Newport, Washington
City in the United States
About Newport
Newport is a city in and the county seat of Pend Oreille County, Washington, United States. The population was 2,114 at the 2020 census.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How Newport is governed
Form of government not yet listed.
0 of 14 positions listed. Gray dashed boxes are placeholders waiting for a name.
Residents of Newport
Registered voters elect the officials below.
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Mayor
Executive
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The city's chief elected official. Presides over the executive branch, proposes the budget and represents the city.
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City Manager / Administrator
Executive
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The professional administrator who runs day-to-day operations (in some cities appointed by the council instead of the mayor).
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Police Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the police department.
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Fire Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the fire and emergency services department.
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Public Works Director
Administration & departments
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Streets, water, sewer, and city buildings.
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Finance Director
Administration & departments
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The budget, taxes, and city accounts.
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Planning & Zoning Director
Administration & departments
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Land use, zoning, building permits.
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Parks & Recreation Director
Administration & departments
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Parks, programs, and public facilities.
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City Council
Legislative
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The elected body that passes ordinances, sets the tax rate and approves the budget.
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City Clerk
Administration & departments
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Keeps the official records, runs meeting agendas and, often, local elections.
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City Attorney
Administration & departments
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The city's lawyer; advises officials and prosecutes ordinance violations.
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Boards & Commissions
Legislative
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Citizen advisory bodies, such as planning, zoning appeals and library boards.
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Municipal Court
Judicial
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Hears traffic, ordinance and other minor cases.
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Municipal Judge
Judicial
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Presides over the municipal court.
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- Website
- newport-wa.org
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Population over time
From 2,126 in 2010 to 2,114 in 2020 (−0.6%).
Show the numbers
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 2,114 |
| 2010 | 2,126 |
History
Indigenous peoples and early exploration
The area around present-day Newport, Washington, has been inhabited for thousands of years and is part of the traditional homeland of the Kalispel people. The Pend Oreille River provided transportation and access to fish and other resources, while the surrounding forests supported Indigenous communities long before European-American settlement.
In 1809 and 1810, fur trader and explorer David Thompson traveled through the region while working for the North West Company. His expeditions helped establish routes for the fur trade across the Inland Northwest. During the 1850s, surveys commissioned by Washington Territory Governor Isaac Stevens documented the region's terrain, timber resources, and potential transportation routes. These surveys increased outside knowledge of the area as interest in settlement and commercial development grew.
River port and the beginnings of Newport
The settlement that became Newport developed around river transportation and trade in the Pend Oreille River valley. The original settlement of Newport was located on the Idaho side of the river, in what is now Oldtown, Idaho. By the late 1880s, the settlement had begun serving travelers and settlers moving into the region. Businesses included a general store, a restaurant, a hotel, and a saloon, while a post office provided mail service to the surrounding area.
Steamboats became an important means of transportation along the river. The first steamboat serving the Pend Oreille River was assembled near Sandpoint, Idaho, and launched in 1888. By the late 1890s, competing steamboat companies carried passengers and freight between Newport and settlements farther north, including Metaline and Metaline Falls. Rapids at Box Canyon made navigation difficult, and travelers and cargo sometimes had to be transferred around the rapids.
The arrival of the Great Northern Railway in 1892 changed the area's transportation and commercial prospects. The railroad connected the region to a larger rail network, allowing goods to move more easily to outside markets. Timber and other products could be transported by rail, while steamboats continued to serve communities along the river. The original Idaho settlement and the newer Washington settlement gradually developed separate identities. The Washington community became the principal town known as Newport, while the original settlement became known as Oldtown.
Settlement and incorporation
In 1895, brothers Charles and Warren E. Talmadge acquired land on the Washington side of the river and established the Newport Washington Land Company. They laid out a townsite that attracted residents and businesses seeking access to the railroad and the surrounding region's developing economy. The availability of transportation helped Newport grow as a commercial center for the Pend Oreille River valley.
The location of the area's post office became an issue as more people settled on the Washington side. The post office had originally served the Idaho settlement, but the population increasingly shifted toward the newer community. By 1901, Newport, Washington, had more than 200 residents. The post office was subsequently moved to the Washington settlement by order of the United States Postmaster General at the time, Charles Emory Smith, further establishing the distinction between Newport and Oldtown.
Newport was incorporated as a fourth-class town on April 13, 1903. Tom J. Kelly became its first mayor, and the first Town Council meeting took place on April 20 in the office of the Newport Miner newspaper. Incorporation gave the growing settlement a municipal government responsible for local administration and services.
The town's early businesses included general stores, hotels, restaurants, blacksmith shops, hardware stores, and livery stables. These establishments served railroad passengers, workers, farmers, and settlers arriving in the region. Commercial buildings constructed during this period included the Newport Trading Company building in 1903 and the T. J. Kelly Building in 1906. As the population grew, the town added schools, utilities, and public buildings. A city hall was completed in 1914.
Newport changed from a town to a city on January 7, 1970.
Timber industry and regional commerce
Timber became one of the main industries in and around Newport during the early 20th century. The surrounding forests supplied logs for sawmills and lumber companies, and the resulting products were shipped to markets elsewhere in the region. Logging also provided employment for workers who purchased supplies, rented rooms, and used other services in Newport.
Several lumber companies operated in the area, including Standard Lumber, Ashenfelter, and Fidelity Lumber. The Diamond Match Company also became a major employer. Its operations were part of a broader timber economy that produced lumber, shingles, cedar posts, poles, railroad ties, and cordwood. Some timber was used locally, while other products were shipped by rail or river. Cordwood was particularly important during the period when steamboats and locomotives relied on wood for fuel.
The Idaho and Washington Northern Railroad reached Newport in 1907. The line later extended north toward Metaline Falls, where it served mining and industrial operations. It carried lumber from Pend Oreille County, cement products from Metaline Falls, and ores from regional mines. These connections allowed businesses in the valley to reach markets beyond northeastern Washington.
The Milwaukee Railroad took control of the route between Newport and Metaline Falls in 1914. Railroad ownership continued until 1979, when the Port of Pend Oreille took over the line. The port continued operating the railroad for freight transportation, preserving a connection to the region's industrial past while providing a transportation option for businesses.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.