Newport is a city on the coast of Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island, United States. It is located in Narragansett Bay, about 33 miles (53 km) southeast of Providence, 20 miles (32 km) south of Fall River, Massachusetts, 74 miles (119 km) south of Boston, and 180 miles (290 km) northeast of New York City. It is known as a New England summer resort and is famous for its historic homes and its long history of sailing. According to the 2020 census, Newport had a population of 25,163.

Newport hosted the first U.S. Open tournaments in tennis and golf, as well as every challenge for the America's Cup from 1930 to 1983. It is also the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport, which includes the United States Naval War College, the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, and a major Navy training center. It was an important port city in the 18th century and has many buildings from the colonial period.

Newport is the county seat of Newport County, which only handles court administration and sheriff corrections, and does not perform other government functions. It was the location of the "Summer White Houses" for Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy.

History

Newport was founded in 1639 on an island now called Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island. The eight founders and first officers were Nicholas Easton, William Coddington, John Clarke, John Coggeshall, William Brenton, Jeremy Clark, Thomas Hazard, and Henry Bull. Many of these people had previously lived in Portsmouth, where they were joined by Anne Hutchinson and her followers. They left Portsmouth within a year and started a new settlement in Newport on the southern part of the island.

Newport became the largest of four original settlements that later formed the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. These included Providence Plantations and Shawomett. Many early settlers in Newport became Baptists, and the second Baptist group in Rhode Island was created in 1640, led by John Clarke.

In 1658, a group of Jews was allowed to settle in Newport after fleeing the Inquisition in Spain and Portugal. They could not settle elsewhere. This group became known as Congregation Jeshuat Israel, the second-oldest Jewish group in the United States. They met in Touro Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in America.

The Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations received a royal charter in 1663. Benedict Arnold was chosen as the first governor. The Old Colony House in Newport, near Washington Square, was the seat of Rhode Island’s government from 1741 until the current state house in Providence was completed in 1904. At that time, Providence became the state’s only capital city.

Newport was the most important port in colonial Rhode Island. A public school was started in 1640. The city’s growth as a wealthy port began when a second group of Portuguese Jews arrived in the mid-1700s. These settlers had practiced Judaism secretly for 300 years in Portugal and were drawn to Rhode Island because of religious freedom. They brought skills, connections, money, and a spirit of business.

One of the most important settlers was Jacob Rodrigues Rivera, who arrived in 1745. He introduced the production of sperm oil, made from sperm whales. This became a major industry in Newport, making the town a wealthy whaling center. By the American Revolution, Newport had 17 oil and candle manufacturers and held a strong monopoly on this trade.

Aaron Lopez also helped make Newport a key trading hub. He encouraged 40 Portuguese Jewish families to settle there, and within 14 years, Newport had 150 ships involved in trade. Lopez was involved in the slave trade, as were other merchants, and in making spermaceti candles, ships, barrels, rum, chocolate, textiles, clothing, shoes, hats, and bottles. Lopez became the richest man in Newport but was denied citizenship because of his religion, even though British law allowed Jews to become citizens in England.

Lopez asked the Rhode Island legislature for citizenship but was refused. He then applied in Massachusetts Bay Colony, where he was granted citizenship.

From the mid-1600s, Newport’s religious freedom attracted many Quakers, also known as the Society of Friends. The Great Friends Meeting House in Newport, built in 1699, is the oldest existing worship building in Rhode Island.

In 1727, James Franklin (Benjamin Franklin’s brother) printed the Rhode-Island Almanack in Newport. In 1732, he published the first newspaper, the Rhode Island Gazette. In 1758, his son James started the weekly newspaper Mercury. The famous 18th-century furniture by Goddard and Townsend was also made in Newport.

Throughout the 1700s, Newport struggled with trade imbalances compared to other colonial ports. This led merchants to find new ways to export goods. In the 1720s, colonial leaders arrested many pirates under pressure from the British government. Many were executed in Newport and buried on Goat Island.

• Colonial buildings in the Newport Historic District
• Oliver Perry Monument in Eisenhower Park
• Touro Synagogue, the oldest existing synagogue in the United States

Newport was a major center for the slave trade in colonial and early America. It was part of the “triangle trade,” where sugar and molasses from the Caribbean were brought to Rhode Island, turned into rum, and then sent to West Africa to exchange for enslaved people. In 1764, Rhode Island had about 30 rum distilleries, 22 of which were in Newport.

Slaves were illegally brought into Rhode Island, breaking a 1787 law that banned state residents from trading in slaves. Slave traders also broke federal laws from 1794 and 1800 that prohibited Americans from transporting slaves to foreign ports, as well as the 1807 law that banned the transatlantic slave trade.

Some Rhode Island families gained wealth through the slave trade. William and Samuel Vernon were Newport merchants who later helped fund the U.S. Navy by supporting 30 slaving voyages. However, the DeWolfs of Bristol, especially James De Wolf, were the largest slave-trading family in America, making over 80 illegal transatlantic voyages. The Rhode Island slave trade was widespread, with 700 residents owning or captaining slave ships, including many merchants, shopkeepers, and tradesmen who invested in slaving voyages.

Newport had a small group of abolitionists and free Black people. Reverend Samuel Hopkins, a minister at Newport’s First Congregational Church, was called “America’s first abolitionist.” Seventeen free Black citizens in Newport supported his writings. This group, including Newport Gardner, founded the Free African Union Society in 1780, the first African mutual aid society in America.

Newport played an important role during the American Revolution. William Ellery, a Newport native, signed the Declaration of Independence.

In the winter of 1775 and 1776, the Rhode Island Legislature sent militia general William West to remove loyalists from Newport. This led to several people, including Joseph Wanton and Thomas Vernon, being exiled to the northern part of the state.

On December 8, 1776, the British occupied Newport without resistance. Sir Peter Parker led 50-gun British ships, while Lieutenant-General Henry Clinton led 7,000 troops. According to Alfred Thayer Mahan, this action closed a safe haven for American privateers, which disrupted shipping routes to New York.

In the summer of 1778, the Americans launched the Battle of Rhode Island, the first joint operation with the French after the Treaty of Alliance. American forces in Tiverton planned to siege Newport, but the French refused

Geography and climate

Newport is located at latitude 41°29′17″N and longitude 71°18′45″W (41.48806°N, 71.31250°W). It is the most populous city on Aquidneck Island in Narragansett Bay. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city covers a total area of 11.4 square miles (29.5 km²), with 7.7 square miles (19.9 km²) being land and 3.7 square miles (9.6 km²), or 32.64%, being water. The Newport Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in New England, connects Newport to Conanicut Island across the East Passage of the Narragansett Bay.

Newport has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa/Dfb), which is similar to a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) and an oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb). Because it is surrounded by ocean water, Newport is often cooler in the summer than some coastal cities further north, such as Boston. According to the USDA, Newport is located in plant hardiness zone 7a.

Demographics

As of the 2020 census, Newport had a population of 25,163 people, 10,898 households, and 4,982 families. The population density was 3,286.7 people per square mile (1,269.0/km²). There were 13,466 housing units, with an average density of 1,758.9 per square mile (679.1/km²).

99.7% of residents lived in urban areas, and 0.3% lived in rural areas.

There were 10,898 households in Newport. Of these, 18.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 31.0% were married-couple households, 24.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner, and 37.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner. About 41.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.1, and the average family size was 2.8.

There were 13,466 housing units, of which 19.1% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6%, and the rental vacancy rate was 6.6%.

Of the population, 14.5% was under the age of 18, 15.5% was between 18 and 24, 27.1% was between 25 and 44, 23.5% was between 45 and 64, and 19.3% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.0 males, and for every 100 females aged 18 and older, there were 92.4 males.

The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 41.0% of the population. The 2016–2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates showed that the median household income was $68,201 (with a margin of error of ±$4,880), and the median family income was $96,161 (±$10,800). Males had a median income of $40,018 (±$3,361), and females had a median income of $29,535 (±$3,288). The median income for those above 16 years old was $34,315 (±$2,816). Approximately 12.4% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.0% of those under the age of 18 and 7.7% of those aged 65 or older.

As of 2013, there were 24,027 people, 10,616 households, and 4,933 families living in the city. The population density was 3,204.2 people per square mile (1,237.1/km²). There were 13,069 housing units, with an average density of 1,697.3 per square mile (655.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 82.5% White, 6.9% African American, 0.8% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.1% of some other race, and 5.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race made up 8.4% of the population (3.3% Puerto Rican, 1.2% Guatemalan, 1.1% Mexican).

There were 10,616 households, of which 21.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.9% were headed by married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 53.5% were non-families. Of all households, 41.4% were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.05, and the average family size was 2.82.

The age distribution was 16.5% under the age of 18, 16.3% between 18 and 24, 28.1% between 25 and 44, 24.9% between 45 and 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males, and for every 100 females aged 18 and older, there were 94.3 males.

For the period 2009–2011, the estimated median annual income for a household in the city was $59,388, and the median income for a family was $83,880. Male full-time workers had a median income of $52,221, and females had a median income of $41,679. The per capita income for the city was $35,644. About 10

Culture

The Newport Historic District is one of three National Historic Landmark Districts in the city and has one of the largest groups of colonial homes in the United States. Doris Duke, who inherited a large fortune from her father, James B. Duke, started the Newport Restoration Foundation (NRF) in 1968. For the next 25 years, until her death in 1993, she helped protect many of Newport’s colonial buildings. Under her leadership, the NRF restored more than 80 buildings from the 18th and early 19th centuries in Newport and nearby Middletown, Rhode Island. Most of these buildings are still owned by the Foundation.

The White Horse Tavern was built before 1673 and is one of the oldest taverns in the United States. Newport is also home to the Touro Synagogue, one of the oldest Jewish places of worship in the Western Hemisphere. The city also has the nation’s oldest lending libraries, the Redwood Library and Athenaeum.

Newport is known for its many Gilded Age mansions, which were summer homes built between 1870 and 1915. These homes copied styles from European royal palaces and were built by wealthy American families. Examples include The Breakers (Vanderbilt family), Marble House (William Kissam Vanderbilt), Chateau-sur-Mer (William Shepard Wetmore), Rosecliff (Theresa Fair Oelrichs), and Rough Point (Doris Duke). These homes are now open to the public as museums.

Newport is the hometown of The Cowsills, a pop music group formed by members of the Cowsill family in the late 1960s. The alternative rock band Throwing Muses was started in Newport in the 1980s by step-sisters Kristin Hersh and Tanya Donelly. Another band, Belly, formed by Donelly in the 1990s, was also based in Newport.

Fort Adams State Park hosts the Newport Folk Festival and the Newport Jazz Festival. The Jazz Festival was started in 1954 by Elaine Lorillard and George Wein. It was held every year until 1971 and was restarted in Newport in 1981. In 1959, George Wein, Pete Seeger, and Albert Grossman created the Newport Folk Festival as a companion event to the Jazz Festival. The Folk Festival was held in Newport until 1969, returned in 1985, and has been held at Fort Adams annually since. The Folk Festival was the location of a famous performance by Bob Dylan in 1965, which influenced the folk rock genre. Both festivals were held in other places in Newport before moving to Fort Adams when they were restarted in the 1980s.

The Jane Pickens Theater, a single-screen arthouse movie theater, is located on Touro Street in downtown Newport. The building was originally a church built in 1834 and became a movie theater in 1922. It was renamed after singer Jane Pickens in 1974. The Jane Pickens Theater became the only movie theater on Aquidneck Island after a multiplex theater in Middletown closed in January 2024.

Newport has been a filming location for many movies, including High Society (1956), The Great Gatsby (1974), Mr. North (1988), Wind (1992), True Lies (1994), Amistad (1997), Me, Myself & Irene (2000), Dan in Real Life (2007), Moonrise Kingdom (2012), Irrational Man (2015), and Hocus Pocus 2 (2022).

The Hamilton Family Aquarium, run by the non-profit Save the Bay, opened at the Gateway Center on America’s Cup Avenue in March 2024. Save the Bay previously operated an aquarium at Easton’s Beach until October 2023.

• Newport Public Library
• Redwood Library and Athenaeum
• Marble House, owned and operated by the Preservation Society
• Jane Pickens Theater
• Former location of the Save The Bay Exploration Center and Aquarium at Easton’s Beach

Sports and recreation

Newport has played an important role in the history of many sports because it was a summer home for wealthy people. In 1880, the League of American Wheelmen was created in Newport. The first U.S. national tennis championships took place in 1881 at the Newport Casino on grass courts. The first U.S. Open golf tournament happened in 1895 at the Newport Country Club. The America's Cup sailing races were held in Newport from 1930 to 1983.

Newport is sometimes called the "Sailing Capital of the World." In 2019, the National Sailing Hall of Fame moved to Newport from Annapolis, Maryland. Many sailing clubs, such as the New York Yacht Club and the Ida Lewis Yacht Club, are based in the city.

The America's Cup sailing races were held in Newport from 1930 to 1983. Newport remains the starting point of the Newport Bermuda Race, which happens every two years and covers 635 nautical miles.

The Newport Casino hosted the first American lawn tennis championships. Since 1954, it has been home to the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The Newport Casino also held the first Newport Jazz Festival in 1954. The Hall of Fame Open has taken place every July since 1976, right after the Wimbledon tournament. Each year, the Hall of Fame also holds special events to honor new inductees.

The Newport Country Club hosted the first U.S. Amateur Championship and the first U.S. Open in 1895. More recently, it hosted the 1995 Men's U.S. Amateurs and the 2006 U.S. Women's Open.

In the late 1800s, Newport became a center for bicycling among young, wealthy men. On May 29, 1880, leaders from 31 cycling clubs met in Newport for a parade and meeting. They formed the League of American Wheelmen, the first national bicycling group. This group helped start the Good Roads Movement, which aimed to improve roads for cyclists.

In 2013, Newport was named a Bronze Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists.

Downtown Newport is home to Cardines Field, one of the oldest ballparks in the United States. Since 2001, the Newport Gulls, a collegiate summer baseball team, has played there. Cardines Field has hosted the New England Collegiate Baseball League's All-Star Game and Home Run Derby four times: in 2005, 2010, 2016, and 2021.

Since 1919, the amateur George Donnelly Sunset League has played at Cardines Field. Salve Regina University also plays some baseball games at the park.

Brenton Point State Park is where the annual Brenton Point Kite Festival takes place.

Every fall, the Citizens Bank Pell Bridge Run happens to raise money for local charities.

Beaches and parks

Aquidneck Island has many beaches, both public and private. The largest public beach is Easton's Beach, also known as First Beach. This beach offers views of the Newport Cliff Walk, which is a popular attraction in the city. The Cliff Walk is a 3.5-mile (5.6 km) public path along the shoreline. It has been named a National Recreation Trail. Sachuest Beach, also called Second Beach, is located in Middletown and is the second-largest beach in the area. Gooseberry Beach is a private beach that is open to the public on specific days each year. It is located on Ocean Drive, near other private beaches, Bailey's Beach and Hazard's Beach. In 2014, Maya Lin, the architect who designed the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C., completed a $3.5 million renovation of Queen Anne Square Park. The project was named "The Meeting Room."

Education

Newport Public Schools has public schools in the area, such as Claiborne Pell Elementary School, Thompson Middle School, Rogers High School, Newport Area Career and Technical Center, and the Aquidneck Island Adult Learning Center. Before 2013, several small public elementary schools served the Newport community. Pell School, which combined those schools, opened in 2013.

St. Michael's Country Day School is the only private elementary school in the city. Other nearby private primary schools include All Saints Academy in Middletown, The Pennfield School in Portsmouth, and St. Philomena School in Portsmouth. Nearby private secondary schools include Portsmouth Abbey School in Portsmouth and St. George's School in Middletown.

St. Joseph of Cluny School was once located in Newport on property donated by the estate of Arthur Curtiss James to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence in 1941. Military families from Fort Adams asked for a Catholic school, so St. Joseph of Cluny opened in September 1957 as a kindergarten and added grades until 1965, when the first eighth-grade graduation took place. Later, the population of Newport decreased, and fewer middle-class families lived there. Housing became too expensive for families with young children, and few homes were sold to new residents. Many families who had previously sent their children to St. Joseph of Cluny instead chose schools in the Portsmouth School Department. From 2014 to 2017, the number of students dropped by one-fourth. School officials said the decline and competition from other private schools made it impossible to keep the school open. It closed in 2017. Betsy Sherman Walker of Newport This Week called the closure an "unexpected event" that surprised the community.

Post-secondary schools in the area include the Naval Academy Preparatory School, Salve Regina University, Naval War College, International Yacht Restoration School, and the Community College of Rhode Island Newport Campus.

Economy

In the region, technology and defense are the largest areas that provide jobs. However, in the city of Newport, seasonal tourism is an important part of the economy, supporting jobs in hotels, restaurants, and stores. In 2013, 89.64% of all private jobs in Newport were in the service sector. Retail trade was the third largest job area, with 1,341 jobs. During the busy summer months, jobs in retail and restaurants can increase by up to 1,500.

According to Newport's 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the main employers in the city are:

Sister cities

Newport's sister cities include:

• Imperia, Italy
• Kinsale, Ireland
• Ponta Delgada, Portugal
• Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
• Shimoda, Japan
• Skiathos, Greece