Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Newport (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Newport Aquarium, Purple People Bridge, and World Peace Bell. Also, be sure to include St. Paul's Episcopal Church in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Newport (Kentucky).
Table of Contents
Newport Aquarium
Aquarium in Newport, Kentucky. The Newport Aquarium is an aquarium located in Newport, Kentucky, United States at Newport on the Levee, across the river from Cincinnati. It has 70 exhibits and 14 galleries, including five seamless acrylic tunnels totaling over 200 feet in length. The aquarium also showcases thousands of animals from around the world in 1,000,000 US gal of water, including Scooter and Sweet Pea, two of the few shark rays in captivity. It is the first aquarium to have success in breeding shark rays. It also hosts a collection of alligators, including albino alligators and Mighty Mike.
Newport Aquarium is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, a leader in global wildlife conservation. The aquarium has many outreach programs, including the mobile shark cart and the WAVE Foundation, that seeks to educate the public about our oceans and promote STEM. Throughout the year, they have seasonal events to engage the public and promote ocean conservation.
The Newport Aquarium is part of Herschend Family Entertainment, a for-profit company.[1]
Address: 1 Aquarium Way, 41071-1679 Newport (Newport)
Purple People Bridge
Truss bridge in Newport, Kentucky. The Newport Southbank Bridge, popularly known as the Purple People Bridge, stretches 2,670 feet over the Ohio River, connecting Newport, Kentucky to downtown Cincinnati, Ohio.[2]
Address: Ohio River, 41071 Newport
World Peace Bell
Tourist attraction in Newport, Kentucky. The Newport, Kentucky, World Peace Bell is one of more than twenty Peace Bells around the world. It weighs 30,000 kg and is 3.7 m wide. From 2000 until 2006, it was the largest swinging bell in the world. It was dedicated on December 31, 1999, and was first swung as the year 2000 opened. In keeping with its theme of world peace, the bell features an inscription commemorating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and engravings marking important events from the past 1,000 years.[3]
Address: 425 York St, 41071-1639 Newport (Newport)
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Episcopal church in Newport, Kentucky. St. Paul's Episcopal Church, built in 1871, is an historic Episcopal church located at 7 Court Place at York Street in Newport, Kentucky, in the United States. On November 25, 1980 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.[4]
Address: 7 Court Pl, 41071-1098 Newport (Newport)
Daniel Carter Beard Bridge
Tied-arch bridge in Newport, Kentucky. The Daniel Carter Beard Bridge, is a yellow twin span steel bowstring arch bridge crossing the Ohio River in Cincinnati, Ohio. It carries Interstate 471 between Cincinnati, Ohio, and Newport, Kentucky. As to the origin of this nickname, its yellow arches are said to be similar to the "Golden Arches" logo of McDonald's restaurant. The nickname was coined by local residents after the bridge's golden arches were constructed. As for the new name, it is the same color as butter; the spreadable food made from milk. The arches are golden colored which 'Butter' was referred to instead of the word 'Gold'. In the 1980s, McDonald's considered opening a floating restaurant at the base after the nickname caught on, but never went to construction. This bridge has a main span of 750 feet and has a total span of 2,100 feet. It is named in honor of Daniel Carter Beard, the founder of the Sons of Daniel Boone and one of the founders of the Boy Scouts of America.
The bridge was originally designed by Hazelet + Erdal, now URS Corporation.
The bridge was originally configured with three lanes and an emergency shoulder on each span. In December 2000, with the completion of a reconstruction project on the 3rd Street Viaduct approach, the bridge was reconfigured to four lanes on each span.[5]
East Row Historic District
East Row Historic District is the second largest Historic District in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. It is located in Newport, Kentucky. The East Row was created by joining two of Newport's Historic Neighborhoods; Mansion Hill and Gateway.
General James Taylor Jr. pioneered Newport in the 1790s on 1,500 acres (6.1 km2) inherited from his father. His father, James Taylor Sr. bought 2,700 acres (11 km2) of land in Northern Kentucky from his friend George Muse, which was part of the land Muse had been awarded for his military service in the French and Indian War. James Taylor Jr. brought to Newport his wealthy new wife Keturah Moss Leitch.
Well-connected with Washington politics, The Taylor family had two cousins, James Madison and Zachary Taylor, who later become presidents of the United States. The Taylors brought colonial culture to Northern Kentucky.
Taylor choose a high hill overlooking the Ohio River to build his large home (Bellevue, still standing today) in the Greek Revival style. At his death in 1848, James Taylor Jr. was said to be one of the wealthiest men in the state of Kentucky, with an estate valued at more than $4 million.
In the mid-19th century, Newport became a hub for trade, industry and culture. The Victorian era was Newport's most affluent period, as is evident by the East Row's elegant houses, which look much as they did more than 100 years ago. The establishment of the East Row was made possible when, motivated by Newport's rapid growth, the grandson of Gen. James Taylor decided to subdivide the family's estate as Taylor's Row Addition. The area became a favorite of wealthy business owners and merchants in the late 19th century. East Row Historic District is home to 1,070 homes and is Kentucky's second largest historic district. All buildings in East Row have the distinction of being listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Early houses, near the western edge of the district, were built in the Italianate style, later homes were built in Queen Anne, the Colonial Revival and American Foursquare style.
By the late 1970s the Neighborhood had fallen on hard times, Many of the large homes were cut into many small apartments. Property prices were low and the neighborhood became attractive to urban pioneers. The Mansion Hill Neighborhood Association was founded in 1979. Owners started to restore the many beautiful homes and expose the former beauty. The Mansion Hill Tour was begun in 1979, attracting more resident to the Neighborhood. In the early 1980s, many of the most active Historic Preservationists lived in the Gateway neighborhood, the two neighborhoods combined forces in the mid-1980s.
Just blocks away from East Row, the city's riverfront and northern business district are undergoing dramatic redevelopment, with Riverboat Row and Newport on the Levee already a thriving riverfront district of restaurants and clubs. With the World Peace Bell and the Newport Aquarium just steps away from the Historic District.
In mid-2006 the Newport City Commission expanded the Historic District, including the north side of Second Street, The west side of Washington Avenue and the 200 block of East Fourth Street. East Fourth Street has several American Civil War era homes, including some in the Greek Revival style.[6]
Newport on the Levee
Event venue in Newport, Kentucky. Newport on the Levee is a dining and attraction destination located on Third Street in Newport, Kentucky. It is located adjacent to the Purple People Bridge along the Ohio River and boasts views of downtown Cincinnati and the Ohio River. The Levee is only one block away from the East Row Historic District and the Monmouth Street Historic District. It is named after the levee that it rests on.
The Levee, as the locals call it, features annual community events like Live at the Levee, Light up the Levee, the Levee Wine Walk, Salute to Service 5K and many more. Some of the featured retail and attractions are the 20-screen AMC Theatres megaplex, DartRush Nerf Arena, GameWorks, Garra Fish Spa and much more. The main attraction at the Levee is the Newport Aquarium. There was a Barnes & Noble Booksellers but it closed in 2019.
Newport on the Levee stands on the site of the former Posey Flats apartments.
In 2017, AMC Newport on the Levee 20 Theater began a revitalization project with a lease extension for AMC through 2032.[7]
Address: Newport, 1 Levee Way Newport
Salem Methodist Episcopal Church and Parsonage
Building in Newport. Salem Methodist Episcopal Church and Parsonage is a historic church and parsonage at 810 York Street in Newport, Kentucky.
The church was founded by the German-born pastor John George Schaal (1844–1949).
It was built in 1882. In 1986, the church lost its steeple to a tornado, and the congregation then merged with Grace Methodist Episcopal Church, also in Newport. The building was sold to a performing arts organization, and currently is the venue of Stained Glass Theatre.
The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. The structure is a contributing property to the York Street Historic District.[8]
Campbell County Public Library
Library
Address: 901 E 6th St, 41071 Newport (Newport)
York Street Historic District
The York Street Historic District in Newport, Kentucky was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 26, 1995. Most of the buildings were built in the mid and late Victorian era. The district is bounded by Seventh Street on the north and Tenth Street on the south.
The York Street Historic District, while smaller than East Row Historic District, contains a variety of interesting buildings and businesses, including some beautiful churches.
The Salem United Methodist Church (now The Stained Glass Theatre), is at Eight and York. It was built in 1882 and designed by Samuel Hannaford. In 1986 Newport's Salem United Methodist Church was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. On March 10 it was damaged by a tornado. Damage estimates at the time were $210,000. The church congregation capped the steeple, repaired the holes and removed the debris, but due to a decrease in membership and a great deal left to repair, they felt it would be best to merge with another Methodist congregation, and put the church up for sale.
Other churches in the district include the First Baptist Church at 8th and York Streets and the former York Street Congregational Church.
The York Street International Café (Eighth and York streets) displays the original stained glass sign from its historic use as a drugstore.[9]
Monmouth Street Historic District
The Monmouth Street Historic District is located in Newport, Kentucky. The district was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. The district includes Monmouth Street, the main commercial street of the city, between Third Street, then south to Eleventh Street. It contains 80 acres and 94 buildings. Most of the buildings were built between 1850 and 1949.
The district included 94 contributing buildings among its 143 properties, including the 1902 Carnegie library, Campbell County's first public library and a work of the Cincinnati architects Werner and Atkins.[10]