Kingston first started as a silver mining camp called Percha City being located along Percha Creek where the first piece of rich silver ore was found in 1882. By the end of that year, the town had a population of 1800, mostly miners and prospectors. The women, with the exception of the few miners' wives, were there to entertain the male population.
     The town did not have a church for sometime. When one was built, the ratio was one church to 22 saloons. As the town grew, it also settled into a more peaceful existence despite several unsuccessful Indian raids. What remains of Kingston makes for an interesting visit. Submitted by Henry Chenoweth.

    Kingston was founded in August 1882 when miner Jack Sheddon discovered a rich lode of silver ore at what would be one of the Southwes most famous mines: the Solitaire. town was named for another area mine: the Iron King. Other area mines: Calamity Jane, Black Colt, Caledonia, and Little Jimmy.
     Kingston was home to about 1,800 people in 1882. It peaked at more than 7,000. Some $7 million in silver was mined in the Black Range Mining District in the 1880-90s.
     One of the wildest towns in the Wild West, Kingston once had 22 saloons, 14 groceries and general stores, gambling halls, a brewery, three newspapers ("The Clipper," "The Shaft" and "The Advocate"), restaurants, hotels and a theater where actress Lillian Russell performed. Albert Fall, later infamous in the Teapot Dome Scandal when he was secretary of the Interior, was once a Kingston miner. Other famous visitors: Mark Twain, President Grover Cleveland, Butch Cassidy, Sundance Kid and Black Jack Ketchem. Sadie Orchard, a native of London, operated a brothel in Kingston (on Virtue Street) and later in Hillsboro.
     Kingston declined when silver prices dropped and deposits ran out. The post office closed in 1957. The Victorio Hotel, Percha Bank and other old buildings still stand and there are today 32 permanent residents. A brass bell cast in 1877 and used to call firemen and sound mail call is still at the fire station on Main Street. Operating in Kingston today are Black Range Lodge Bed and Breakfast, Soar Gallery, Jane's Wind-Socks and Camp Shiloh. Courtesy Michael Cook.

Here is a correction to make.  Kingston was not the largest town in New Mexico Territory, not even close.  As best we can tell, the myth of 7,000 started in 1921 (28 years after Kingston was abandoned) with a story in Forbes magazine.  The town topped out at about 1,200 in 1890. All of Sierra County, NM where Kingston is located didn't reach 7,000 until 1950!  Have a look here:

http://hillsborohistory.blogspot.com/

http://www.arcadiapublishing.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=9780738579528&Store_Code=arcadia&search=NEW&offset=&filter_cat=&PowerSearch_Begin_Only=&sort=name.asc&range_low=&range_high=%20%26srch_newbook%3D1

http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p372505

Cemetery
Courtesy Dolores Steele