Kingston is a
city in and the
county seat of
Ulster County,
New York, United States. It is north of
New York City and south of
Albany. It became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British on October 13, 1777, after the
Battles of Saratoga. In the 19th century, the city became an important
transport hub after the discovery of
natural cement in the region, and had both railroad and canal connections. Passenger rail service has since ceased, and many of the older buildings are part of three historic districts, such as the
Stockade District uptown, the Midtown Neighborhood Broadway Corridor, and the
Rondout-West Strand Historic District downtown.