l. a. whitmore established the ferry in 1854. it was founded in 1856 by lucious a. whitmore who operated the first ferry to cross the kings river. the town of kingston grew up around the ferry at the place where an old spanish road called "el camino viejo á los angeles" (the old road to los angeles) crossed the river. kingston became a stopping place on the butterfield overland mail route from 1858 to 1861 and a stage route between stockton and visalia after 1858. a post office operated at kingston from 1859 to 1862, and from 1866 to 1890, when the service transferred to lillis. until at least 1872, the only store between millerton and visalia was in kingston. the first school in the area was probably the one established as early as 1860 in kingston.