:Newport, New Hampshire

Granted in 1753 by colonial governor Benning Wentworth, the town was named "Grenville" after George Grenville, Prime Minister of Great Britain and brother-in-law of William Pitt. But ongoing hostilities during the French and Indian War, as close as the Fort at Number 4 at Charlestown, delayed settlement. Nevertheless, in 1761 the town was incorporated as "Newport", for Henry Newport, a distinguished English soldier and statesman.

It was first settled in 1763 by pioneers from North Killingworth, Connecticut. Absalom Kelsey was one of the earliest settlers, on what became later the D.F. Pike farm at the foot of Claremont Hill.{{cite book|title=Kelsey Genealogy Vol II|year=1929|publisher=Kelsey Kindred of America|location=Clinton, CT|page=58}} At that time, the Connecticut River was the only route for travel, until a road was cut through the wilderness to Charlestown in 1767. The following year, the first gristmill was established. But dissatisfied with treatment by the state government far beyond the mountains, Newport in 1781 joined 33 other towns along the Connecticut River and seceded from New Hampshire to join Vermont. George Washington, however, dissolved their union with Vermont in 1782, and the towns rejoined New Hampshire.{{Cite book |last1=Coolidge |first1= Austin J. |last2=Mansfield |first2=John B. | title=A History and Description of New England |year=1859 |location=Boston, Massachusetts |pages=602–603 |url={{Google books|OcoMAAAAYAAJ|page=602|plainurl=yes}}}}

With excellent soil for farming, and abundant water power from the Sugar River and its South Branch to run mills, Newport grew prosperous. The first cotton mill was established by Colonel James D. Wolcott in 1813. Local cabinet making flourished, producing much fine furniture. In 1817, perhaps inspired by the Erie Canal, businessmen proposed digging a canal to connect the Connecticut and Merrimack rivers—beginning with the Sugar River, and using its source, Lake Sunapee, as a reservoir. The plan was abandoned before it got started. In 1871, the Sugar River Railroad connected to Newport from Bradford.

But the Sugar River was recognized as central to industrial development, and in 1820, mill owners from Claremont, Sunapee and Newport united to create the Sunapee Dam Corporation, which built a dam to regulate the river's flow, running mill machinery even during drought. This plan worked, and over 120 water wheels would turn along the stream's course. By 1859, when the population was 2,020, Newport had three woolen mills and two tanneries. It also had the Sibley Scythe Company, established in 1842, which manufactured the scythes that cleared jungle during construction of the Panama Canal. The company closed in 1929.

The venerable mill town has significant architectural landmarks, including the 1823 South Congregational Church designed by Elias Carter, the Newport Opera House built in 1886, and the Richards Free Library, built as the home of Colonel Seth Mason Richards in 1898.

Photos from the early 20th century:

Image:Pollards Mill, Newport, NH.jpg|Pollards Mill in 1906

Image:North Main Street, Newport, NH.jpg|North Main Street {{circa|1908}}

Image:Sunapee Street, Newport, NH.jpg|Sunapee Street in 1908

Image:Methodist Church and Parsonage, Newport, NH.jpg|Methodist Church in 1909

Image:Main Street, Looking North, Newport, NH.jpg|Main Street in 1906

Image:View of North Main Street, Newport, NH.jpg|North Main Street in 1914

Image:Passenger Station, Newport, NH.jpg|B. & M. Railroad station in 1907

Image:Congregational Church, Newport, NH.jpg|South Congregational Church {{circa|1910}}

During the summer and fall of 1765, six young men came to Newport from Killingworth, Connecticut, cleared six acres of land each, and, after getting in a crop of rye, returned home and spent the winter. The following year, in June 1766, these men having an addition of two to their number, making eight in all, five having families, came and made the first permanent settlement. No record or tradition is found showing the precise day of their arrival. All accounts agree that they arrived in town Saturday night; that they were detained by a bad place in the road on Pike Hill, where they camped for the night; and the following day, after accomplishing the remainder of their journey, they spent in religious worship under the shadow of a pine tree which stood just south of the A. Pease residence.{{cite book |last=Wheeler |first=Edmund |title=The History of Newport, New Hampshire, from 1766 to 1878, with a Genealogical Register |year=1879 |publisher=Republican Press Association |location=Concord, NH |isbn=978-1230249087 |url=https://archive.org/stream/historyofnewport00whee/historyofnewport00whee_djvu.txt}}

The following were among the earliest settlers, the first five having families.

{{div col|colwidth=15em}}

• Zepheniah Clark
• Ebenezer Merrit
• Benjamin Bragg
• Samuel Hurd
• Jesse Wilcox
• James Church
• William Stanard
• Ezra Parmelee
• Jesse Lane
• Jesse Kelsey
• Benjamin Giles
• Nathan Hurd
• Charles Avery
• Ephraim Towner
• Absalom Kelsey
• Amos Hall
• Roswell Hull
• Daniel Dudley

{{div col end}}

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of {{convert|113.0|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|112.9|sqkm|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|0.2|sqkm|order=flip|1}} are water, comprising 0.16% of the town. Besides Newport's downtown area, settlements within the town include North Newport, Kelleyville (in the western part of the town), Guild (in the eastern part of the town), and Wendell, on the town's eastern border with Sunapee.

Newport is drained by the west-flowing Sugar River and its South Branch, with the town center at their confluence. The North Branch joins the Sugar River north of Newport village and east of North Newport. The entire town is part of the Connecticut River watershed. The highest point in town is along its southern border, where an unnamed ridge has an elevation of approximately {{convert|1920|ft|m}} above sea level.

The town is served by state routes 10, 11 and 103. Newport is home to Parlin Field Airport.

• Croydon (north)
• Sunapee (east)
• Goshen (southeast)
• Unity (south)
• Claremont (west)

Photos from the early 21st century:

File:Covered bridge, Newport, NH.jpg|Corbin Covered Bridge over North Branch Sugar River

File:Downtown Newport looking north.jpg|Downtown Newport looking north

File:Newport Main Street looking north.jpg|Downtown Newport

File:Newport Main Street looking South.jpg|Downtown Newport looking south

File:Newport Town Hall.jpg|Newport Town Hall

File:The Salt Hill Pub on Main Street in Newport.jpg|Salt Hill Pub

File:Newport_NH_Soldiers_Memorial.jpg|Soldiers Memorial

File:Newport_NH_Sarah_Hale_Plaque.jpg|Sarah J. Hale plaque

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Newport has a warm-summer humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Newport was {{convert|97|F|C|1}} on July 15, 1995, while the coldest temperature recorded was {{convert|-40|F|C|1}} on January 20, 1994.

{{Weather box

|location = Newport, New Hampshire, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1970–present

|single line = Yes

|Jan record high F = 66

|Feb record high F = 67

|Mar record high F = 81

|Apr record high F = 90

|May record high F = 92

|Jun record high F = 96

|Jul record high F = 97

|Aug record high F = 96

|Sep record high F = 94

|Oct record high F = 82

|Nov record high F = 76

|Dec record high F = 68

|Jan avg record high F = 51.7

|Feb avg record high F = 53.4

|Mar avg record high F = 63.1

|Apr avg record high F = 78.3

|May avg record high F = 86.2

|Jun avg record high F = 90.2

|Jul avg record high F = 91.5

|Aug avg record high F = 89.9

|Sep avg record high F = 86.3

|Oct avg record high F = 76.1

|Nov avg record high F = 66.8

|Dec avg record high F = 54.5

|year avg record high F = 93.0

|Jan high F = 29.3

|Feb high F = 32.4

|Mar high F = 40.6

|Apr high F = 53.6

|May high F = 66.4

|Jun high F = 74.9

|Jul high F = 80.1

|Aug high F = 78.6

|Sep high F = 71.0

|Oct high F = 58.0

|Nov high F = 45.5

|Dec high F = 34.8

|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 19.2

|Feb mean F = 21.2

|Mar mean F = 29.7

|Apr mean F = 42.1

|May mean F = 54.1

|Jun mean F = 63.2

|Jul mean F = 68.3

|Aug mean F = 66.4

|Sep mean F = 58.8

|Oct mean F = 46.7

|Nov mean F = 36.1

|Dec mean F = 25.9

|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 9.1

|Feb low F = 10.0

|Mar low F = 18.8

|Apr low F = 30.5

|May low F = 41.8

|Jun low F = 51.5

|Jul low F = 56.4

|Aug low F = 54.3

|Sep low F = 46.6

|Oct low F = 35.5

|Nov low F = 26.7

|Dec low F = 17.0

|year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = -13.9

|Feb avg record low F = -12.2

|Mar avg record low F = -5.7

|Apr avg record low F = 16.9

|May avg record low F = 27.2

|Jun avg record low F = 36.6

|Jul avg record low F = 44.7

|Aug avg record low F = 41.4

|Sep avg record low F = 30.9

|Oct avg record low F = 20.6

|Nov avg record low F = 10.1

|Dec avg record low F = -5.3

|year avg record low F = -17.5

|Jan record low F = -40

|Feb record low F = -28

|Mar record low F = -18

|Apr record low F = 4

|May record low F = 19

|Jun record low F = 27

|Jul record low F = 35

|Aug record low F = 31

|Sep record low F = 21

|Oct record low F = 10

|Nov record low F = -4

|Dec record low F = -21

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 2.73

|Feb precipitation inch = 2.36

|Mar precipitation inch = 2.96

|Apr precipitation inch = 3.26

|May precipitation inch = 3.33

|Jun precipitation inch = 4.23

|Jul precipitation inch = 4.19

|Aug precipitation inch = 3.75

|Sep precipitation inch = 3.53

|Oct precipitation inch = 4.88

|Nov precipitation inch = 3.19

|Dec precipitation inch = 3.54

|year precipitation inch =

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

|Jan precipitation days = 11.2

|Feb precipitation days = 9.3

|Mar precipitation days = 10.6

|Apr precipitation days = 10.6

|May precipitation days = 12.9

|Jun precipitation days = 13.4

|Jul precipitation days = 12.6

|Aug precipitation days = 11.6

|Sep precipitation days = 11.1

|Oct precipitation days = 12.5

|Nov precipitation days = 10.4

|Dec precipitation days = 12.0

|Jan snow inch = 15.2

|Feb snow inch = 16.7

|Mar snow inch = 12.7

|Apr snow inch = 3.3

|May snow inch = 0.0

|Jun snow inch = 0.0

|Jul snow inch = 0.0

|Aug snow inch = 0.0

|Sep snow inch = 0.0

|Oct snow inch = 0.5

|Nov snow inch = 2.8

|Dec snow inch = 14.9

|year snow inch =

|unit snow days = 0.1 in

|Jan snow days = 7.5

|Feb snow days = 6.5

|Mar snow days = 5.4

|Apr snow days = 1.4

|May snow days = 0.1

|Jun snow days = 0.0

|Jul snow days = 0.0

|Aug snow days = 0.0

|Sep snow days = 0.0

|Oct snow days = 0.3

|Nov snow days = 1.9

|Dec snow days = 6.6

|Jan snow depth inch = 12.8

|Feb snow depth inch = 15.5

|Mar snow depth inch = 14.0

|Apr snow depth inch = 4.8

|May snow depth inch = 0.0

|Jun snow depth inch = 0.0

|Jul snow depth inch = 0.0

|Aug snow depth inch = 0.0

|Sep snow depth inch = 0.0

|Oct snow depth inch = 0.6

|Nov snow depth inch = 2.0

|Dec snow depth inch = 8.9

|year snow depth inch = 18.0

|source 1 = NOAA

{{cite web

|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00275868&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Newport, NH

|access-date = January 18, 2023

}}

|source 2 = National Weather Service

{{cite web

|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=gyx

|publisher = National Weather Service

|title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Gray/Portland

|access-date = January 18, 2023

}}

}}

{{US Census population

|1790= 780

|1800= 1266

|1810= 1427

|1820= 1679

|1830= 1913

|1840= 1958

|1850= 2020

|1860= 2077

|1870= 2163

|1880= 2612

|1890= 2623

|1900= 3126

|1910= 3765

|1920= 4109

|1930= 4659

|1940= 5304

|1950= 5131

|1960= 5458

|1970= 5899

|1980= 6229

|1990= 6110

|2000= 6269

|2010= 6507

|2020= 6299

|estyear=

|estimate=

|estref=

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2016}}

}}

As of the census of 2010, there were 6,507 people, 2,629 households, and 1,706 families residing in the town. There were 2,938 housing units, of which 309, or 10.5%, were vacant. The racial makeup of the town was 97.2% white, 0.3% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 0.3% some other race, and 1.6% from two or more races. 1.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.{{Cite web| url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/SF1DP1/0600000US3301952580| title=Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (DP-1): Newport town, Sullivan County, New Hampshire| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American Factfinder| access-date=November 13, 2017| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213235018/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/SF1DP1/0600000US3301952580| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}

Of the 2,629 households, 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.1% were headed by married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43, and the average family size was 2.89.

In the town, 22.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.4% were from 18 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.9 males.

For the period 2011–2015, the estimated median annual income for a household was $49,663, and the median income for a family was $60,317. The per capita income for the town was $25,969. 9.6% of the population and 4.6% of families were below the poverty line. 6.9% of the population under the age of 18 and 8.7% of those 65 or older were living in poverty.{{Cite web| url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_5YR/DP03/0600000US3301952580| title=Selected Economic Characteristics: 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (DP03): Newport town, Sullivan County, New Hampshire| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American Factfinder| access-date=November 13, 2017| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213161553/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_5YR/DP03/0600000US3301952580| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}

File:Newport_NH_Post_Office.jpg|US Post Office

File:Newport_NH_District_Court.jpg|District Court building

File:Newport_NH_Health_Ctr.jpg|Newport Health Center

Newport's public schools are within the Newport School District. Richards Elementary School educates children from kindergarten through 5th grade. Newport Middle and High Schools educates students from 6th through 12th grades.{{cite web|title=SAU 43 Newport School District |year=2019|location=Newport, N.H. |url=https://sites.google.com/a/sau43.org/district/ }} In fall 2016, 5th and 6th grade students at Towle Elementary were transferred to the other schools. The building is still used for athletics.{{cite web|last=O'Grady |first=Patrick |title=Newport Will Close Towle Elementary School to Students; Gym Will Remain in Use |publisher=Valley News |year=2016 |url=https://www.vnews.com/News/Local-Regional/Newport-Will-Close-Towle-Elementary-School-to-Students-Gym-Will-Remain-in-Use-1242706 }} Within the western region of the town, located is the Newport Montessori School, which is a private school that harbors pre-kindergarten through 8th grade students.

File:Newport_NH_Towle_Elem_School.jpg|Towle Elementary School

File:Newport_NH_Richards_Library.jpg|Richards Free Library

• Henry Albert Baker (1848–1934), 19th-century orthodontist
• George Belknap (1832–1903), US Navy rear admiral
• Edmund Burke (1809–1882), US congressman
• Harry Morrison Cheney (1860–1937), Speaker of the New Hampshire House of Representatives
• Austin Corbin (1827–1896), 19th-century banking and railroad entrepreneur
• Horatio Hale (1817–1896), businessman, ethnologist
• Sarah Josepha Hale (1788–1879), editor, writer
• Evan Hill (1919–2010), journalist, University of Connecticut professor
• Henry Harrison Metcalf (1841–1932), editor, politician, author
• David Sargent (born 1931), president of Suffolk University
• Edwin Obed Stanard (1832–1914), US congressman
• Mason Weare Tappan (1817–1886), US congressman, state attorney general
• Billy B. Van (1870–1950), vaudeville entertainer

{{portal|New Hampshire}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{Citation |publisher = The Business Men |location = Newport, N.H. |title = Newport business directory and advertiser |date = 1870 |ol = 23366129M }}

{{commons category}}

{{NIE Poster|Newport (New Hampshire)|Newport, New Hampshire}}

• {{Official website|www.newportnh.net}}
• [http://www.newport.lib.nh.us/ Richards Free Library]
• [https://www.nhes.nh.gov/elmi/products/cp/profiles-htm/newport.htm New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau Profile]
• [http://www.newportnhhistory.org/ Newport Historical Society & Museum]
• [http://www.newportoperahouse.com/ Newport Opera House]
• [https://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/recreational-rail-trails/sugar-river-recreational-rail-trail Sugar River Recreational Trail]

{{Geographic location

| Centre = Newport

| North = Croydon

| Northeast = Sunapee

| East = Sunapee

| Southeast = Goshen

| South = Unity

| Southwest = Unity

| West = Claremont

| Northwest = Cornish

}}

{{Sullivan County, New Hampshire}}

{{New Hampshire county seats}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Towns in Sullivan County, New Hampshire

Category:Populated places established in 1761

Category:County seats in New Hampshire

Category:Towns in New Hampshire