A Central MN Town With Deep English Roots

Kingston is a small town of 184 people in Meeker County along Highway 15 located on the North Fork of the Crow River.  Kingston was platted in 1857.  Kimball is 8 miles north of Kingston while Dassel is 8 miles to the south.  Litchfield is 14 miles to the southwest.  To help tell the story of Kingston I was joined by longtime residents Ned Root and Mike Cates.

The Early Days

Cates and Root say prior to Kingston being settled the area was used as a trading post with the native population.  Cates says many early settlers were of English heritage with his ancestors coming to Kingston from Maine after immigrating from England.  He says Kingston was named after Kingston, England.  The north fork of the Crow River was the draw to the area.  Cates explains the land north of the Crow River was good farm land but rocky while the land to the south of the river was without rocks.  Root's family immigrated to Kingston in the early 1900s from Finland.  Just west of Kingston there is a Meeker County Park with a Finish Memorial.  Root says there is a stone there with approximately 100 names of the early Finish settlers in the area on it.

Early Industry

Early businesses in Kingston included a saw mill, a creamery, general store, a black smith and saloons.  Root says farming was always a big part of the Kingston area.  The town, like many in the late 1800s and early 1900s, existed to support area farmers.  Root says Kingston in the 1950s had 3 grocery stores, a butcher shop, a bank, a feed mill, a chicken hatchery, a barber shop, a fire department, a cafe, 2 bars and a post office.  Root says many of the buildings that were businesses in the 1950s and 1960s have been converted to other uses including homes.  Many of the farmers in Kingston township were dairy farmers.  Cates says that has changed.

Religion

The most common religion of the early settlers was Lutheran according to Root and Cates.  Root indicates at one time there were 3 Finish Lutheran churches in Kingston.  Cates and Root also recall a Presbyterian Church at one time in the community.

School

Kingston had the first organized school district in Meeker County.  Root recalls there being a bus service bringing kids to their 2-story school building.    He says when he went to school in Kingston they offered 8 grades.  When it was time to go to high school students could chose Kimball, Dassel or Litchfield.  The State of Minnesota in 1967 instituted a law requiring all districts that did not provide both elementary and secondary programs to merge with a district that did by 1971.  This led to the elimination of Kingston's school.

Town Get Togethers

Cates says in 1963 the American Legion was started in Kingston.  He recalls Minnesota Twins' player Tony Oliva coming to speak to Kingston residents at the legion. Cates says the legion hosted Halloween get togethers along with an appearance from Santa each year.  Root says Kingston used to have a Harvest Festival where the carnival would come to town in the fall each year.  Root doesn't recall the year this annual event stopped by when the businesses started closing.

Baseball

Kingston used to have a very successful town team baseball team.  Cates says the baseball team went away in the late 1960s or early 70s when the school shutdown.

Famous Lawmaker

Magnus Johnson is the most prominent former lawmaker from Kingston. He served as a state legislator and U.S. Senator in the early 20th century. 

Current Businesses

Kingston has a Community Center, a Mini Mart, a American Legion, and Millner Heritage Vineyard is just north of town.

If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Ned Root and Mike Cates, click below.