Mill Town Messenger | May 2008

Overview

The newsletter reports Newport Historical Society activities, programs, and local history research, highlighting museum collections, volunteer efforts, and membership growth. It summarizes recent workshops, presentations, and site tours that engage the community in preserving regional heritage.

Feature articles document oral history training, Civil War reenactment insights, Riverside Trotting Park exploration, Black History Month research, and recollections of Newport life in the 1930s–40s, while calling for donations, volunteer help, and contributions toward the town’s 250th celebration planning.

You can read the online version of the newsletter here.

This quarterly newsletter is generally published in January, April, July and October.

Main Points

• Newport Historical Society Growth: Membership increased from twelve to one hundred and twelve in a single year, reflecting growing community engagement in preserving local history.
• Oral History Initiatives: Workshops trained over forty participants from Newport and nearby towns in oral history techniques, emphasizing the importance of documenting personal and community stories.
• Diverse Early Population: Newport historically included Finns, Poles, Italians, Greeks, Turks, and an early Black population, with notable Black settlers such as Charles Hall, Richard Coit, John Reed, and Shipyo Page.
• Challenges for Black Residents: Black residents could own land and livestock but were not allowed to vote; interracial marriages were common due to demographic imbalances, and many descendants assimilated into the white community.
• Community Celebrations: Newport planned a town-wide celebration for its 250th anniversary in 2011, encouraging community involvement and reflection on its history and diversity.
• Historical Landmarks: The Riverside Trotting Park operated from 1878 to 1901, hosting horse races and Finnish sporting events; physical remnants and artifacts have been found and studied by local historians.
• Notable Individuals: André Chéronnet Champollion, descendant of the Rosetta Stone decipherer, considered Newport his home, was a prolific traveler and artist, and died in WWI; his works and letters are preserved locally.
• Preservation Efforts: The Society actively seeks donations of diaries, journals, and letters to capture everyday life, with recent acquisitions including Dodge family documents and materials from June Liberman.

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