Mill Town Messenger | April 2019

Overview

The Newport Historical Society newsletter highlights spring activities, volunteer invitations, and community programs centered on local history preservation. It emphasizes artifact donations, upcoming meetings and presentations, and special events tied to the Corbin Covered Bridge and museum offerings.

The issue includes local historical reflections — demolition of the Colonial House, police department anniversary exhibits, and calls for metal-detecting fieldwork — while listing membership information, merchandise, and venues for outreach and sales.

You can read the online version of the newsletter here.

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

Main Points

• Metal Detecting Interest: Metal detecting, also called “Dirt Fishing,” is encouraged as a way to discover hidden treasures and artifacts, with suggestions to form a local group for exploring Newport’s historic sites, following proper permissions.
• Artifact Donations: The Newport Historical Society welcomes donations of artifacts and paper ephemera, including items from more recent decades, emphasizing their future historical value.
• Community Programs: The Society offers free public business meetings and educational programs on local history topics, held regularly at the museum and local venues.
• Colonial House Demolition: The historic Colonial House, built in 1813 and significant in Newport’s early history, was demolished in 2019 after years of neglect.
• Corbin Covered Bridge Memorabilia: A variety of Corbin Covered Bridge-themed items (ornaments, buttons, placemats, notecards, mugs, postcards, T-shirts) are available for purchase at local events and the Historical Society museum.
• Police Department Anniversary: 2019 marks the 250th anniversary of the Newport Police Department, with a museum display and commemorative medals created for the occasion.
• Preservation of Local History: There is limited historical information and photographs for many Newport properties, especially from 1880 to the present, making personal donations and records valuable for preserving local history.
• Membership and Support: The Society offers various membership levels and encourages community support through memberships and donations to sustain museum operations and preservation efforts.

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Check out our Events Calendar to keep informed of upcoming events!