Kingston

Kingston, city, Canada

Kingston, city (1991 pop. 56,597), S Ont., Canada, on Lake Ontario, near the head of the St. Lawrence River and at the end of Rideau Canal from Ottawa. Kingston has probably the best harbor on the lake. Industries include the manufacture of locomotives, ships, mining equipment, textiles, aluminum products, synthetic yarn, and ceramics. On the site stood Fort Frontenac, which was of great importance in the French and Indian War. The present city was founded by United Empire Loyalists in 1783 and prospered during the War of 1812 as the Canadian naval base for operations against the Americans. From 1841 to 1844 it served as the capital of Canada. Fort Henry, built during the War of 1812 and rebuilt from 1832 to 1836, is now a museum. Kingston is the seat of Queen's Univ. (1841), of the Royal Military College, and of Anglican and Roman Catholic bishoprics and cathedrals.

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Kingston, city, Jamaica

Kingston, city (1991 pop. 97,424), capital and largest city of Jamaica, SE Jamaica. The country's chief port, it has one of the finest harbors in the West Indies and exports sugar, rum, molasses, and bananas. The city's industries include tourism, food processing, and oil refining. Kingston was founded in 1693 on a deep, landlocked harbor. The former capital, Port Royal, at the tip of the long, narrow peninsula forming the harbor, was inundated after an earthquake in 1692; the capital was then moved to Spanish Town and, in 1872, to Kingston. After fire destroyed the new Port Royal in 1703, Kingston became Jamaica's leading commercial city. It has suffered from urban unrest as well as damage from severe hurricanes and an earthquake in 1907. Kingston is famed for its lively calypsos and its relics of buccaneering days. In the suburb of Mona are the Univ. of the West Indies and the Royal Botanical Gardens, noted especially for their orchids.

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Kingston, cities, United States

Kingston.

1 City (1990 pop. 23,095), seat of Ulster co., SE N.Y., on the Hudson River at the mouth of Rondout Creek; inc. as a village 1805, and as a city through the union (1872) of Kingston and Rondout. A tourist hub for the Catskill-Shawangunk resort area, it has plants that make data acquisition and control systems, ships, conveyors and separators for sand and gravel, hydraulic and filter systems, electronics, machines, boilers, and draperies and textiles. The city is also a market for nearby fruit and vegetable farms (especially apples).

The first permanent settlement (called Wiltwyck) was established in 1652. Kingston served as the first capital of New York state until it was burned by the British in Oct., 1777. Its growth in the early 19th cent. was stimulated by the Delaware and Hudson Canal. Among notable landmarks are many old Dutch stone houses; the senate house (1676), meeting place of the first New York state legislature; the old Dutch church (1659) and cemetery (1661); the burial place of James Clinton; and nearby "Slabsides," the former cottage of John Burroughs.

2 Borough (1990 pop. 14,507), Luzerne co., NE Pa., on the Susquehanna River opposite Wilkes-Barre; settled 1769, inc. 1857. Although chiefly residential, it has food-products, textiles and apparel, machinery, and furniture industries.

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Kingston

City (pop., 1999 est.: metro. area, 655,000), capital and chief port of Jamaica. Located on the southeastern coast of the island, it was founded in 1692 after Port Royal was destroyed by an earthquake. It soon became the commercial centre of Jamaica and was made the political capital in 1872. Historic buildings include a 17th-century church, a moated fortress, and the 18th-century Headquarters House. It is the seat of the University of the West Indies.

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Kingston

1. the capital and chief port of Jamaica, on the SE coast: University of the West Indies. Pop.: 574 000 (2005 est.)

2. a port in SE Canada, in SE Ontario: the chief naval base of Lake Ontario and a large industrial centre; university (1841). Pop.: 108 158 (2001)

3. short for Kingston upon Thames