Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 12/08/1993
NRHP Listing Date 02/25/1994
NRHP Reference Number 94000059
Tucked in the narrow valley of Greenbriar Branch, at the base of Gap Mountain, the village of Newport in Giles County began in the 1830s as a transportation crossroads and regional commercial center along the Cumberland Gap Turnpike. Development in the Newport Historic District focused around a small industrial center consisting of a tanyard, oil mill, gristmill, and blacksmith shop. Newport also became an overnight stop for travelers along their way to area mineral springs. The establishment of the Newport Woolen Mill and the nearby Sinking Creek Furnace in the 1870s led to much new construction. Today the Newport Historic District consists of approximately sixty-six structures of which fifty-three are significant to its historic character. Most of the buildings are frame, free-standing dwellings or stores with decorative wooden trim. Many structures were built after 1902, when a fire destroyed most of the buildings in the heart of the community. The village serves as the centerpiece for the Greater Newport Rural Historic District.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: May 24, 2022
