ABSTRACT
Few New England towns rival the attractiveness of Newport, Rhode Island. Founded in 1639 on an island in Narragansett Bay, the town developed a prosperous fishing industry, cosmopolitan populace, and cultural sophistication that dominated the region until after the American Revolution. Its public buildings reflected the latest British styles; streets were paved long before those in most other cities; and wealthy citizens maintained a luxurious lifestyle which contrasted with New England’s prevailing asceticism. Newport was also famed for its religious tolerance. In addition to the dominant Baptist church, it welcomed Episcopal, Congregational, Quaker, and Moravian churches, besides a Jewish synagogue.
