Ainsley Weber describes Newport layers and her personal history

In a column published on October 10, 2026, writer Ainsley Weber touches upon Newport, drawing on Thornton Wilder’s novel Theophilus North which postulated nine Newports.

Weber Uses Wilder's Novel to Identify Newport Layers

Weber builds her essay around Thornton Wilder’s novel Theophilus North, which playfully adapts Heinrich Schliemann’s discovery of the nine layers of Troy into nine distinct versions of Newport. While some of those historical layers have faded since Wilder’s time, Weber notes that new versions of the city continue to emerge. She suggests that the prominent music festivals could be viewed as a tenth layer, though they overlap significantly with the fifth layer outlined in Wilder’s typology.

Childhood Memories at Fort Adams and Off-Season Isolation

Drawing on personal history, Weber recounts living in Newport twice—once as a child and once as an adult. During childhood, her family resided in the military housing complex at Fort Adams. She describes the off-season in Newport as otherworldly, mirroring the distinct isolation experienced while playing around the fort’s historic ruins. That period included listening to the revival of the Newport Jazz Festival in 1977 from the family’s lawn, catching sounds of George Benson playing “On Broadway” over the fort walls.

The Vibrant Summertime Naval Era

Ten years later, Weber experienced a starkly different environment as a young Naval Officer stationed in the area. Living directly in the city during the summer months offered a vibrant atmosphere characterized by active nightlife accessible via a short walk in any direction. Weber notes that she returns frequently to revisit those memories and encounter new facets of the region.

Discovering Tiverton and the Appeal of Christmas in Newport

During recent travels back to the area, Weber discovered Tiverton, located directly across a tidal river from Newport. She describes contemporary Tiverton as resembling Newport during its 1970s off-season, albeit on a much smaller scale. Beyond the summer months and off-season quiet, Weber points to Newport during Christmastime as a particularly special season for visitors.