Kingston’s Upcoming 150 Anniversary Celebration Had Me Confused…

When I think of Kingston, I think of it as one of the oldest cities in the area. The old stone buildings, the history that Kingston is known for. It was even once the capital of New York State. That was in 1777. There are Kingston stories that date back to the 1600s. So, when I read that there was going to be a 150th Anniversary celebration for the City, I was confused. 150 years?

I did the math. 150 years ago was 1872. But what about all those houses with plaques? Is it a lie? Is Kingston pretending to be older than it is? Time to do some research. Well, it turns out that Kingston has not been pulling the wool over our eyes. It really has been around for all these years, and it really does have the rich history we all believed it had. So, why only 150 years? According to Wikipedia, Kingston officially became a city in 1872 when it merged with Rondout and a hamlet named Wilbur. That’s 150 years. 

And the celebration? It will be held on May 13 at 5:30PM in Council Chambers at City Hall. The event will include the burial of a time capsule filled with projects completed by Kingston City School District students that will be opened in 150 years. There will be a musical performance by the Bruderhof, a display of original 19th century archival documents relating to the history of Kingston and Rondout, and a special theatrical performance by Theater on the Road.

Special guest speakers will include Mayor Steve Noble, Ulster County Clerk Nina Postupack, Commissioner of Jurors Paul O’Neill, Assemblyman Kevin Cahill, County Executive Pat Ryan, and New York State Historian Devin Lander. For more information, visit the City of Kingston website.