Newport is the only city in, and the shire town of, Orleans County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 4,455. The city contains the second-largest population of any municipality in the county (only neighboring Derby is larger), and has the smallest geographic area. It is the second-smallest city by population in Vermont. Newport is also the name of neighboring Newport Town.
Newport was founded by European Americans as a settlement in 1793 and was first called Pickerel Point. It was the place where Rogers' Rangers retreated in 1759 after a French and Indian War incursion into Canada. In the 19th century, the village was stimulated by construction of the railroad in 1863, during the American Civil War. The lumbering firm Prouty & Miller operated here from 1865. Long after the post-war Reconstruction era, the village was the site for a Reunion Society of Vermont Officers in 1891. Newport has two public schools, one private school, and a branch of the Community College of Vermont. As of the 2010 census, there were 4,589 people.
History
Early
Newport as a settlement was founded in 1793, after the American Revolutionary War. The village was first called Pickeral Point, but later renamed as Lake Bridge for its location at the head of Lake Memphremagog.
In 1816, part of the former town of Salem was annexed to the Town of Newport; it was absorbed into what was then a village.
The railroad was constructed to Newport in 1863. In 1868, the Lake Bridge settlement was incorporated as the Village of Newport. It became a busy lumber town. The lumbering firm of Prouty & Miller was started in 1865.
In 1932, during the Great Depression, the city operated a poor farm for the indigent, who worked for their board.
Transportation
thumb|left|Railroad station and steamboat Lady of the Lake in 1908
The Lady of the Lake steam excursion/ferry boat started operating in 1867. It stopped operations in 1917. This steamboat is used as Newport's logo.
In 1868, a livery stable started operating behind a hotel, several blocks from the railway station, which opened in 1863. At its peak, its owner kept 100 horses there.
By the late 19th century, the Boston & Maine and Central Vermont railroads were routed through Lake Bridge. The small village expanded because of increased connections to outside markets and ease of transportation; it attracted more residents. By the late 20th century, railroad passenger traffic had declined because people relied on individual vehicles; the last passenger train left Newport in 1965.
In 1917, the city paved Main Street. By the summer of 1930, traffic on the street had increased to 4,000 motor vehicles a day.
Military
Rogers' Rangers, a Vermont militia, were forced to retreat through the county following their attack on Saint-Francis, Quebec in 1759, during the French and Indian War. To confound their pursuers, they split up on the east shore of Lake Memphremagog. One group followed the Clyde River east. Another followed the Barton River south.
In the early 19th century, the women of pioneer Calvin Arnold's household refused to continue to live there. It was located near what is now Clyde Pond, and subject to raids by Indians.
During the American Civil War, the city had a scare when they received news of the St. Albans Raid. They thought these raids might repeat throughout the state, particularly at the south end of the lake. The militia was turned out. The ferry from Magog was met with determined-looking armed men, much to the captain's surprise, who had heard nothing about the raid. Armed Norwich University students were shipped in by train. Nothing happened and everyone was sent home after a few days.
In August 1942, a single-engine Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) training plane crashed into the lake near the west shore and the city, killing the pilot, the only occupant.
Architecture
thumb|left|Newport, VT, from the southwest
In 1873, the Bellevue Hotel was built to accommodate 75; later it expanded to hold 100 guests. It was renamed as the Newport House by 1891. It was demolished in 1973. The Memphremagog Hotel burned in 1907.
The current county courthouse was built in 1886. That was the year that the legislature moved the shire town here. In 1879, the Field Opera House and Clock Tower was constructed. In 1896, it was destroyed by fire. The municipal building was later constructed at this site.<!---quoted indirectly from Civil War Roundtable Newsletter, December 2013, Newport, Vermont. Which is why title and page is unknown--><!---was this the old Armory?--->
alt=St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church.|thumb|150px|St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church, completed 1877.
Lane's Opera House was constructed in 1892. It burned in 1923.
The Goodrich Memorial Library was built in 1899. The parochial Sacred Heart School was opened in 1904 as part of the Burlington Roman Catholic Diocese School District. It closed in the fall of 2007 because of falling enrollment.
In 1917, the city of Newport was formed from portions of the towns of Newport (former village of Newport) and Derby (former village of West Derby). It was organized on March 5, 1918. The four elementary schools were named after the section of the city they were in: East, West, and South schools. <!---ostensibly to allow all children to walk to school. No buses!--> Newport High was across from the West School. There were 60 businesses downtown; east, west and south had an additional 40 businesses.
The current federal courthouse was built in 1904. At the time, it included the United States post office, which has since relocated to a more modern facility.
===Business===<!---"near Strawberry Acres"--->
thumb|left|Main Street in 1908
The lumbering firm Prouty & Miller, started in 1865. It operated for more than 100 years, closing in the 1980s. It could hold 2,000 dancers. Notable national performers entertained here while en route between the larger cities of Boston and Montreal, traveling on the Boston & Maine trains. They included: Louis Armstrong, Charlie Barnet, Les Brown, Cab Calloway, Rosemary Clooney, the Dorsey Brothers, Jimmy and Tommy; Stan Kenton, Kay Kyser, Gene Krupa, Glenn Miller, Tony Pastor, and Louis Prima.
In 2003, the Newport-headquartered Citizens Utility was sold. Its assets and operations were divided between Great Bay Hydro and Vermont Electric Cooperative. A Columbia Forest Products plant employed about 100 workers. It closed in 2011.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (20.87%) is water. The city surrounds the southern shore of Lake Memphremagog. Three of the four major rivers in the county empty into the lake here: the Clyde, Barton, and the Black.
Newport borders the towns of Coventry to the south, Newport to the west, and Derby to the north and east.
Climate
Demographics
thumb|left|A postcard image of Newport and [[Lake Memphremagog around 1910]]
From its founding, Newport's population plateaued around 5,000 people until 1950 when it started dropping. It reached bottom in 1990 at 4,434. In 2010 the population dropped from the 2000 census, and it still had not reached its 1950 high which was 5,217. As of the census
Economy
Personal income
In 2017, the median income for a household in the city was $34,000. The median income for the state was $53,700. The median income for a family was $34,922. Males had a median income of $33,810 versus $19,787 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,054. About 13.0% of families and 18.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.4% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.
Industry
Poulin Grain ships farm feed products to customers in New England and upstate New York. It employs about 50 workers. The plant produces feed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
A Columbia Forest Products plant employs about 100 workers.
A call center employs 120 people.<!--Catalog Retail Marketing International = CRMI-->
MSA manufactures military combat helmets.
Health industry
North Country Hospital is the city's largest employer, employing 605 people.
Tourism
A commercial ice fishing derby has been held in February since 2004. In 2010, there were 920 participants.
The only Soap Box Derby in Vermont is held in the city annually. The winner represents the state in the nationals.
The local Rotary has held an annual music festival involving county high schools since 1947.
Non-local government
thumb|upright|Orleans County courthouse in Newport
The Northern State Correctional Facility, Newport Court, Reparative Services, and Vermont Correctional Industries are located in the city.
City government
Municipal offices are located in the former National Guard Armory, 222 Main Street, Newport.
Elected government consists of four aldermen with staggered two-year terms and a mayor.
The city has a paid staff for tax assessment/zoning administrator, public works department, police, fire, recreation and parks, city attorney, and harbor master.
There are decision-making boards which are filled by unpaid appointees: planning commission (5 people, three-year terms), harbor commission (5 people, two-year terms), development review board (nine people, three-year terms), and a recreation committee.<!--also a cemetery commission. not sure where that goes.--->
There are normal officers for Vermont cities and sometimes towns, except they are appointed for cities: Delinquent tax collector, town service officer, animal control, health officer, tree warden, weigher of coal<!---huh?--->, inspector of wood and shingles, representative to NVDA (Northeastern Vermont Development Association) board, representative to EDC board (Vermont Economic Development Authority)<!---I think they are the same--->, and Fence Viewers.
Budget (proposed 2014–2015) – $2.99 million. About $1 million is for the police force.
In 2017, the Grand List (total of taxable property) was $399 million. About 25% of this is non-taxable, belonging to government and religious entities.
Officials
The city is governed under the mayor-council system. In 2025, its mayor is Rick Ufford-Chase. The council is composed of Kevin Charboneau, Council President, Carter Finegan, Kevin Tochette, and John Monette. The city clerk/treasurer is James D. Johnson, and the city manager is empty.
Former mayors
{| class="Wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="height:70px; width:100%; text-align:left; border:0; margin-top:0.2em;"
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! style="background:#e0ffff;"| Mayors of Newport, Vermont
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- Curtis S. Emery 1918–1919
- James T. Gardner 1919–1921
- Ernest W. Savage 1921–1922
- William C. Lindsay 1922–1925
- Tom C. Camp 1925–1926
- J.E.McCarten 1926–1931
- F.D. Burns 1931–1932
- R.W.H. Davis 1932–1933
- H.W. Fairbrother 1933–1934
- John M. Bradley 1934–1938
- Winston L. Prouty 1938–1941
- O.S. Searles 1941–1945
- R.E. Blake 1945–1947
- L.H. McIver 1947
- P.J. Moore 1947–1949
- F.B. Crawford 1949–1952
- R.E. Blake 1952–1953
- F.L. Jenne 1953–1955
<!--starts renumbering at one again
--->
- J.W. Natole 1955–1960
- F.P. Davis 1960–1962
- E.W. Logan 1962–1965
- M.H. Carter 1965–1967
- K.M. Frawley 1967–1968
- Paul Bouffard 1968–1969
- C.G. Schuman, Jr.<!---MD, but does not apply to his being mayor!--> 1969–1971
- F.H. Spates 1971–1974
- Augustus Parsons 1974–1976
- William V. Caputo 1976–1980
- Kenneth W. Magoon 1980–1982
- Betty-Jane Durkee 1982–1985, the first woman mayor
- Michael Bresette 1985–1987
- Charles Pronto 1987–1991
- Douglas B. Spates 1991–1993
- Karin Zisselsberger 1993–1999
- Reynold R. Choiniere 1999–2003
- Richard M. Baraw 2003–2005
- Elwood "Woody" Guyette 2005–2009
- Paul Monette 2009–2023
|}
Elections
Fifty-four percent of those registered voted in the 2008 general election. This was the lowest turnout in the county.
Education
Newport has two public schools: an elementary school, Newport City Elementary, and a high school, North Country Union High School. There is one private school, the United Christian Academy. In 1996, United Christian Academy was formed, uniting Roman Catholic and Protestant churches in offering high school education. The school began offering elementary education following the closure of Sacred Heart School in 2006.
School districts
The city has a school board that governs operations at Newport Elementary. The budget for the Newport City Elementary School was $4,435,765 in 2007. In addition, the city belongs to the North Country Supervisory Union with members from nearby towns. They operate the North Country Union High School and the North Country Union Junior High School. The supervisor hired by this union board supervises the town school, as well as the union schools.
Higher education
Newport is home to a branch of the Community College of Vermont, which enrolls nearly 300 students.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Major routes
thumb|250px|U.S. Route 5 in Newport at the junction of [[Vermont Route 191 heading toward Interstate 91.]]
- 20px U.S. Route 5 – connects the city with the town of Coventry to the south, and the town of Derby to the north and east
- 25px VT Route 105 – connects the city with the Town of Newport, and the town of Derby (concurrent with route 5)
- 25px VT Route 191 – "Access Road", connects I-91, Exit 27, to the city of Newport
U.S. Route 5 and VT Route 105 are concurrent through much of their routes through the city.
Interstate 91 is the nearest interstate highway, and runs through the neighboring town of Derby. Two exits (for VT Route 191 and for US 5/VT 105) provide access to Newport.
The city has six stoplights, which is most of the stoplights in the county. Five are on Route 5.
Major bridges
There are three major bridges over the South Bay of Lake Memphremagog, two of which connect two parts of the city, the former village of Newport with the former village of West Derby. Those two are the bridge on Route 5, and the "Long Bridge" connecting Route 5 to Mt. Vernon Street. Plans are underway to replace this latter bridge starting in 2012. It will cost about $5.26 million. The state will pay 90%; the city, the remainder.
The final bridge is the trestle for the railway.
Local community public and private transportation
RCT (Rural Community Transportation), a non-profit organization, runs out of Saint Johnsbury and serves Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans counties. For general use, there are four buses north and south during the week from west Newport city to Derby, and two buses each way on Saturday. There is no bus fare.
Airport
The city is served by the Northeast Kingdom International Airport. It contains two runways. Runway 18/36 is 5301 x 100 ft. and Runway 5/23 is 3996 x 100 ft.
Sewage
The city discharged an average of of treated wastewater daily into the Clyde River in 2003–2004.
Media
- The Newport Daily Express – published daily except Saturdays and Sundays in Newport. Owned by Horizon Publications out of Marion, Illinois. Printed in Canada.
- Newport Dispatch – online-only news updated daily.
Notable people
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- Charles Francis Adams, first owner of the Boston Bruins
- Harry A. Black, Secretary of State of Vermont
- Reginald W. Buzzell, U.S. Army brigadier general, resided in Newport
- David M. Camp, Lieutenant Governor of Vermont, 1836–1841
- Walter H. Cleary, Chief Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court
- Rudolph J. Daley, Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court
- Samuel Douglass, member of the Vermont Senate implicated in the Young Republican group chat leaks scandal
- Lane Dwinell, 69th governor of New Hampshire
- John L. Edwards, Attorney and politician, Democratic nominee for governor of Vermont in 1867 and 1868
- Duane Graveline, astronaut
- Aaron H. Grout, son of Josiah Grout and Vermont Secretary of State
- Josiah Grout, 46th governor of Vermont
- George H. Prouty, 52nd governor of Vermont
- Winston L. Prouty, United States Senator
- William Weston, politician who served in the Vermont Senate, lived and worked in Newport
References
Further reading
External links
- City of Newport Official website