[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 144 (Monday, December 1, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1668]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING THE CITY OF NEWPORT'S 125TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, December 1, 2014

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the Mayor, City 
Council, and residents of Newport, Minnesota, past and present on the 
occasion of the city's 125th Anniversary.
  Even before its incorporation as the village of Newport in 1889, the 
city was a vibrant Mississippi River community with deep roots in 
Minnesota history. Newport has always drawn its strength from the 
people who live within it, and takes pride in its rich history and 
natural beauty. According to the Washington County Historical Society, 
Newport began as two separate settlements, one of which was called Red 
Rock. It was settled by European immigrants shortly after the land was 
purchased by the U.S. government in 1837 through treaties with the 
Ojibwe and Dakota. The name Red Rock was derived from a red-painted 
granite boulder, an unusual remnant likely deposited by retreating 
glaciers. This rock, which has been moved several times, was held in 
great reverence by the Dakota. Today the rock sits in front of Newport 
United Methodist Church.
  The area around the settlement of Red Rock became a place of 
agriculture and commerce on the Mississippi River, as well as a major 
gathering spot for Methodist camp meetings. The ``Red Rock Camp Ground 
Association'' held meetings each July that drew single-day crowds of 
20,000 people. Special steamboats and trains brought people from St. 
Paul twice a day. By the 1880s, however, attendance began to decline 
rapidly. After the city was incorporated, several successful companies 
began operation in the city, including Farmer's Terminal Meat Packing 
Company (Cudahy), the Farmer's Terminal State Bank and the Fritz Candy 
Company.
  In the 1950s Newport Plaza opened a new and dynamic chapter in retail 
for the city. Today the shopping center with its signature red roof 
continues to welcome local residents as well as travelers from nearby 
Highway 61 for legendary home cooking at the North Pole restaurant and 
for essential items from John Bartl Hardware.
  125 years after it was founded, Newport is thriving. It is helping to 
model sustainable and ecologically sound practices by participating in 
Minnesota GreenStep Cities, a voluntary challenge, assistance and 
recognition program to help cities achieve their environmental and 
quality-of-life goals. Through the dedicated work of local elected 
officials and residents, the community is a leader for other 
communities in our state.
  Fellowship and community involvement is essential to the prosperity 
of any small town, and Newport boasts several outstanding examples of 
community engagement, including its annual Pioneer Day celebration, 
community garden, Veterans Memorial, and the Newport Public Library and 
Community Center. Residents are constantly working to keep this river 
community a desirable place to live and work.
  Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to rise to pay tribute to residents of 
Newport, Minnesota and its noble place in our state--past, present and 
future--on the city's 125th anniversary.

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