Newport, Rhode Island, USA
1854 - Newport

Newport, a post-town, port of entry, seat of justice of Newport county, Rhode Island, and semi-capital of the state, is situated on the W. shore of Rhode Island, 5 miles from the ocean by ship channel, and 28 miles S. by E. from Providence. Lat. 41° 29' N., Ion. 71° 19' 12" W. The harbor is one of the best on the United States coast, being capacious, safe, easy of access, and of sufficient depth for the largest ships. It is defended by Fort Wolcott, on Goat Island, and Fort Adams, a fortification of great size and strength, on Benton's Point, about 1 1/ 2 miles S. W. from the town. Newport has a beautiful site on an acclivity facing the harbor. Within a few years the town has been greatly improved, both with regard to its streets and buildings. Its fine sea air and varied scenery have rendered it one of the most celebrated watering places in New England. Several splendid hotels have been built, and wealthy persons from other cities have erected many handsome edifices for summer residence. The principal public buildings are the state house, a commodious brick structure, adorned with an octagonal cupola, and containing, besides the legislative halls, apartments for the several courts of the county, state, and United States, a custom house, and a market house. The Masonic hall, on School street, and armory hall, on Clark street, are also fine structures. The building of the Red wood Library and Athenaeum is a handsome edifice with a portico and wings. The apartment devoted to the use of the library contains about 4000 volumes, besides numerous pictures and busts. There are about 15 churches in Newport of the various denominations. The Friends' meeting house was erected in the year 1700, at which date, it is said, that about one-half of the entire population were Quakers. Among the hotels the Ocean House, at the S. end of Bellevue street ; the Atlantic House, at the head of Pelham street, and the Bellevue House on Catharine street, may be mentioned as the most extensive. For a long period after the first set tlement of the colonies, Newport, in commercial importance, was the rival of Boston and New York, and, until the Revolution, it ranked among the first commercial cities of New England ; but by that event its commerce was entirely destroyed, and its population reduced from about 10,000 to 5500. Since then it has never been able to recover its former rank. The shipping of this port, June 30, 1852, amounted to an aggregate of 6301 tons registered, and 4699 tons en rolled and licensed. Of the former, 1851 tons were employed in the whale fishery ; and of the latter, 3785 were employed in the coast trade ; 560 tons in the cod and mackerel fisheries, and 255 tons in steam navigation. The foreign arrivals for the year were 28, (tons, 4833,) and the clearances, 20, (tons, 4337 ;) of which 4037 were in American bottoms. During the same period, 1 ship and 1 schooner, with an aggregate bur then of 272 tons, were admeasured. The town contains 7 banks, with an aggregate capital of $680,000 ; a savings' institution, having $291,813.25 on deposite; several extensive woollen and cotton manufactories, and 5 newspaper offices. The assessed value of taxable property is about $5,000,000. Newport has steamboat communication with Providence, Fall River, and New York. It is also proposed to construct a railroad, connecting it with Bristol, Fall River, and Providence.

Population of the township in 1830, 8010; in 1840, 8333; in 1850, 9563; in 1853, about 10,000.

A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.

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