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Newport is a city in Newport County, Rhode Island, about 30 miles (48 km) south of Providence. It is the home of the U.S. Naval War College, the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, and a major naval training center.

History

Newport was founded in 1639 by William Coddington, John Clarke, and others, who left Boston on account of their sympathy with the Antinomians. A public school was established in 1640. In 1727, James Franklin (brother of Benjamin) was printing in Newport; in 1732, he published the first newspaper, the Rhode Island Gazette. In 1758, his son James founded the Mercury, a weekly paper. One of the first acts of resistance to British authority occurred in 1769 when the British sloop Liberty was destroyed and its boats dragged in Washington Square.

Newport was incorporated from 1784 to 1787 and again in 1853. It was an important port during the slave trade (particularly a key port in the Triangular trade) and has since become a favorite holiday location and well-known summer colony.

The city is the site of the last residence of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, the birthplace of Commodore Matthew C. Perry and the Reverend William Ellery Channing, and the mansion of General Nathanael Greene.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier were married in St. Mary's Church in Newport on September 12, 1953.*

In 1900, 22,204 people lived in Newport, Rhode Island; in 1910, 27,149; in 1920, 30,255; and in 1940, 30,532. The city has long been entwined with the U.S. Navy. Until 1971, it hosted the Cruiser-Destroyer Force of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet, and subsequently it has from time to time hosted smaller numbers of warships. It held the campus of the U.S. Naval Academy during the Civil War, when the undergraduate officer training school was temporarily moved north from Annapolis, Maryland. It remains home to the U.S. Naval War College.

Geography

Newport is located at . It is the largest city on Aquidneck Island in Narragansett Bay. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 29.7 km² (11.5 mi²). 20.6 km² (7.9 mi²) of it is land and 9.2 km² (3.5 mi²) of it (30.86%) is water. The Newport Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in New England, connects Newport to neighboring Conanicut Island across the East Passage of the Narragansett Bay.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 26,475 people, 11,566 households, and 5,644 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,287.4/km² (3,336.3/mi²). There were 13,226 housing units at an average density of 643.1/km² (1,666.7/mi²).

The racial makeup of the city was 84.12% White, 7.75% African American, 0.85% Native American, 1.33% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 2.41% from other races, and 3.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.54% of the population.

There were 11,566 households out of which 22.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.3% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.2% were non-families. 39.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the city the population was spread out with 19.6% under the age of 18, 14.6% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $40,669, and the median income for a family was $54,116. Males had a median income of $37,780 versus $27,492 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,441. About 12.9% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.8% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.

Culture

Newport is the home of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, where important tennis players are commemorated, as well as a number of mansions dating back to the Gilded Age, including The Breakers, Belcourt Castle, Chateau-sur-Mer, The Elms, Marble House, Rosecliff, and Rough Point. Some of these are open for guided tours. The nearby Blithewold Mansion, Gardens and Arboretum has a fine collection of trees and plants, including the largest sequoia on the East Coast.

With coastlines on the west, south and east, Newport is a maritime city. Its harbors teem with commercial fishing boats, power and sail pleasure craft. It is known as the sailing capitol of the United States. Many defenses by the New York Yacht Club of the America's Cup yachting prize took place here. Newport Country Club was one of the five founding clubs of the United States Golf Association; it hosted the first U.S. Open and the first US Amateur, both held in 1895. In June 2006, it will host the U.S. Women's open.

Newport is also home to the Newport Tower, Salve Regina University, Hammersmith Farm and the Touro Synagogue, the oldest Jewish house of worship in the United States, as well as Redwood Library and Anthanaeum, the nation's oldest lending library.

The city is also known for the Newport Jazz Festival and the Newport Folk Festival, where Bob Dylan shocked the crowd by playing an electric guitar. Each June, the city hosts the Newport International Film Festival.

Outdoor Activities

Aquidneck Island is home to many beautiful beaches, most public and a few private. In Newport, the largest public beach, Easton's beach or First Beach, has a lovely view of the famed Cliff Walk. If you're looking for a children's beach in Newport, Gooseberry Beach, located on the Ocean Drive is wonderful for families. There are two private beaches in Newport, Bailey's Beach (Spouting Rock Beach Association) and Hazard's Beach, both located on the Ocean Drive.

Since Newport is a maritime city, there are plenty of activities to enjoy on the water. For a day spent sailing the coastline, visit Sail Newport at Fort Adams or take windsurfing lessons at Third Beach in Middletown.

Schools

  • Elementary Schools: Carey School, Coggeshall School, Cranston- Calvert School, Sheffield School. Sullivan School, Underwood School, St Michael's Country Day School, St. Joseph of Cluny Sisters' School.
  • Secondary Schools: St. George's School, Thompson Middle School, Rogers High School, Newport Area Career and Technical Center, Aquidneck Island Adult Learning Center.
  • Post Secondary Schools: U.S. Naval Academy Prep School, Salve Regina University, Naval War College, International Yacht Restoration School.

Notable people born in Newport

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Newport, Rhode Island".

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