Kingston

Following New Hampshire’s independence from the colony of Massachusetts, Hampton residents petitioned the governor for a grant of a township and subsequently founded the small town of Kingston in 1694. Home to both Josiah Bartlett, the second signer of the Declaration of Independence, and the first Universalist church in America, Kingston was known for its moniker, the carriage town, due to the many horse-drawn carriage manufacturers, such as Walter S. Clark Carriages, B.D. Cilley Carriage Shop, and Kimball Carriage Factory. The dirt pathways that these horse-drawn carriages once traveled are long gone, but the buildings along those paths remain. The Kingston Plains along Main Street connects nearly 75 of these buildings with its route. It is also home to today’s Kingston Days celebration. This event has endured the test of time, annually bringing townsfolk closer together to celebrate Kingston’s lasting legacy.