1950s
Emory Chapel United Methodist Church in Newport was originally a congregation of the northern Methodist Episcopal Church. Established in 1881, the first church on Front Street was traded in 1897 for a lot on Remmel Avenue, where it is still in operation. The church...
1950s
In 1951, two young boys broke into the sacristy of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and started a fire in the sanctuary, perhaps accidentally. The ensuing blaze gave the townspeople quite a scare, but the Newport Fire Department was able to extinguish the fire...
1950s
Gov. Sid McMath came to speak at the fifth Farmers Day in 1951, when he was running for reelection. A record crowd of 10,000 people was reported that year. Eleanor Jowers, on the left seems to be less than impressed. Miss Newport Betty Castleberry, on the right, sang...
1950s
Farmers Day extended into the night and drew huge crowds from all over the county. Note the level of racial integration in a town that had experienced very little racial tension to this point. (Courtesy of Farmers Electric.)
1950s
Farmers Day was an annual production of Farmers Electric Company and the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) and a popular event in Newport for over 20 years. Staged at Remmel Park and on the high school football field, the day’s events included musical...
1950s
Downtown Newport in the early 1950’s showed many improvements over earlier years, as evidenced by this postcard. On Saturdays, this stretch of Front Street was crowded with shoppers and moviegoers, as everyone came to town for a day of socializing, “Out on...
