Gold was discovered near the mouth of Kingston Canyon in 1863, and in 1864 a townsite was platted out. In 1865 a water powered 20-stamp mill was erected, and a post office was opened. In 1866, a second water powered 20-stamp mill was erected. By 1866 Kingston had a population of 125. Slowly, however the output of the mines faded, and the area was dormant by the early 1870s. A small revival occurred in the 1880s, and another in 1906, each fading after a few years. Today a small non-mining community remains with a population around 288.