County of site: Franklin County
Location of site: MO Hwy 100 and Bluff Rd, & Newport Rd., Franklin County
Population: Zero
The town of Newport basically died in 1826...the post office was moved 1 mile west (1857) to a new town Called Dundee...nothing about Newport exists any more.
" ... Our trading was done at St. Louis. Peltries, venison, hams, wild turkeys and furs, with cut money, nine "bits" to the dollar, were exchanged for such articles as were absolutely necessary for the family; no imaginary wants were gratified. Out of the cotton, flax and wool, most of the clothing was manufactured by the wives and daughters. Not much calico was worn then, only five yards to the dress, now twenty-five. Subsequently we did our trading at Newport, with Pres. G. Rule, when we began to use a little more calico. ... " ~ A letter by C. F. Jeffries to Dr. G. O. Hardemann, of Gray’s Summit, MO; as reported by the Washington Historical Society
"Dundee was located on the Missouri Pac. R. R., very near the ancient site of New Port, the first county seat. The old courthouse is still (1888) standing...The school house and church, like the old court house are both built in New Port...The post-office is at Dundee (1888)." ~ History of Franklin County, 1888, Goodspeed, page 341
"It was laid off in 1857, and was 62 miles from St. Louis." ~ Campbell's Gazetteer of Missouri, 1874, page 204.
"It was 5 miles east of New Haven." ~ The State of Missouri, in 1904, Walter Williams, page 387.
The no one lives here, the newly built business is built next to the lot where the court house once stood.
Franklin County has had four courthouses. Newport (also called Campbellton in 1854 and Dundee in 1857), served as Franklin's county seat from date of organization in 1818 until 1826. Newport was the site of the first courthouse.
"The $1,950 contract for a brick, two-story courthouse in Newport was awarded to James McDonald in December 1819. The court gave McDonald a promissory note, and when the court could not meet the obligation, McDonald sued. The case was carried to the Missouri Supreme Court, where McDonald was awarded $3,432.25 plus costs. As part of the settlement the court awarded him the public square. His heirs later deeded it back to the county.
"Final cost of the courthouse amounted to about $3,700. The court received this building July 13, 1820, and it continued in use as a courthouse until 1827. By Clark Brown's account of the history of the courthouse, it was razed early in the 20th century; the Work Projects Administration report claimed it was standing in the 1930s.
"Because of the inconvenient river site, the legislature acted upon a citizens' petition for removal of the county seat to within three miles of the center of the county. Court was to continue in Newport until the courthouse in the new county seat was completed. The county seat moved from Newport to Union in 1827." ~ University of Missouri, Extension