Located on a bend in the White River where the landscape transitions from the Ozark foothills to the flatlands of the Delta, Newport developed as an important river crossing. The town grew after the arrival of the Cairo & Fulton Railroad in the early 1870s. In 1891 the residents of Jackson County voted to move the county seat from Jacksonport to Newport. Historically, Newport’s economy relied on the timber, cotton, and freshwater pearl industries. The free tour begins at 11 a.m. at the Newport First United Methodist Church, 217 Laurel Street, Newport, and is co-sponsored by the Jackson County Historical Society.