The original Newport Opera House was built in 1872 and destroyed by fire thirteen years later. In 1886, the current building was built and quickly became a cultural center for locals and those coming from far away. Over the years, this space has hosted dances, boxing matches, weddings, political rallies, school graduations, plays, movies, and many other forms of entertainment. The community envisions the next era of the opera house to serve the younger generations as they knit the connection between the past, present, and future of the Sugar River Region.