The Kingston Historical Society
Kingston, New Jersey
This winter the archivist team of the Kingston Historical Society prepared the Kingston Locktender’s House for opening day, April 4, 2026. We started by washing the windows and window sills.
The 1834 building also needed some interior cleaning, and got a new brochure case for the front door. We repaired some of the displays. And some things, like our old curtains, just had to be replaced!
https://archive.org/details/kingston-1999-parade
Lots of Kingston fire departments, bands and dignitaries!!
George is preparing a tea time talk for January, 2026 about the overall K1999 effort.
The third event of Sunday, January 4th was a reenactment of Washington’s Conference on Horseback, as announced (with background information) HERE. The event followed “Lunch with Washington and his Generals” held at Eno Terra, by the bridge in Kingston, and the morning battle reenactment on Princeton Pike in Princeton, NJ.
While the generals were lunching, the army enjoyed a free meal (and warmth) at the Kingston Deli. The squad included at least one soldier killed in the morning battle on the Princeton Pike.
Meanwhile… (NEXT)
The Kingston Locktender’s House was decorated, and ready for guests….
Members of the community assembled…
The kids got front row seats…
And the Kingston Women’s Chorus sang “O Christmas Tree”…
And led the crowd in several sing-alongs…
As the crowd listened and enjoyed hot chocolate and cookies.
But some kids would rather see the fire truck.
Thank you to members of the Kingston Historical Society board and archivists, and their families.
Thank you to the members of the Kingston Women’s Chorus and their leader Heather Robbins.
Thank you to Doug Miller for sound.
Thank you to the Kingston Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 for providing lighting and for showing off the engine.
Thank you to all who came, especially those who brought their neighbors.
Come back next year!!
The Kingston Locktender’s House sports winter-appropriate decorations for the end of 2025.
Thanks to Anne Zeman and Karen Linder, the doors now have wreaths…
And the windows have greenery.
Even the old Toll House has some decorations
Even though the Locktender’s House is closed for the winter, you can still learn what’s happening by looking at our community window.
And maybe grab a trail map by the front door.
We have added two Kingston, NJ events to our calendar, both on Sunday, January 4th. (click on highlighted links) The Franklin 250 Celebration poster for these events is available HERE
January 4, 2026 @ 12:30 pm
Lunch with Washington and his Generals (LINK)
Eno Terra, Kingston 4484 Route 27, Kingston
ADVANCE TICKETS REQUIRED– PURCHASE ONLINE
(click link to learn more.)
January 4, 2026 @ 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
The Conference on Horseback
Kingston Presbyterian Cemetery, Church Street, Kingston
Three videos are now available from the KHS annual meeting on November 11, 2025. The first is a report during the meeting and the other two are presentations by our invited speaker
The business meeting consisted of opening remarks by Robert von Zumbusch, president of the Kingston Historical Society, and a review of KHS events since the previous annual meeting by Charlie Dieterich, society secretary.
The society then reelected Sharon O’Donnell Hansen, Charles Dieterich, and Robert Brown for three years and
Robert McAuley for a one-year term. President Robert von Zumbusch closed the meeting and introduced our speaker.
New Jersey has always been a diverse and complicated place, with many people of differing ideas and beliefs. In the increasingly tense years before the outbreak of the rebelion in 1775, New Jersey was alive with activity. Will Krakower, author and interpreter at the Princeton Battlefield, discussed some of people, places, and events which drew the Jerseys ever closer to a war which would pit neighbor against neighbor.
This first video includes a brief introduction by Robert von Zumbusch. Questions about part 1 are at the beginning of Part 2 (see below)
Park Historian Krakower shares improvements to Princeton Battlefield State Park as well as future plans to enhance visitor experience at the Battlefield, during and after the 250th anniversary. The video begins with questions about Part 1 (above)
Videos are hosted on Archive.org, a donation-funded website providing streaming (and downloadable) videos. We thank them and encourage you to donate to this civic minded organization.
The Kingston Historical Society wants your functional-but-not-Windows 11 up-gradable computer! We need a few laptops for:
We are interested in Windows 7,8 or 10 Laptops in working order with a working Display, Wifi, a Power Supply, and Battery.
We will be modifying the laptops to add a new hard drive and operating system and will be removing your hard drive (files) and giving it to you to save or destroy.
We will give you the hard drive and a letter of donation thanks from our 501(c)3 organization.
Because we will be removing the hard drive in front of you, we ask you to donate in person (or someone you designate.) We will plan some sessions at the Kingston Locktender’s House for this process. Please fill out the form below and we will arrange a day and time via e-mail.
Display = The screen in the lid of a laptop computer
WiFi = Usually built in to the laptop, sometimes something that plugs in to a USB port. It connects to the Internet using a digital method 802.11b/g/n, etc.
Power Supply = a small block that plugs in to the 120V outlet and has a wire that connects to the laptop to power it or charge the battery.
Mouse = Either a computer mouse, Track Ball, Touch Pad, or a Touch Point.
Battery= Usually built in to the bottom of the laptop computer. It powers the laptop when not connected to the power supply.
Locktender’s House Open House and “Five Canal House Challenge” was a great success. Thanks to the 40 groups who visited us on Sunday, September 14th.
Attendees told us that it was hard to find the “Old Lincoln Highway” so we have added a new page to our website: https://www.khsnj.org/directions/ This has directions to the D&R parking areas by Kingston lock and other local destinations.
The D&R Canal Watch coordinated the “scavenger hunt”. The goal is to visit five of the remaining D&R canal houses from Lawrence Township to northern Franklin Township. Some were bridgetender houses, some were locktender houses, and Kingston’s was both. Members of local groups stamped your “Canal Passport” at each House to win a small prize.
Participating Locations and Organizations :
Carrie Fellows, Executive Director of New Jersey’s Crossroads of the American Revolution Assoc. Inc. came to Kingston on June 10th to talk about RevolutionNJ, celebrations of the 250th anniversary of New Jersey’s role in the American Revolution. Below is a video of her talk.
To view the video, click the link below. You will watch the video streaming from Archive.org, a free, non-commercial website.
https://archive.org/details/khs-spring-2025-talk
This is the announcement of the talk LINK