Political Quotes

“Madam President, I wish to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Town of Newport, ME. Newport was built with a spirit of determination and resiliency that still guides the community today, and this bicentennial is a time to celebrate the generations of hard- working and caring people who have made it such a wonderful place to live, work, and raise families. While this bicentennial marks Newport's incorporation, the year 1814 was but one milestone in a long journey of progress. For thousands of years, the region was the hunting and fishing grounds of the Abenaki, and the chain of lakes and streams formed their highway between the mighty Kennebec and Penobscot Rivers. The very name of the town a translation of Sebasticook, the Abenaki word for portage is evidence of the friendship between the first white settlers and the Native Americans. The settlers were drawn by fertile soil, vast forests, and fast- moving waters, which they turned into productive farms and busy lumber mills that were soon followed by blacksmiths, leather manufacturing, textiles, and other endeavors vital to Maine's development. The wealth produced by the land, and by hard work and determination, was invested in schools and churches to create a true community. In the decades that followed, Newport became a center of industry and innovation with such remarkable endeavors as silk production, condensed milk manufacturing, and the fabrication of what were considered the finest carriages in Maine.…”