KINGSTON, N. Y., city, county-seat of Ulster County, on the Hudson River and on the West Shore, the Walkill Valley, the On tario and Western and the Ulster and Dela ware railroads; and is connected by ferry with main line of the New York Central and Hud son River Railroad, also Central New England, on the east side of the Hudson; 88 miles north of New York city, and 55 miles south of Al bany. The Walkill River and Rondout Creek enter the Hudson at Kingston and the Esopus Creek passes through the upper section of the city. The first settlement was made here in 1652 by the Dutch who named the place On 16 May 1661, Governor Stuy vesant granted a charter to the village which he named *Wildwyck* (Wiltwyck). By the Treaty of Breda 21 July 1667. the settlement passed with the rest of the Dutch provinces along the Hudson River into the possession of the English, the first governor, Francis Love lace, changing the name to *Kingston* in honor of his family seat, Kingston L'Isle, near Wantage, Berkshire, England. On 19 Feb. 1777 the first State Convention of the State of New York adjourned from Fishkill to Kingston, and the first State consitution was proclaimed in front of the courthouse on 22 April 1777. On 9 September of the same year, Chief Justice Jay opened in Kingston the first State court. The first State legislature met here in September of the same year, but was dispersed by the approach of the British who, under General Vaughn, entered the place on 16 October and destroyed nearly the whole town by fire, in revenge for the part taken in the War for Independence by Kingstonians. It was rebuilt and on 6 April 1805 incor porated as Village,* and chartered as *City of Kingston." 29 March 1872, com prising the former villages of Kingston, Ron dout (incorporated 4 April 1849), Wiltwick which connected the two, and the hamlet of Wilbur.
The chief manufactures are bricks. cement, boats, cigars, shirts, brushes, stone tubs, hard ware and machinery. It is the commercial centre for a large extent of country, and has an extensive trade in farm products, coal, cement, brick, bluestone, cigars, grain, lumber, clothing, hardware. It has eight grade schools and new High School, two business colleges, City Library, Armory, City Hall, Court House, central post office building and two branch offices at respective ends of the city, several fine churches, Y. M. C. A. building, K. of C. building, Women's Federation House, D. A. R. Chapter House, three modernly equipped hos pitals, a large sanitarium, an industrial home, a Catholic orphanage, five national and three savings banks. The bridge owned by the West Shore Railroad is about 150 feet above tide water. The *Senate House,* the first home of the New York legislature, contains a collection of relics connected with the early settlement of the country. Kingston Point Park, about 50 acres in extent, on the Hudson, is being made more at tractive each year. The large steamers land at this park. Daily boat service is maintained to New York and Albany and intermediate points. The city government is vested in a mayor, who holds office two years, a common council and board of public works. The executive appoints the subordinate officials, subject to approval by the council, excepting the city judge and the recorder, who are elected by the people, and officials directly responsible to the Board of Public Works. Pop. 26,542.