Newport School District

Newport, Washington became the Pend Oreille County seat in 1911. The county is situated in the northeastern corner of Washington and was originally part of Stevens County. Newport is the largest city in Pend Oreille County and is nestled along the Pend Oreille River at the Washington-Idaho border approximately 40 miles north-east of Spokane. Around... the late 1880s and early 1890s a small community began to emerge east of the present city of Newport. By 1892 this settlement was known as Newport, Idaho (later Oldtown). Its namesake denoted its purposea port for river and overland travel. Supplies from this port to the settlers in the Pend Oreille Valley were transported from Newport, Rathdrum and Sandpoint, Idaho. The new port of Idaho had a restaurant, general store with a post office, small hotel and a saloon. In 1892 the Great Northern Railroad ran a line to Newport and further growth in the area occurred. In 1895 the Talmadge brothers, Charles and Warren, acquired 40 acres of land and formed the Newport, Washington Land Company and platted the townsite of Newport, Washington. From its early inception, a controversy began over the location of the post office, then located in Newport, Idaho. By 1901 the town of Newport, Washington had a population of over 200. Because the majority of the population was on the Washington side, the United States Postmaster General issued an order requiring the post office to be moved from the Idaho to the Washington side of Newport. This action officially eliminated the town of Newport, Idaho, and established the town of Newport, Washington. Newport, Idaho remained on the maps as an unincorporated village until April 1947, when the town was incorporated and the name Oldtown was officially adopted. The Newport School District that had been established in 1892 had grew to 34 children by 1901. The first high school in the county was located in Newport. The first commencement was held in 1908, with one graduate. One of Newports most notable pioneer educators was Sadie Halstead. Ms. ...Read More