albans show Soul Box: Back in the Day|date=2015-03-18|work=St Albans Review|access-date=2018-01-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150609085105/http://www.stalbansreview.co.uk/leisure/music/11864090.Dance_music_legend_Jocelyn_Brown_talks_family__music_and_living_in_England_ahead_of_St_Albans_show/|archive-date=2015-06-09|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[James Tim Brymn]], jazz musician
* [[Reggie Bullock]], NBA player for the [[Dallas Mavericks]]
* [[Carter Capps]], All-America baseball player at Mt. Olive College and MLB relief pitcher
* [[William Caswell (politician)|William Caswell]], Revolutionary War general
* [[Dwight Clark]], retired NFL receiver for [[San Francisco 49ers]], noted for [[The Catch (American football)|"The Catch"]]
* [[Quinton Coples]], defensive end formerly of the [[New York Jets]]
* [[Steve Cowper]], former governor of Alaska
* [[Richard Cray]], singer
* [[Tony Dawson]], retired NBA player
* [[Ed Grady]], actor<ref name=cof>{{cite news |title=Edward Louis "Ed" Grady – obituary |url=http://theonefeather.com/2012/12/edward-louis-ed-grady-obituary/ |work=The Cherokee One Feather |date=December 13, 2012 |access-date=July 25, 2016}}</ref>
* [[Susannah Sarah Washington Graham]], First Lady of North Carolina
* [[Chris Hatcher (pitcher)|Chris Hatcher]], MLB pitcher<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.starnewsonline.com/news/20021127/baseball-team-adds-versatility|title=Baseball Team adds Versatility|last=Hendrickson|first=Brian|date=2002-11-27|work=Star News Online|access-date=2018-01-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170218063627/http://www.starnewsonline.com/news/20021127/baseball-team-adds-versatility|archive-date=2017-02-18|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Malcolm Jones Howard|Malcolm Howard]], federal judge<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/howard-malcolm-jones|title=Howard, Michael Jones|date=2018-01-26|website=Federal Judicial Center|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170822052254/https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/howard-malcolm-jones|archive-date=2017-08-22|url-status=live|access-date=2018-01-26}}</ref>
* [[Vivian Howard]], chef<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.southernliving.com/food/vivian-howard | title=A Chef's Life: Vivian Howard | work=Southern Living | access-date=29 July 2019}}</ref>
* [[Brandon Ingram]], NBA player for the [[New Orleans Pelicans]]
* [[Cedric Maxwell|Cedric "Cornbread" Maxwell]], retired NBA player<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/celtics/partners/broadcast/985-cedric-maxwell.html|title=Cedric Maxwell - 98.5 The Sports Hub Color Analyst|date=2018-01-26|website=NBA.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170415063505/http://www.nba.com/celtics/partners/broadcast/985-cedric-maxwell.html|archive-date=2017-04-15|url-status=live|access-date=2018-01-26}}</ref>
* [[Richard McCoy Jr.]], aircraft hijacker
* [[Mitchell's Christian Singers]], gospel group<ref>{{Cite book|title=African American Music Trails of Eastern North Carolina|last=Bryan|first=Sarah|publisher=UNC Press Books|year=2013|isbn=978-1469610795|pages=19–21}}</ref>
* [[Bob Northern|Robert "Brother Ah" Northern]], jazz musician, educator, radio host<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/brother-ah-a-lifetime-of-jazz-on-local-radio/2013/04/26/a7632f48-ab6b-11e2-a8b9-2a63d75b5459_story.html|title=Brother Ah: A lifetime of jazz on local radio|last=Richards|first=Chris|date=2013-04-26|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=2018-01-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126203915/https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/brother-ah-a-lifetime-of-jazz-on-local-radio/2013/04/26/a7632f48-ab6b-11e2-a8b9-2a63d75b5459_story.html|archive-date=2018-01-26|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Susan Owens]], Washington State Supreme Court justice
* [[Maceo Parker]], musician
* [[Melvin Parker]], drummer
* [[Marion A. Parrott]], lawyer, activist
* [[Jaime Pressly]], actress, model<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/jaime-pressly/bio/155237/ | title=Jaime Pressly | work=TV Guide | access-date=29 July 2019}}</ref>
* [[Barbara Roy]], singer
* [[Ted Sampley]], Vietnam veteran and POW-MIA activist
* [[Christa Sauls]], actress, model
* [[Charles Shackleford]], retired NBA player
* [[J. Carlyle Sitterson]], educator
* [[Tab Smith]], swing saxophonist
* [[Frank Snepp]], journalist
* [[Jerry Stackhouse]], retired NBA player
* [[George Suggs]], MLB pitcher
* [[Ola B. Watford]], geophysicist
* [[Mitchell Wiggins]], retired NBA player
* [[Tyrone Willingham]], college football coach
{{Div col end}}

== See also ==
* [[West Pharmaceutical Services explosion]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book | editor=Cooper, Edwin B. Jr. |display-editors=et al | title=The Heritage of Lenoir County | publisher=The Lenoir County Historical Association | year=1981 | isbn=0-89459-155-X }}
* {{cite book |author1=Johnson, Talmage C. |author2=Charles R. Holloman| title=The Story of Kinston and Lenoir County | publisher=Edwards and Broughton Company | year=1954 | id=[https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FRTZB8/ ASIN B000FRTZB8]}}
* {{cite book | author=Kohler, Mike| title=200 Years of Progress: A Report of the History and Achievements of the People of Lenoir County, 1776-1976 | publisher=Kinston-Lenoir County Bicentennial Commission | year=1976 | id=[https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006CVK5G/ ASIN B0006CVK5G] }}
* {{cite book |author1=Little, M. Ruth |author2=Robbie D. Jones| title=Coastal Plain and Fancy: The Historic Architecture of Lenoir County and Kinston, North Carolina | publisher=The Lenoir County Historical Association | year=1998 | isbn=0-9668319-0-X }}
* {{cite book | author=Powell, William S.| title=Annals of Progress: The Story of Lenoir County and Kinston, North Carolina | publisher=State Department of Archives and History | year=1963 | isbn=0-86526-124-5 }}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Kinston, North Carolina}}
* {{Official website|www.ci.kinston.nc.us}}
* [http://kinstonchamber.com Kinston–Lenoir County Chamber of Commerce]

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[[Category:Cities in Lenoir County, North Carolina]]
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