Mill Town Messenger | Oct 2023

Overview

The newsletter from the Newport Historical Society reports local preservation activities, upcoming programs, and recent museum updates, highlighting covered-bridge research, the Corbin estate history, and archival digitization efforts. It lists society officers, meeting times, museum hours, membership information, and practical details for engaging with society services.

Feature articles describe a covered-bridges tour and truss types, the Magical History Tour with narrated site visits, and a personal history of a restored ice house; volunteer needs, grant-funded exterior repairs, and ways to access digital archives and events are emphasized.

You can read the online version of the newsletter here.

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

Main Points

• Covered bridge truss designs: The most common types include the Town Lattice (used in Corbin Bridge), Kingpost, Queenpost, and Burr Arch trusses, each suited to different bridge lengths and structural needs.
• Truss function: The heavy timber side walls, or trusses, of covered bridges bear the load of the bridge floor and any passing vehicles, making their design critical to bridge strength and longevity.
• Corbin Covered Bridge restoration: The Corbin Covered Bridge in Newport was rebuilt 25 years prior to 2019 by Arnold Graton and his crew, celebrated for its craftsmanship and historical significance.
• Local historical digitization: Richards Free Library digitized 150 years of local newspapers, making archival research accessible to the public after securing grants and community donations.
• Magical History Tour: Newport offers a free narrated bus tour of 100 historic sites, enhanced with digital tablets showing historic photos, and includes interactive stops at significant local landmarks.
• Corbin Park legacy: Austin Corbin established a 22,000-acre wildlife preserve in Newport, known as Corbin Park, which played a key role in the conservation of American bison.
• Ice house history: The local ice house, originally built on an old farmhouse foundation, was used for winter ice storage, later remodeled into a residence, and is now part of a protected conservation easement.
• Community involvement: The Newport Historical Society encourages public participation through museum visits, volunteering, and membership, supporting ongoing preservation and educational programs.

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