Newport Trip Overview
The Colony House was built in 1739. At this point, Newport had been settled for 100 years. During the American Revolution it was used as a site for storing weapons and in 1776 the Declaration of Independence was read from the front steps. When the Revolution was over, George Washington even dined there in celebration. Around this time, pirating was illegal but profitable. From the Red Sea back to Newport the pirates had a safe haven and they buried their treasure here. Captain Kidd and many others visited Newport and the settlers would sidestep the laws to protect profit. Many pirates were revered as heroes and when their ships came into port, large crowds would form.
By 1680 Newport had become a thriving seaport town 30 ships per day were emptied and reloaded, with grist mills and sawmills, tanneries, masons, breweries, bakeries. This supported shipwrights and house wrights, blacksmiths, shopkeepers, and artisans.
Additional Info
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Starts: Newport, United States
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Historical & Heritage Tours
Explore Newport Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Newport, Rhode Island, United States
The Colony House was built in 1739. At this point, Newport had been settled for 100 years. During the American Revolution it was used as a site for storing weapons and in 1776 the Declaration of Independence was read from the front steps. When the Revolution was over, George Washington even dined there in celebration. Around this time, pirating was illegal but profitable. From the Red Sea back to Newport the pirates had a safe haven and they buried their treasure here. Captain Kidd and many others visited Newport and the settlers would sidestep the laws to protect profit. Many pirates were revered as heroes and when their ships came into port, large crowds would form.
By 1680 Newport had become a thriving seaport town 30 ships per day were emptied and reloaded, with grist mills and sawmills, tanneries, masons, breweries, bakeries. This supported shipwrights and house wrights, blacksmiths, shopkeepers, and artisans.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Pass By: St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 12 William St, Newport, RI 02840-3307
St. Mary’s Church is a historic Roman Catholic church complex at 14 William Street in Newport, Rhode Island within the Diocese of Providence. It is notable for hosting the wedding of Jacqueline Bouvier and Senator John F. Kennedy in 1953.
Pass By: Colony House, Washington Sq., Newport, RI
he Old Colony House, also known as Old State House or Newport Colony House, is located at the east end of Washington Square in the city of Newport, Rhode Island, United States. It is a brick Georgian-style building completed in 1741, and was the meeting place for the colonial legislature.
Pass By: Brick Market Place, Between Thames Street and Americas Cup Avenue, Newport, RI 02840
Peter Harrison designed this market from 1762-1772, is right in front of us, now a registered historical landmark, as a trading center and granary. Harrison was Newport’s foremost architect during the years following 1750.
SUB STOP: More about Brick Market
Peter Harrison designed many public buildings during the English Palladian Revival. Arriving in Newport at the age of twenty-two, Harrison later married the rich Newport merchant John Bannister’s youngest sister-in-law. Peter and his new brother Joseph opened up a shop and shipping center near John Brown’s wharf. It is not known how he obtained his training in architecture, but his skill cannot be doubted. Other designs by Harrison are the Redwood Library and the Touro Synagogue both just up the street. The Brick Market later was used as a town hall and theater. Now it is a museum and store operated by the Newport Historical Society.
Pass By: Touro Synagogue, 72 Touro St, Newport, RI 02840-2931
America, Touro Synagogue. Jewish people started coming to Newport in the mid-seventeenth century, because of its reputation for religious tolerance. Peter Harrison designed this 1763 Georgian place of worship to stand diagonally on its small piece of land so that the worshipers would be facing east towards Jerusalem. It combined the forces of the Sephardim and Ashkenazim Jews. George Washington sent a letter to the congregation pledging religious freedom to the Jewish community in 1790.
Inside is a Scroll of Laws that dates back to 1658.
Pass By: Redwood Library & Athenaeum, 50 Bellevue Ave, Newport, RI 02840-3229
Redwood Library & Athenaeum
Coming up on your left, this brown house is Redwood Library and Athenaeum (library reading room) was built in 1750, is the oldest community library in the United States. It was designed by Peter Harrison according to a design for a Greek Temple and is the first public classical building in America.
Pass By: Jane Pickens Theater, 49 Touro St, Newport, RI 02840-2932
Jane Pickens Theater
Jane Pickens Theater. The building was originally a Greek Revival Episcopal Church in 1834. In 1919 it underwent an extensive renovation and became a theater. It is still operated as a theater and event center today.
