Kinston Battlefield
Also known as: Battle of Kinston; 31lr80,f^80,31lr367,31lr367*2,31lr368,31lr369,31lr370
Why it's listed
Four separate areas near Kinston, North Carolina, preserve the land and earthworks of the Civil War Battle of Kinston, fought December 13-14, 1862. Totaling about 614 acres, they include the Southwest Creek engagement site, a Confederate encampment ridge, the Upper Trent Road engagement site at Patterson's Chapel, and the final engagement area just south of the Neuse River. Confederate engineers built the earthworks to protect Kinston from Union forces based at New Bern. Surviving features include roughly 1,900 feet of earthworks at Southwest Creek, an earthen milldam that Union soldiers used as a bridge to flank the Confederate line, and a deeply entrenched remnant of the Wilmington Road. The battle was one of three fought during the Goldsboro Expedition and unfolded at several locations rather than on one field. The district was listed for its military significance and its relatively intact setting, despite an earlier survey that classed the battlefield's integrity as lost.
Significance in brief: The areas are the best-preserved physical remains of the December 13-14, 1862 Civil War Battle of Kinston, fought as part of the Goldsboro Expedition. Together they reflect the progressive, multi-location nature of the fighting as a mobile Union force attacked Confederate troops defending Kinston. The nomination argues the battlefield retains a high degree of integrity despite an earlier survey ranking it as lost.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 06001104, listed November 30, 2006. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1.5 mi. S of Kinston on US 258;2-3 mi. S of Kinston on US 258; 3 mi. S of Kinston on NC 58; 4 mi. S of Kinston on 258, Kinston |
|---|---|
| County | Lenoir County |
| Listed | November 30, 2006 |
| Reference number | 06001104 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | December 13-14, 1862 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Military |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current uses include agricultural fields, forest, unoccupied land and a church. Many earthworks remain extant and in good condition, though some segments are truncated, eroded or slightly damaged. |
| Acreage | 614 |
| Coordinates | 35.20864, -77.61840 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 06001104.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q86539891
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.