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Kinston-Lenoir County, NC Celebrates Thriving Historical and Cultural Offerings
Home to a rich Civil War history, bluegrass music, public art and more, Kinston's cultural scene offers a wide, diverse range of attractions.Living History Civil War history comes to life in Kinston and Lenoir County, where the first Battle of Kinston took place in 1862. Two years later, the crew of the Confederate ironclad CSS Neuse set fire to their vessel to cover their retreat following the 1865 Battle of Wyse Fork (also called the second Battle of Kinston). The battlefields today look... Read More »
Restaurants in Kinston-Lenoir County, N.C., Serve Up Unique Dining Experiences
Restaurants in Lenoir County serve tasty dishes, ranging from Southern, down-home cooking to upscale and fresh produce options. Whatever your palate desires, there are a number of long-running eateries to visit in the area.
Southern Comfort
No visit to Kinston is complete without a stop at Lovick’s Café on Herritage Street. Established in 1942 by Milton Lovick and now operated by his great-grandchildren, Lovick’s serves heaping plates of pancakes and bacon, fresh country sausage,... Read More »
Kinston-Lenoir County, NC Offers Outdoor Recreation and Adventure
With a world-class nature center, family-friendly hiking trails, fishing ponds, a drag strip, Kinston Indians baseball, a nationally acclaimed disc-golf course, 11 bustling parks and more, Kinston is an excellent place to enjoy the great outdoors.
Back to Nature
One of the county's top attractions, the Neuseway Nature Center is located on 55 acres along the scenic Neuse River and features several hiking trails, stocked catfish ponds, canoes, an 18-foot wall for rock climbing and a... Read More »
Farm-to-Fork Restaurant in Kinston, NC Becomes Destination
The owners of Chef & the Farmer restaurant in Kinston spent a whopping $120,000 on food purchased from local farmers in 2010.Since opening more than five years ago, owners Ben Knight and Vivian Howard say their 66-seat restaurant in the Kinston downtown district has become a dining destination for a number of reasons. The married couple admits that one of the biggest factors is their farm-to-fork philosophy, buying as much food as possible from local farmers to keep money in Kinston-Lenoir... Read More »
Lenoir County, NC Ag Director Wins Pinnacle Award
All hail, Tammy Kelly.The director of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension's Lenoir County Center is also the 2011 winner of the Pinnacle of Achievement, an award presented by the Kinston-Lenoir County Chamber of Commerce. The annual award recognizes a top woman business professional in the community.“When I got the email telling me I was chosen, I said, 'What? Why me?'” Kelly says. “It was very nice to be recognized.”Among the many reasons why Kelly was honored was... Read More »
Kinston, NC Known for Down-Home Restaurants
Million dollar biscuits? That's what Byrd's restaurant is known for, and people from as far away as Apex, Garner, Goldsboro and Raleigh stop at the landmark Kinston eatery on their way to the Atlantic Ocean beaches.“We were named one of the best breakfast spots in North Carolina in 2011 by Our State magazine, and that recognition has been bringing us customers from many different cities and towns,” says C.J. Jarrell, owner of Byrd's, which first opened in 1977. “Yes, our... Read More »
Grainger Stadium in Kinston, NC
Grainger StadiumConsidered one of the best-manicured baseball facilities in the country, historic Grainger Stadium in Kinston, NC, is home to the Kinston Indians. The majestic stadium that opened in 1949 has won several awards over the years for its upkeep, and today can seat 4,100 spectators. Upgrades seem to occur every few years or so including new scoreboards throughout Grainger Stadium. That $350,000 project was funded by a number of sources such as the City of Kinston and the Kinston-... Read More »
Recreational Opportunities Abound in Kinston
Outdoor Offerings
With 11 parks‚ the Kinston/Lenoir Recreation Department has plenty of offerings – among them golf‚ tennis‚ basketball‚ softball‚ bridge‚ aerobics‚ line dancing and crafts for adults.
Kids have options galore‚ with the community hosting several baseball and softball tournaments each summer‚ some with 100 teams‚ according to Bill Ellis‚ the department’s director.
The department owns its own nature center on 55 acres along the Neuse River‚ with trails‚ ponds stocked with catfish... Read More »
Shopping in Kinston, NC
Kinston, NC is home to numerous unique shopping districts including Vernon Park Mall, Frenchman's Creek, Kinston's Plaza and Park View. These shopping centers provide a mixture of well-known national retailers along with more personal locally owned, independent stores. Distinct within these shopping centers, Vernon Park Mall is home to one of the biggest workforces in Lenoir County with about 300 employees. Its anchoring stores are the well-known retailers Belk, JCPenney's and Sears... Read More »
African-American Heritage Music Trail Celebrates Area's Culture
If the streets and walls of Kinston could talk, music would be their language.
“We have a rich, lengthy history in jazz, blues and gospel,” says Sandy Landis, executive director of Kinston’s Community Council for the Arts.
Founded in 1965, the CCA offers exhibits, classes and a host of other activities that make the arts accessible and enjoyable for people of all ages. In 2007, the organization began researching the community’s musical traditions.
“We launched this as a folklife project to... Read More »
Lenoir Community College Offers Culinary Technology Curriculum
How about some French pastry to go along with your diploma?
Lenoir Community College offers a Culinary Technology Curriculum that trains students to become professionals in a variety of food service settings.
Those settings can include full-service restaurants, hotels, resorts, private clubs, catering operations, contract food service and health-care facilities.
The Culinary Technology Curriculum has been a part of the academic offerings at LCC for the past 27 years.
Graduates who earn a two-... Read More »
Kinston Has Many Options for Golfers
North Carolina is considered a state with great golf venues, and Kinston is lucky enough to be home to four of them. The city courses – Falling Creek Golf Course, Kinston Country Club, Bill Fay Park Golf Course and Cutter Creek Golf Club – will challenge any level of golfer.
Falling Creek Country Club, which opened in 1967, is an 18-hole public course that stretches 6,523 yards and is a par 71 from the longest tees. Noted golf course architect Gene Hamm designed the greens. ... Read More »
Lenoir County Farmers Market
Shoppers who visit the Lenoir County Farmers Market will find everything from asparagus to zucchini, and, since it's open all year long, it's good to the last crop.
The market is actually unlike most farmers markets for a couple of reasons. The Lenoir County site on North Herritage Street is open five days a week, from Tuesday through Saturday. It also features three large round bays for selling, plus restrooms, power outlets and running water.
“Most markets aren’t lucky enough to... Read More »
Kinston's Rotary Dog Park Serves Pet Community
You couldn't tell from looking at its 32 acres of ponds, landscaping and gleefully bounding dogs, but Kinston's Rotary Dog Park was once a landfill. After exhaustive cleanup of the site, local Rotary Clubs and other volunteers have created a pup paradise. Located along N.C. 11 South near Skinner’s Bypass, the leashless park includes large open areas and enough trees to keep a dog occupied for hours. For extended play dates, be sure to bring water and a dish. Don't mind wet dog smell?... Read More »
In Kinston-Lenior County Options Abound for All Levels of Golfers
There are options for all levels of golfers in Kinston-Lenoir County, from country-club quality courses to a small par-three course that literally is located in the middle of a pasture.
On the higher end of the scale there is the course at Kinston’s Falling Creek Country Club, which was built in 1967 by famed architect Gene Hamm. The par-71 layout is flat and only 6,400 yards long, but it can be challenging because of the narrow, tree-lined fairways and several difficult par-threes.... Read More »
Fun Things To Do in Kinston-Lenoir County, NC
From museums and historic homes to outdoor activities and sporting events, Kinston-Lenoir County offers something fun for everyone to enjoy.1. Try your hand at disc golf during a game at Barnet Park.2. Visit the Cultural Heritage Museum to learn more about the Civil War through educational displays, presentations, tours and programs. 3. Grab your clubs and enjoy a round of golf at Falling Creek Country Club or Kinston Country Club. 4. Tour Harmony Hall, which is the only... Read More »
Grainger-Hill Performing Arts Center Steals the Show in Kinston
Go for the show, stay for the architecture.The Grainger-Hill Performing Arts Center is housed in one of the last remaining examples of Greek Classical Revival architecture in North Carolina, and is listed in the National Historic Register. The building, which is used as a theater, was constructed in 1925 as a three-story home for 900 students. Now the building offers 1,131 seats and outstanding acoustics and has become one of the region's premier theatrical venues. The center hosts a variety of... Read More »
Civil War Sites in Kinston, NC
Civil War history abounds in Kinston and Lenoir County, where the first Battle of Kinston took place in 1862.
Two years later, the crew of the Confederate ironclad CSS Neuse set fire to their vessel to cover their retreat following the 1865 Battle of Wyse Fork (also called the second Battle of Kinston). The battlefields today look much like they did then, and the burned-out remains of the CSS Neuse can be seen at the CSS Neuse State Historic Site and Gov. Caswell Memorial – the home of... Read More »
