Newport dates to 1639, and 58% of its homes were built before 1940
Among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns · #1 of 38 in Rhode Island. What drives it
67 places in town are on the National Register, among them 23 National Historic Landmarks and ten historic districts with 1,847 buildings between them. Below: 3 old photos and papers, maps from 1884 on, and the census since 1790.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1773.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Newport’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Newport is among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns, #1 of 38 in Rhode Island. All 3 inputs put Newport near the top nationally; its National Register listings ranks highest.
A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Newport’s overall grade.
Rhode Island towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Rhode Island town has 94.7 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Newport’s 769 sits above most of its state (100% of Rhode Island towns have fewer) while its 1,914 historic buildings outnumber those of 99% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would still be A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±3.0 points). Two sources give 1639.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Newport’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. 23 are National Historic Landmarks, the highest tier. Boundary changes and added documentation are counted with their listing.
Newport was founded in 1639 on Rhode Island, which is now called Aquidneck Island. Its 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 were part of the settlement at Portsmouth, along with Anne Hutchinson and her followers. They separated within a year of settling Portsmouth and began the settlement of Newport on the southern side of the island.
Passages that mention Newport, cut from the printed page as they were published.
The Newport historical magazine1880 · page 224Read the page →
Read the text
Although settled in 1639, it was not until 1705, that Newport was authorized to regulate its own prudential affairs by any act of the colony, at that time Newport included what is now the town of Middletown, which latter was known as “the woods.” In 1742 “the freeholders of the woods part of the town of Newport, did by petition set forth that the town of Newport is very large, consisting of a vast number of inhabitants, and of freemen, upwards
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The Newport historical magazine1880 · page 251Read the page →
Read the text
“The Deposition of John Odlin, of Newport, of sixty-two 5'eai'3 of age, on oath sayeth that he knoweth that point of land called Aquidneck Point in the town of Newport, which Job Carr is in possession of a part thereof, and is sued for by Jonathan Marsh, and doth know very well that the town of Newport hath improved it in their own rights for above thirty 3'ears by fetching of land for
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
By decade
Newport, decade by decade
2 decades in the archive, from the 1850s to the 1860s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Newport. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1889Newport sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Newport.
Every building
Newport, building by building, 1884–1921
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
Banisters WharflocaleEdward King HousebuildingEllerys Ferry WharflocaleGardners WharflocaleGull Rocks LightlocaleIda Lewis Rock LightlocaleLopezs WharflocaleMaltbones WharflocaleNaval Training Station NewportmilitaryNewport Artillery Company ArmorymilitaryOverings WharflocalePeases WharflocalePerry MilllocaleRedwoods WharflocaleRomes WharflocaleRose Island LightlocaleSlocums WharflocaleTaylors Wharflocale
In 1639, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Newport’s post office opened in 1773, and the first U.S. census counted 6,716 people here in 1790.
How does Newport rank for history?
Newport is among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns, #1 of 38 in Rhode Island. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Newport?
67 listings, 23 of them National Historic Landmarks: 49 buildings, among them the Brick Market (a National Historic Landmark since 1960), 10 historic districts with 1,847 contributing buildings, 2 sites, and 6 structures. 1,914 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Newport?
58% of Newport’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.0 points), against a typical 20% for a Rhode Island town; the median home was built in 1938.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (2), the Library of Congress (1), Wikidata (13), the National Register of Historic Places (67), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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