Overview

The newsletter announces the Newport Historical Society’s new website launch and outlines digital initiatives to reduce costs, enable online membership, donations, merchandise sales, and expanded research capabilities. It highlights volunteer needs, software upgrades, and upcoming public meetings and museum hours for community engagement.

The issue also presents local history features: the Aiken family genealogy and farm history, museum exhibits including Winter Carnival artifacts, upcoming programs on Newport figures, volunteer recipe-collection opportunities, and 2024–2025 board election results and event schedules.

You can read the online version of the newsletter here.

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

Main Points

• New Website Launch: Newport Historical Society launched a new website on December 30, 2024, offering digital newsletters, online membership, merchandise, and donation options, with plans for expanded online research capabilities.
• Aiken Family Legacy: The Aiken family has been prominent in Newport since 1770, with multiple generations contributing to local history, including farming, public service, and military roles.
• Aiken Farm History: The Aiken Farm was established by Frederick Heath Aiken in 1837, previously owned by Abijah Wines, and became one of Newport’s most significant properties, with historical buildings and family involvement over many decades.
• Belknap Avenue: Belknap Avenue was built in 1891 on land donated by Frederick William Aiken and named after his nephew, Rear Admiral George Eugene Belknap; it features a historic monument funded by local families.
• Winter Carnival Exhibit: The Newport Historical Museum features a new exhibit on the town’s Winter Carnival, displaying artifacts such as tiaras, trophies, medals, buttons, and programs from the longest continuously running Winter Carnival in the U.S. (since 1916).
• Winter Carnival Queen Selection: The first Winter Carnival Queen was chosen in 1921 based on ticket and button sales, with selection methods evolving over time; notable queens include Monica Rastallis and Louise Crone.
• Volunteer and Digital Engagement: The Society encourages community involvement through volunteering, online subscriptions, and participation in digital and in-person programs, aiming to expand its volunteer base and online offerings.
• Historic Recipe Project: The Society invites the community to help discover, test, and share historic Newport recipes, with the goal of creating an online archive or museum cookbook.

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In addition to mailing out the latest version of the Mill Town Messenger, we also included a flyer about our membership drive. Please consider joining us or renewing your membership here

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We just updated our Events Calendar to add new programs and events. Please check it out and subscribe to our calendar to keep informed of upcoming events!