Mill Town Messenger | Aug 2008

Overview

The newsletter from the Newport Historical Society reports community-focused activities, preservation efforts, and upcoming events aimed at documenting and celebrating Newport’s past. It highlights programs, museum inventory discoveries, life memberships, and plans for a pictorial history book tied to the town’s 250th celebration.

Historical features describe local figures, the 1873 courthouse fire, postcard and artifact exhibits, recent donations (including an 1802 cookbook), and scheduling details for meetings and radio history minutes, inviting residents to contribute materials and stories to expand the society’s collective memory.

You can read the online version of the newsletter here.

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

Main Points

• Community Engagement: The Newport Historical Society encourages community involvement to preserve and expand the collective memory of Newport’s past, inviting residents to share stories, identify artifacts, and participate in historical activities and meetings.
• Historical Outreach: Regular “Newport Historical Society Minutes” are broadcast on WCNL-AM, sharing local historical stories and encouraging public participation through calls and contributions.
• 250th Celebration: Committees have been formed to plan Newport’s 250th anniversary in 2011, with meetings open to the public and ongoing preparations for commemorative events.
• Publications: The NHS is producing a new pictorial history book covering Newport up to 1870, building on previous works and seeking community contributions of historical materials.
• Notable Figures: Harvena Brown McCann was Newport’s only Army Nurse Corps member during WWI and the first woman in town history to be buried with military honors.
• Museum and Collections: The NHS Museum is conducting an inventory and has recently uncovered valuable historical records, including 19th-century fire department books and property ledgers, and is actively seeking donations of local artifacts.
• Landmarks and Events: The 1873 Newport Town Hall and Courthouse was funded by Civil War reimbursements, burned in 1885, and its remains and associated stories are part of local historical documentation.
• Local Families: The Dodge family, particularly Guy Dodge Sr., contributed significantly to Newport’s development through construction, community service, and local history, with family memorabilia now part of the NHS Museum.

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