Kingston, Georgia

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Kingston, Georgia
Kingston Georgia historic district.jpg
Kingston historic district
Bartow County Georgia Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Kingston Highlighted.svg
Location in Bartow County and the state of Georgia
Coordinates: 34°14′9″N84°56′41″W / 34.23583°N 84.94472°W / 34.23583; -84.94472
Country United States
State Georgia
County Bartow
Area
[1]
  Total1.26 sq mi (3.26 km2)
  Land1.26 sq mi (3.26 km2)
  Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
702 ft (214 m)
Population
 (2020)
  Total722
  Density573.47/sq mi (221.47/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
  Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
30145
Area code(s) 770/678/470/943
FIPS code 13-43668 [2]
GNIS feature ID0332152 [3]
Website www.cityofkingstonga.org

Kingston is a village in Bartow County, Georgia, United States. The population was 722 at the 2020 census.

Contents

Geography

Kingston is located in west-central Bartow County at 34°14′9″N84°56′41″W / 34.23583°N 84.94472°W / 34.23583; -84.94472 (34.235749, -84.944648). [4]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.3 km2), all land. [5]

Georgia State Route 293 (Kingston Highway) passes through the center of town, leading southeast 11 miles (18 km) to Cartersville and west 13 miles (21 km) to Rome. U.S. Route 411 is a four-lane highway that passes 1 mile (2 km) south of Kingston, connecting the same two larger communities.

History

Native American tribes once inhabited the area. People of the Mississippian culture were in the vicinity until about 1500 AD. Cherokee removal occurred locally by 1838. White settlers were moved in as early as 1832, after a land lottery. [6] The city was named for John Pendleton King, a United States Senator from Georgia. [7]

On April 12, 1862, James J. Andrews with 18 Union soldiers in disguise, and 1 civilian, having seized the locomotive The General at Big Shanty (now Kennesaw) intending to wreck the Western and Atlantic Railroad, were forced to side-track here and wait for the southbound freights to pass. After a long delay The General continued north. Pursuing from Big Shanty, William Allen Fuller (conductor) led a crew which used a push-car and other means and eventually caught the highjackers. [8]

Confederate hospitals located here during 1862–1864. 250 Confederate and two Union soldiers died of wounds, disease and sickness. These men were wounded in the battles of Perryville, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and in the Dalton-Kingston Campaign. The patients were moved to Atlanta in May 1864 to avoid capture by the Union, who later used the hospitals. The dead are buried in unmarked graves nearby. [9] [10]

Atlanta Campaign

Union general William T. Sherman made his headquarters in the Hargis House May 16–19, for reorganization of forces in the campaign that would end at Atlanta. Assuming Johnston's army had moved, from Adairsville, directly on Kingston and the river crossings south, May 18, led Sherman to concentrate his forces here—only to discover that Johnston had gone directly to Cassville where, without making a stand, he continued to Allatoona on May 20. Sherman countered on May 23, by moving due south. [11]

On May 18, 1864, Lieutenant General William J. Hardee's corps marched from Adairsville on the road parallel to the Western and Atlantic Railroad en route to Cass Station. He turned east on this road to join General Polk's and Hood's Confederate corps at Cassville which had moved on the direct Adairsville - Cassville Road. Sherman erred when he assumed that all of Johnston's army had marched from Adairsville, as Hardee had, to Kingston. This resulted in his ordering his forces concentrated here—discovering later that the Confederates were 5.5 miles (8.9 km) east at Cassville and not at the Etowah River south of Kingston. [12]

On May 19 Union generals Daniel Butterfield and Joseph Hooker, the new XX Corps, were headquartered at the house of Confederate Colonel Hawkins F. Price, a state senator who had voted for Georgia secession in 1861. Hooker had been ordered from Adairsville to Kingston, on false reports that Johnston had retreated there. South of the Price house Hooker discovered that Johnston had gone to Cassville. [13]

On May 19, 1864, the IV Corps, followed by the XIV Corps, reached Kingston at 8 a.m. The IVth turned east to Cassville. A division of the XIVth sent to Gillem's bridge over the Etowah River found no retreating Confederates. Johnston's forces were at Cassville, 5.5 miles (8.9 km) east. McPherson's XV Corps and XVI Corps, moving south from Barnsley's, camped on Woolley's plantation 2 miles (3.2 km) west. The IV Corps, XX Corps and XXIII Corps were at Cassville. [14]

May 19, 1864, McPherson's army (XVth & XVIth Corps) marched from Barnsley's and camped on the Woolley Plantation. This right wing of Sherman's advance, Kingston to Dallas, crossed the river, heading south, on Woolley's Bridge over the Etowah River, May 23. [15]

On October 11, 1864, while encamped on the Woolley Plantation, the Ohio soldiers of the XXIII Corps voted in a state election. [16]

In 1864, a road southward from Wooley's Bridge (Etowah River) crossed the road near this point and ran to Van Wert (Rockmart) and Dallas. This was the route of Union Major General James B. McPherson's Army of the Tennessee (XVth and XVIth Corps), the right wing of forces under Sherman moving from Kingston to the Dallas front, May 23 and 24. At that time, the church stood at the northwestern angle of the crossroads. Another edifice was erected on the site of the present structure, .75 miles (1.21 km) eastward. [17]

Sherman's forces encamped until May 23, when advance across the Etowah River began. [18]

End of the Civil War

The first Decoration Day, or Memorial Day, was observed in Kingston in late April 1865, and has been a continuous observance here since that day, the only such record held by any community in this nation.[ citation needed ] The first Decoration Day was observed while Union troops still occupied the town, flowers being placed on both Confederate and Union graves that day. [19]

In 2014, Bellware and Gardiner dismissed this claim in The Genesis of the Memorial Day Holiday in America. They point out that the timing of the observance and locations of General Judah and Wofford during April 1865 make the claim untenable. [20]

On May 12, 1865, Confederate Brigadier General William T. Wofford surrendered 3,000 to 4,000 soldiers to Union Brigadier General Henry M. Judah. These were the last significant Confederate regulars to surrender east of the Mississippi.[ citation needed ] These were mostly Georgians, not paroled in Virginia, North Carolina, and elsewhere. During final negotiations, Gen. Wofford's headquarters were at the McCravey - Johnson residence on Church Street. General Judah's headquarters were at Spring Bank, the home of the Rev. Charles Wallace Howard, 2 miles (3 km) north of Kingston. Rations were supplied to the Confederate soldiery by the Federal commissary. [21]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1870 402
1880 48320.1%
1890 55915.7%
1900 512−8.4%
1910 5222.0%
1920 59614.2%
1930 553−7.2%
1940 65318.1%
1950 6753.4%
1960 6953.0%
1970 7142.7%
1980 7332.7%
1990 616−16.0%
2000 6597.0%
2010 637−3.3%
2020 72213.3%
2023 (est.)902 [22] 24.9%
U.S. Decennial Census [23]
Kingston City Hall Kingston Georgia city hall.JPG
Kingston City Hall

As of the census [2] of 2000, there were 659 people, 248 households, and 191 families residing in the city. The population density was 817.3 inhabitants per square mile (315.6/km2). There were 287 housing units at an average density of 355.9 per square mile (137.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 68.59% White, 29.59% African American, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 0.76% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.52% of the population.

There were 248 households, out of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 22.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.6% were non-families. 20.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.1% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.3 males. For every 100 women age 18 and over, there were 87.3 men.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,083, and the median income for a family was $36,667. Males had a median income of $28,333 versus $22,353 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,319. About 10.4% of families and 15.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.8% of those under age 18 and 18.6% of those age 65 or over.

Landmarks

Kingston Museum Kingston Georgia museum.JPG
Kingston Museum

List of Kingston area historic markers:

Notable people

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adairsville, Georgia</span> City in Georgia, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Atlanta</span> 1864 battle of the American Civil War

The Battle of Atlanta took place during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War on July 22, 1864, just southeast of Atlanta, Georgia. Continuing their summer campaign to seize the important rail and supply hub of Atlanta, Union forces commanded by William Tecumseh Sherman overwhelmed and defeated Confederate forces defending the city under John Bell Hood. Union Major General James B. McPherson was killed during the battle, the second-highest-ranking Union officer killed in action during the war. Despite the implication of finality in its name, the battle occurred midway through the Atlanta campaign, and the city did not fall until September 2, 1864, after a Union siege and various attempts to seize railroads and supply lines leading to Atlanta. After taking the city, Sherman's troops headed south-southeastward toward Milledgeville, the state capital, and on to Savannah with the March to the Sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William J. Hardee</span> Confederate general and businessman

William Joseph Hardee was a career U.S. Army and Confederate States Army officer. For the U.S. Army, he served in the Second Seminole War and in the Mexican–American War, where he was captured and exchanged. In the American Civil War, he sided with the South and became a general. Hardee served in the Western Theater and quarreled sharply with two of his commanding officers, Braxton Bragg and John Bell Hood. He served in the Atlanta Campaign of 1864 and the Carolinas Campaign of 1865, where he surrendered with General Joseph E. Johnston to William Tecumseh Sherman in April. Hardee's writings about military tactics were widely used on both sides in the conflict.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Resaca</span> Battle of the American Civil War

The Battle of Resaca, from May 13 to 15, 1864, formed part of the Atlanta Campaign during the American Civil War, when a Union force under William Tecumseh Sherman engaged the Confederate Army of Tennessee led by Joseph E. Johnston. The battle was fought in Gordon and Whitfield Counties, Georgia, and is generally viewed as inconclusive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlanta campaign</span> Campaign during the American Civil War

The Atlanta campaign was a series of battles fought in the Western Theater of the American Civil War throughout northwest Georgia and the area around Atlanta during the summer of 1864. Union Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman invaded Georgia from the vicinity of Chattanooga, Tennessee, beginning in May 1864, opposed by the Confederate general Joseph E. Johnston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Peachtree Creek</span> 1864 battle of the American Civil War

The Battle of Peachtree Creek was fought in Georgia on July 20, 1864, as part of the Atlanta Campaign in the American Civil War. It was the first major attack by Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood since taking command of the Confederate Army of Tennessee. The attack was against Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's Union army, which was perched on the doorstep of Atlanta. The main armies in the conflict were the Union Army of the Cumberland, commanded by Maj. Gen. George Henry Thomas and two corps of the Confederate Army of Tennessee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Locomotive Chase</span> 1862 raid during the American Civil War

The Great Locomotive Chase was a military raid that occurred April 12, 1862, in northern Georgia during the American Civil War. Volunteers from the Union Army, led by civilian scout James J. Andrews, commandeered a train, The General, and took it northward toward Chattanooga, Tennessee, doing as much damage as possible to the vital Western and Atlantic Railroad (W&A) line from Atlanta to Chattanooga as they went. They were pursued by Confederate forces at first on foot, and later on a succession of locomotives, including The Texas, for 87 miles (140 km).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Kennesaw Mountain</span> 1864 battle of the American Civil War

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cassville, Georgia</span> Unincorporated community in Georgia, U.S.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Adairsville</span> Battle of the American Civil War

The Battle of Adairsville was a part of the Atlanta Campaign fought during the American Civil War on May 17, 1864, just northeast of Rome, Georgia. The brief engagement was a Confederate delaying action that allowed General Joseph E. Johnston to bait a trap for the Union army at Cassville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Dallas</span> Battle of the American Civil War

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of New Hope Church</span> Battle of the American Civil War

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Pickett's Mill</span> Battle of the American Civil War

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Kolb's Farm</span> Battle of the American Civil War

The Battle of Kolb's Farm saw a Confederate corps under Lieutenant General John B. Hood attack parts of two Union corps under Major Generals Joseph Hooker and John Schofield. This action was part of the Atlanta campaign of the American Civil War fought between the Confederate Army of Tennessee led by General Joseph E. Johnston and Union forces commanded by Major General William Tecumseh Sherman. Hood believed that he had an opportunity to inflict a defeat on the Union forces in front of his corps and ordered an assault. However, Hooker's and Schofield's troops were deployed in good positions and they repulsed Hood's soldiers with serious losses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William T. Wofford</span> Confederate States general (1824–1884)

William Tatum Wofford was an officer during the Mexican–American War and a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Cassville</span> Battle of the American Civil War

The Battle of Cassville was a clash between the Union Army under Major General William T. Sherman and the Confederate Army of Tennessee led by General Joseph E. Johnston during the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. Johnston attempted to strike a fraction of Sherman's forces with two of his three infantry corps, but the plan miscarried when a Union force appeared from an unexpected direction. Later in the day, Johnston withdrew to a line of field works on a ridge to await attack. However, two of his corps commanders reported that their defenses were enfiladed by Federal artillery fire and that the position could not be held. That night, Johnston decided to withdraw his army south of the Etowah River to a new defense line.

The Battle of Rome Cross Roads, also known as Battle of Rome Crossroads, Skirmish at Rome Crossroads, or Action at Rome Cross-Roads was part of the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. It was fought in Gordon County, Georgia, a short distance west of Calhoun, Georgia, on May 16, 1864. The battle was a limited engagement between Union Army units of the Army of the Tennessee and Confederate States Army units of the Army of Tennessee in the aftermath of the Battle of Resaca, Georgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Gilgal Church</span> Action during the American Civil War

The Battle of Gilgal Church was an action during the Atlanta Campaign in the American Civil War. The Union army of William Tecumseh Sherman and the Confederate army led by Joseph E. Johnston fought a series of battles between June 10 and 19 along a front stretching northeast from Lost Mountain to Pine Mountain to Brushy Mountain. At Gilgal Church, attacks by the divisions of John W. Geary and Daniel Butterfield from Joseph Hooker's XX Corps were repulsed with about 700 casualties by Confederates from William J. Hardee's corps. That day in a separate action, other Union troops overran a Confederate skirmish line, capturing about 300 men. Gilgal Church was part of a series of minor actions that included the Battle of Latimer's Farm on June 17–18.

References

  1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  2. 1 2 "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  3. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  4. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  5. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Kingston city, Georgia". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  6. "Kingston, Georgia". Archived from the original on August 29, 2010. Retrieved January 10, 2011.
  7. "Kingston". Calhoun Times. September 1, 2004. p. 20. Retrieved April 24, 2015.
  8. Marker db m13963
  9. marker db m13980
  10. marker 008-40
  11. Marker db m13965
  12. Marker db m13962
  13. Marker db m13497
  14. Markers db m13961 and db m13195
  15. Marker 008-11
  16. Marker db m13925
  17. Marker db m13926
  18. Hébert, Keith Scott (2007). Civil War and Reconstruction Era Cass/Bartow County, Georgia (PhD dissertation). Auburn University. pp. 244–245. hdl:10415/1373 . Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  19. Marker db m13976
  20. Bellware, Daniel; Richard Gardiner (2014). The Genesis of the Memorial Day Holiday in America. Columbus State University. pp. 92–93. ISBN   978-0-692-29225-9.
  21. Marker db m13967
  22. "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2023". United States Census Bureau. May 16, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
  23. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  24. Marker db m13537
  25. Marker 008-36
  26. Marker 008-33