Newport 375 Looking for Descendants of City's Founders

It's Newport's 375th anniversary this year and the year-long celebration kicks off in just a few days on May 24 at the Colony House.

Newport 375, which is leading a year-long celebration to commemorate the founding of the City-by-the-Sea, is looking for people descended from the original nine signers of the Newport Compact to attend the official opening ceremony.

The signers, William Coddington, Nicholas Easton, John Coggeshall, William Brenton, John Clarke, Jeremy Clarke, Thomas Hazard, Henry BUll and William Dyre, founded this city in 1639.

They were a group of men who came to Newport after leaving Portsmouth after a falling out with Anne Hutchinson.

If you are connected to one of the original signers, contact Newport 375 by sending an email to Newport375th@stacyhouse.com or visit their Web site for more information at http://www.newport375.com/

Newport was the first capital of the State of Rhode Island, is home to the oldest U.S. Naval War College and was the first of the thirteen colonies to declare its independence from England.

The Redwood Library and Athenaeum located on Bellevue Avenue is the oldest circulating library in continuous use since 1745. Thirteen years later The Newport Mercury began publication. Newport was host of the first U.S. Open Golf Tournament in 1895, International Polo Match in 1886 and National Lawn Tennis Championships in 1899.

To learn how to get involved with Newport's 375th Anniversary, contact the Office of the Mayor at 401.845.5437 or email Stephen Waluk at waluk2ndward@cox.net