Newport

History

Granted in 1753 by colonial governor Benning Wentworth, the town was named "Grenville" after George Grenville, Prime Minister of Great Britain and brother-in-law of William Pitt. But ongoing hostilities during the French and Indian War, as close as the Fort at Number 4 at Charlestown, delayed settlement. Nevertheless, in 1761 the town was incorporated as "Newport", for Henry Newport, a distinguished English soldier and statesman. It was first settled in 1763 by pioneers from North Killingworth, Connecticut. Absalom Kelsey was one of the earliest settlers, on what became later the D.F. Pike farm at the foot of Claremont Hill. At that time, the Connecticut River was the only route for travel, until a road was cut through the wilderness to Charlestown in 1767. The following year, the first gristmill was established. But dissatisfied with treatment by the state government far beyond the mountains, Newport in 1781 joined 33 other towns along the Connecticut River and seceded from New Hampshire to join Vermont. George Washington, however, dissolved their union with Vermont in 1782, and the towns rejoined New Hampshire. With excellent soil for farming, and abundant water power from the Sugar River and its South Branch to run mills, Newport grew prosperous. The first cotton mill was established by Colonel James D. Wolcott in 1813. Local cabinet making flourished, producing much fine furniture. In 1817, perhaps inspired by the Erie Canal, businessmen proposed digging a canal to connect the Connecticut and Merrimack rivers—beginning with the Sugar River, and using its source, Lake Sunapee, as a reservoir. The plan was abandoned before it got started. In 1871, the Sugar River Railroad connected to Newport from Bradford. But the Sugar River was recognized as central to…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which are land and are water, comprising 0.16% of the town. |source 2 = National Weather Service }}

Most-observed species

• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  8,844
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  7,714
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  7,114
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  5,604
• Song Sparrow

  Melospiza melodia (A.Wilson, 1810) · Aves
  5,523
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  5,348
• American Goldfinch

  Spinus tristis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  5,299
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  5,024

Most recent

• M 2.6 — 2024-06-18
  3 km SE of Haverhill, New Hampshire
• M 2.7 — 2023-12-23
  5 km SW of Chichester, New Hampshire
• M 2.9 — 2023-04-25
  4 km SW of Center Sandwich, New Hampshire
• M 2.8 — 2016-03-21
  4 km ESE of Warner, New Hampshire
• M 2.61 — 2013-10-11
  New Hampshire
• M 2.51 — 2011-07-08
  4 km NE of Newbury, Vermont