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Newport (city), Vermont
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Newport is a city in and the shire town (county seat) of Orleans County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 5,005. The city contains the largest population of any government in the county, yet encompasses the smallest area.
753, the Abenakis brought the ransomed John Stark down Lake Memphremagog and came ashore where Newport is now. They then traveled southeast to his home in New Hampshire.
Rogers' Rangers were forced to retreat through the county following their attack on Saint-Francis, Quebec in 1759.
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Encyclopedia
Newport is a city in and the shire town (county seat) of Orleans County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 5,005. The city contains the largest population of any government in the county, yet encompasses the smallest area.
History
In 1753, the Abenakis brought the ransomed John Stark down Lake Memphremagog and came ashore where Newport is now. They then traveled southeast to his home in New Hampshire.
Rogers' Rangers were forced to retreat through the county following their attack on Saint-Francis, Quebec in 1759. To confound their avenging pursuers, they split up on the east shore of Lake Memphremagog. One group followed the Clyde River. Another followed the Barton River south to the falls at the outlet of Crystal Lake where they were able to catch fish. From there, they continued south over the summit into the Passumpsic River Valley.
The village was first called Pickeral Point, but later renamed Lake Bridge for its location at the head of Lake Memphremagog.
In the early 1800s, the women of pioneer Calvin Arnold's household, refused to live in the Arnold house near what is now Clyde Pond, because of depredations by the Indians.
By the late 1800s, the Boston & Maine and Central Vermont railroads were routed through Lake Bridge and the small village experienced a population boom. In 1868, the Lake Bridge settlement was incorporated as the Village of Newport.
It became a busy lumber town. The firm of Prouty & Miller, a lumbering firm, was started in 1865. With the end of the lumbering concentration in Vermont, it went out of business in the 1980s.
The Lady of the Lake steam excursion/ferry boat started operating in 1867. It stopped operations in 1917. This is used as Newport's logo.
In 1868, a livery stable that would ultimately grow to 100 horses, started operating behind a hotel, several blocks from the railway station.
The Newport Wharf Light was a tower built on Lake Memphremagog in 1879. It has since been demolished.
In 1917, the city of Newport was formed from portions of the towns of Newport (former village of Newport) and Derby (former village of West Derby). It was organized on March 5, 1918.
Newport has been home to the Goodrich Memorial Library for over a century.
Between 1936 and 1953, the International Club in Newport had the largest dance floor in New England, capable of holding 2,000 dancers. Various performers stopped to entertain while enroute between Boston and Montreal on the railroad. These included: Louis Armstrong, Charlie Barnet, Les Brown, Cab Calloway, Rosemary Clooney, the Dorsey Brothers, Jimmy and Tommy; Stan Kenton, Kay Kyser, Gene Krupa, Glen Miller, Tony Pastor, and Louis Prima.
From its founding, Newport's population plateaued around 5,000 people until 1950 when it started dropping. It reached bottom in 1990 at 4,434. In 2000 it still had not reached it's 1950 high which was 5,217.
In 2003, the Newport-headquartered Citizens Utility was sold and divided up among Great Bay Hydro and Vermont Electric Co-op.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.6 square miles (19.7 km²), of which, 6.0 square miles (15.6 km²) of it is land and 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²) of it (20.87%) is water. The city surrounds the southern shore of Lake Memphremagog. Three of the four major rivers in the county empty into the lake here: the Clyde, Barton, and the Black.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,005 people, 2,086 households, and 1,191 families residing in the city. The population density was 830.0 people per square mile (320.5/km²). There were 2,342 housing units at an average density of 388.4/sq mi (150.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.14% White, 0.76% Black or African American, 0.62% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.22% from other races, and 1.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.28% of the population.
There were 2,086 households out of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.0% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.9% were non-families. 35.5% 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 2.20 and the average family size was 2.84.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.2% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.7 males.
Economy
Personal Income
The median income for a household in the city was $25,544, and the median income for a family was $34,922. Males had a median income of $33,810 versus $19,787 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,054. About 13.0% of families and 18.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.4% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.
The per capita income is the highest in Orleans County. The income ranks it 108 out of 282 census areas in Vermont.
Industry
Poulin Grain ships its farm feed products to customers in New England and upstate New York. It employs about 50 workers. The plant is producing feed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Vermont Teddy Bear Company has a plant within the city. A Columbia Forest Products plant employs about 100 workers.
There is a call center.
An local subsidiary of an international ski clothing manufacturer employs 30 workers.
Government
Municipal offices are located in the former National Guard Armory, 222 Main Street, Newport.
Elected government consists of 4 aldermen with staggered two years terms and a mayor.
The city has a paid staff for tax assessment/zoning administrator, public works department, police, fire, recreation and parks, city attorney, and harbor master.
There are decision-making boards which are filled by unpaid appointees: planning commission (5 people, three year terms), harbor commission (5 people, two year terms),development review board (nine people, three year terms), and a recreation committee.
There are normal officers for Vermont cities and sometimes towns, except they are appointed for cities: Delinquent tax collector, town service officer, animal control, health officer, tree warden, weigher of coal, inspector of wood and shingles, representative to NVDA (Northeastern Vermont Development Association) board, representative to EDC board (Vermont Economic Development Authority), and Fence Viewers.
- Budget (proposed 2007-208) - $2,479,193
Officials
- Mayor - Ellwood "Woody" Guyette
- Alderman - Paul Monette (2009)
- Alderman - John Wilson (2008)
- Alderman - Richard Barraw (2009)
- Alderman - Tim de la Bruere
- City Clerk (appointed) - James Johnson
- Treasurer (appointed) - James Johnson
- City Manager (appointed) - John Ward
Former mayors
| Mayors of Newport, Vermont |
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- Curtis S. Emery 1918-1919
- Janes T. Gardner 1919-1921
- Ernest W. Savage 1921-1922
- William C. Lindsay 1922-1925
- Tom C. Camp 1925-1926
- J.E.McCarten 1926-1931
- F.D. Burns 1931-1932
- R.W.H. Davis 1932-1933
- H.W. Fairbrother 1933-1934
- John M. Bradley 1934-1938
- Winston L. Prouty 1938-1941
- O.S. Searles 1941-1945
- R.E. Blake 1945-1947
- L.H. McIver 1947
- P.J. Moore 1947-1949
- F.B. Crawford 1949-1952
- R.E. Blake 1952-1953
- F.L. Jenne 1953-1955
- J.W. Natole 1955-1960
- F.P. Davis 1960-1962
- E.W. Logan 1962-1965
- M.H. Carter 1965-1967
- K.M. Frawley 1967-1968
- Paul Bouffard 1968-1969
- C.G. Schuman, Jr. 1969-1971
- F.H. Spates 1971-1974
- Augustus Parsons 1974-1976
- William V. Caputo 1976-1980
- Kenneth W. Magoon 1980-1982
- Betty-Jane Durkee 1982-1985, the first woman mayor
- Michael Bresette 1985-1987
- Charles Pronto 1987-1991
- Douglas B. Spates 1991-1993
- Karin Zisselsberger 1993-1999
- Richard M. Baraw 2003-2005
- Elwood "Woody" Guyette 2005-present
Politics
Fifty-four percent of those registered, voted in the 2008 general election. This was the lowest turnout in the county.
Newport hosts the Northern State Correctional Facility, the Newport Court and Reparative Services, and the Vermont Correctional Industries.
Healthcare
North Country Hospital is located in the city.
Orleans-Essex Visiting Nurses Association and Hospice employs 100 people locally.
Tourism
A commercial ice fishing derby has been held in February since 2003.
Education
Newport has two public schools: an elementary school, Newport City Elementary, and a high school, North Country Union High School. There is one private school, the United Christian Academy. It was formerly home to Sacred Heart School in the Burlington Roman Catholic Diocese School District, but closed in fall of 2007.
School districts
The city has a school board that governs the operation of Newport Elementary.
School Board directors include Lisa Kincaid, Leo Willey (chair), Deborah Cogan, Corinna Lancaster and Marcy Miller.
The budget for the Newport City Elementary School was $4,435,765 in 2007.
In addition, the city belongs to North Country Supervisory Union with members from nearby towns. They operate the North Country Union High School and the North Country Union Junior High School. The supervisor hired by this union board supervises the town school, as well as the union schools.
- Member, North Country Union High School Board - Tim DelaBruere (2010), Richard Cartee (2008) and James Privee (2009)
Higher education
Newport is home to a branch of the Community College of Vermont which enrolls nearly 300 students. It awards an Associate's Degree for these undergraduate studies.
Transportation
Major routes
- U.S. Route 5 - connecting Coventry to the south, Derby to the north and east
- VT Route 14 - connecting the Town of Coventry
- VT Route 100 - connecting the Town of Newport
- VT Route 105 - connecting the Town of Newport (concurrent with route 100, and the town of Derby (concurrent with route 191)
- VT Route 191 - "Access Road", connects I-91, Exit 27, to the city of Newport
The city has six stoplights, which is most of the stoplights in the county. Five are on Route 5.
Local community public and private transportation
The RCT (Rural Community Transportation), a non-profit organization, runs out of Saint Johnsbury and services Caledonia, Essex, Lamoille and Orleans Counties. It consists of mainly volunteer drivers paid for mileage. There is a shuttle bus between the local regions. The service provides transportation for the elderly, school, and medical reasons when necessary. For general use, there are four buses north and south during the week from west Newport city to Derby, and two buses each way on Saturday. The fare is US 25 cents.
Railroads
Washington County Railroad (The Vermont Railway System) - In 2007 WACR was awarded a 30 year contract to operate the track running from White River Junction North through Newport. Users ship freight on this route. There are no stops.
Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway (Rail World, Inc.) - The MMA operates the line running northwest through North Troy and eventually on to Farnham, Quebec. It interchanges with the WACR at Newport yard, just south of town.
A line once ran east of Lake Memphremagog up to Lennoxville, Quebec, but it has been abandoned and torn up for hiking trails in some places.
Airport
The city is served by the Newport State Airport. It contains two runways of 4000 feet each 05-23, and 18-36.
Notable residents
External links
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