HistoryTours07

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 14, 2007

Contact: Morgan Devlin

Newport Restoration Foundation

401-849-7300 x14

Newport History Tours Launch Four New Tours This Season

(Newport, RI) — For its third season, the Newport History Tours, an interactive walking tour program, will launch several new offerings. The Old House ABCs Tour, premiering on July 2, will share the rich architectural heritage of Newport with curious visitors and natives alike. Offered on Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday at 3:00 pm, the tour will start at the 1699 Friends Meeting House and end amid the Victorian splendor of lower Bellevue Avenue, showcasing 300 years of architectural gems from the city which features one of the largest collections of preserved buildings in existence.

Returning this summer are two popular favorites conducted by expert guides from The Newport Historical Society and the Newport Restoration Foundation. The Rum & Revolution Tour, presented Wednesdays through Fridays at 6:00 pm, shares a lighthearted history of the important influence of alcohol on Newport’s prosperity and cultural development. Providing a wonderful overview of Newport’s central role in American history is the Discover Colonial Newport Inside and Out tour offered daily at 11:00 am. Both tours will begin on June 15 with the start of the new season.

The three summer walking tours will be offered from June 15 to August 31. Tickets are sold at the Museum of Newport History, open daily from 10:30 am – 6:30 pm, located in the Brick Market at 127 Thames Street in Newport. Tickets for the Discover Colonial Newport Inside and Out tour are also sold at the Gateway Visitors Center. All tours last approximately one and a half hours. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for children or NHS members.

This fall, three new tours will debut as part of the Newport History Tours roster. Tastes of the Working Waterfront Tour will provide visitors with a multi-sensory experience as they tour the Lower Thames Street neighborhood, home to many dynamic wharves. Newport’s Buried History: Slavery and Freedom Tour will explore the rich diversity of Newport’s heritage including its enslaved residents.

A burial ground featuring beautiful and unique gravestones pays tribute to its early African residents. The Pirates and Scoundrels Tour shares stories from Newport’s swashbuckling past and explains why the colony was sometimes referred to as “Rogue’s Island.”

Tours of key historic buildings are also offered including the Newport Colony House built in 1739 for Rhode Island government meetings; the Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House circa 1697; and the Great Friends Meeting House, the state’s oldest house of worship built in 1699. Tours depart every half hour between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from the Colony House. Tickets are $4 for adults and $3 for children.

Created in 2005, the Newport History Tours are a collaborative program of The Newport Historical Society and the Newport Restoration Foundation. These not-for-profit educational institutions have served for decades as custodians of Newport's history and architectural landmarks. Newport History Tours offer an exciting array of programs throughout the year, including walking tours, illustrated lectures, and behind-the-scenes tours. A schedule can be found online at www.newporthistorytours.org.

The 2007 Newport History Tours are partially underwritten by:

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