Newport, Delaware facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Newport, Delaware
Town
Newport National Bank
Location of Newport in New Castle County, Delaware.
Newport, Delaware Location in Delaware Show map of Delaware Newport, Delaware Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Delaware
County	New Castle
Settled	1735
Incorporated	1873
Area
• Total	0.48 sq mi (1.25 km2)
• Land	0.47 sq mi (1.21 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.04 km2)
Elevation	33 ft (10 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	910
• Density	1,952.79/sq mi (753.47/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP code	19804
Area code(s)	302
FIPS code	10-51190
GNIS feature ID	214388
Website	https://newport.delaware.gov

Newport is a small town in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. It is located right on the Christina River. Newport is famous for being the home of Oliver Evans, a colonial inventor.

In 2010, about 1,055 people lived there. The town is easy to reach because four major highways meet close by: I-95, I-295, I-495, and Delaware Route 141.

Geography of Newport

Newport is located at 39°42′49″N 75°36′34″W / 39.71361°N 75.60944°W / 39.71361; -75.60944.

The town covers an area of about 0.4 square miles (1.0 square kilometer). A small part of this area is water.

Newport's History

Before Europeans arrived, the Susquehannock people, also known as Minquas, lived in the Newport area. The local volunteer fire company, Minquas Fire Company, is named after them.

Early Settlement and Growth

The first land grant for this area was given to the Duke of York in 1641. In 1735, a local businessman named John Justis bought 100 acres (0.4 square kilometers) of land. A few years later, he planned the streets for a new town called Newport-Ayre. Justis believed the area would be a great place for trade and a busy port.

During the American Revolutionary War, George Washington passed through Newport in 1777. He was preparing for the Battle of the Brandywine. By 1793, when the U.S. Postal Service opened an office there, the town had dropped "Ayre" from its name.

Trade and Industry in Newport

In the early 1800s, Newport became an important trading hub. Farmers from places like Lancaster County, Pennsylvania used Conestoga wagons to bring their products to Newport's docks. From there, goods were loaded onto ships and sent to big cities like Boston, New York, and Philadelphia.

However, Newport's role in trade changed when new roads were built that favored the larger city of Wilmington. Also, the railroad reached the area in 1837, which further reduced Newport's importance as a port.

Newport officially became a town in 1873. It then grew into a manufacturing center. By 1900, it had chemical works, a glue factory, and iron works. In 1908, Henrik J. Krebs built a plant for his company, Krebs Pigments and Chemical Company, in town. This plant was later bought by E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company in 1929 and then by Ciba-Geigy in 1984.

Historic Places in Newport

Several buildings and places in Newport are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites. Some of these include the Newport National Bank and the Newport Railroad Station.

Newport's Economy

Newport has a few small businesses and factories. One of these is a BASF plant that makes pigments.

Just north of town, there used to be a large General Motors car factory called Wilmington Assembly. It operated from 1947 to 2009. After it closed, Fisker Automotive planned to make electric cars there, but the factory never reopened. It was later torn down to build an Amazon warehouse.

Education in Newport

Public schools in Newport are part of the Red Clay Consolidated School District.

Richey Elementary School (for grades K-5) is located right in Newport. Students in grades 6-8 usually go to Stanton Middle School in Stanton. For high school, students in grades 9-12 attend John Dickinson High School in Pike Creek.

There are also special high schools, called magnet schools, just outside Newport. These include Conrad Schools of Science and Delaware Military Academy. Richardson Park Elementary School is also nearby.

Newport's Infrastructure

Transportation in Newport

DE 141 southbound in Newport

Delaware Route 141 is the main road that goes through Newport. It's an elevated highway that runs north and south. James Street and Marshall Street are smaller roads next to it. DE 141 connects to I-95, I-295, and I-495 just south of Newport. It also goes north towards U.S. Route 202 in Fairfax.

Other important roads include Delaware Route 41 and Delaware Route 62. These roads are part of the Newport Gap Pike, which links Newport to Gap, Pennsylvania. Delaware Route 4 is the main east-west road through town. It uses Market Street for eastbound traffic and Justis Street for westbound traffic. DE 4 goes northeast to Wilmington and southwest to Christiana and Newark.

DART First State provides bus service in Newport. Route 5 follows DE 4 and connects Newport to Wilmington and the Christiana Mall. The Northeast Corridor train line, used by Amtrak and SEPTA Regional Rail, passes through Newport. However, trains do not stop in town. The closest train station is Wilmington station.

Utilities in Newport

Delmarva Power provides electricity and natural gas to Newport homes and businesses. Suez Delaware supplies water to the town. New Castle County handles sewer services. Trash and recycling are collected by Waste Management.

Sports in Newport

The Stanton-Newport Little League Girls Softball team won the Little League Senior League Softball Championship in 1999.

Newport's Population

In 2000, Newport had 1,122 people living there. There were 456 households, with many having children under 18. About 26% of the population was under 18 years old. The average age in town was 32 years.

Notable People from Newport

• Oliver Evans, a famous inventor.
• Dallas Green, a baseball pitcher and manager. He led the Philadelphia Phillies to win the 1980 World Series.
• Henry Latimer, who served as a United States Representative and Senator.

See also

In Spanish: Newport (Delaware) para niños