Mike Parker: Sharing historic memory across generations
During this school year when Pitt County students have faced “Virtual Mondays,” Abby and Hannah, two of my granddaughters, have stayed with Sandra and me from Sunday afternoon until I return them to their mother Rachel, who teaches at South Central, on Monday afternoon.
Sometimes I take the girls around town, point out places, and discuss the history of Kinston. For instance, I asked them if they noticed anything unusual about the spelling of Herritage Street. When one told me that heritage should have only one “r,” I explained that the street is named after the doctor who donated the first 100 acres of land for the City of Kinston.
The original city limits of Dr. William Herritage’s land grant are reflected in street names. North Street was the northern boundary, South Street formed the southern boundary, and East Street marked the eastern boundary. The western border was the Neuse River.
I doubt most residents of Kinston know that before the legislature created the city in 1792, this area was best known as Atkin Banks after man who owned a large tract of land. But Richard Caswell introduced legislation to create Kinston. Actually, the original name was “Kingston,” named for King George III. In 1784, the citizens decided to drop the “g” and use the name Kinston. Although citizens of that time did not wish to have any affiliation with royalty that affiliation with British royalty is reflected to this day in King Street and Queen Street.
Prior to being named the county seat of Lenoir County, Kinston was the county seat of Dobbs County. In 1791, the legislature abolished Dobbs County, which bore the name of the royal governor, Arthur Dobbs. The legislature then created Lenoir County and Glasgow County. In 1799 Glasgow County was renamed Greene County after Revolutionary War hero Nathaniel Greene. From Kinston’s inception, it has always been a county seat.
I told my granddaughters a little about Capt. Jesse Grainger and his daughter Capitola and pointed out the streets named for them. Grainger was a truck farmer and business innovator. I Grainger develop a better way for curing tobacco. I explained to my girls the economic impact tobacco had on Kinston and Lenoir County.
One day as we drove past the current Chamber of Commerce building, I told them that when I first moved to Kinston, that building housed the Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library. Prior to its use as a library, the same building had been the main Kinston post office.
I took them to the Nature Center and pointed out the sign that showed how deep flood waters rose during Hurricane Fran in 1996 and Hurricane Floyd in 1999.
On these excursions into history, I do my best to be entertaining. I hope they remember some of what I tell them. Then I think back to my dad telling me about the history of Richmond, Va. I doubt I retained much. However, I did get a sense that I was not the first person in the world. A host of others had been born, lived, married, raised children, doted on grandkids, and eventually died.
I am hoping my grand-girls may be developing a similar sense of awe at being a small part of the larger puzzle of history. As they grow up, I hope a sense of wonder awakens a hunger to know more about the history of their family – their state – and their nation.
John F. Kennedy once wrote an essay titled “The Memory of a Nation.” Kennedy began the essay with these words:
“There is little that is more important for an American citizen to know than the history and traditions of his country. Without such knowledge, he stands uncertain and defenseless before the world, knowing neither where he has come from nor where he is going. With such knowledge, he is no longer alone but draws a strength far greater than his own from the cumulative experience of the past and a cumulative vision of the future.”
Mike Parker is a columnist for Neuse News. You can reach him at mparker16@gmail.com.
