Mill Town Messenger | Nov 2008

Overview

The Newport Historical Society newsletter recounts recent programs, projects, and community efforts preserving Newport’s local history, including cemetery workshops, oral-history initiatives, museum planning, and bridge restoration updates. It highlights volunteer contributions, upcoming meetings, and community outreach such as the NHS radio minutes and membership information.

The issue also shares local color through a published ghost story, election results for Society officers, a profile of Newport notable Henry E. Baldwin, and calls for volunteers to assist with archival inventorying and transcription for long-term preservation.

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 Programs: The Newport Historical Society (NHS) runs programs and workshops that explore local history, challenge assumptions, and encourage community involvement in preserving Newport’s heritage.
• Cemetery Preservation Efforts: NHS organizes cemetery tours, preservation workshops, and presentations to educate the public on the history, art, and maintenance of Newport’s cemeteries.
• Community Radio Initiative: The Newport Historical Society Minute, broadcast on WCNL-1010 AM, shares Newport history daily and has received state recognition for excellence.
• Oral History Project: NHS is actively collecting and transcribing oral histories from senior citizens to document Newport’s past for future generations.
• Museum Challenges: The NHS museum faces significant issues including inadequate climate control, lack of accessibility, and the need for volunteers to help inventory and digitize the collection.
• Local Ghost Story: A well-known Newport ghost story involves a reported sighting of a headless girl with a red wagon near a former funeral home, which has become part of local folklore.
• Historical Bridge Restoration: Efforts are underway to restore Pier and Wright’s bridges, with engineering assessments completed and construction planned following renegotiation of project costs.
• Notable Resident – Henry E. Baldwin: Henry E. Baldwin, a Newport native, was a political cartoonist, engraver, and public official, credited with publishing Newport’s first political cartoon in 1839.

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