Newport began as a river community and shipping center for farm and forest products from the county's interior. By the 1790s, flatboats carried goods down the Juniata to markets in the Susquehanna Valley. In the 19th century, the canal and railroad followed the Juniata's banks as goods and passengers moved east and west across the Commonwealth. This advantageous location helped Newport thrive economically, but the Little and Big Buffalo Creeks and the Juniata River, which surround the town on three sides, regularly overflowed their banks. Since 1881, when records were first kept, three major floods caused serious damage in 1889, 1936, and 1972. Each time, floodwaters reached or crossed 4th Street, and water four to six feet deep swamped the town square. In 1889, the strongest flood in the borough's recorded history crested at 35 feet 9 inches, while flood stage in Newport begins at 22 feet. In 1936, the water inflicted serious economic damage on businesses and residents already suffering during the Great Depression. In 1972, water from Hurricane Agnes again covered the town square. In both 1936 and 1972, some firemen and rescue teams worked up to three days straight without sleep, rescuing people and property from second floors on Front and 2nd Streets.