Before Vegas: There was Newport
- Meet on Monmouth
- 5 days ago
- 1 min read
In the 1950s Golden Age, a cruise down Monmouth Street in the center of Newport seemed to be the epitome of glamor: There were flashy lights, A-list performers, gourmet cuisines and spotless streets.
But there were also vicious murders, shady mobsters and a bounty of illegal activities.
Frank Sinatra would grace the Cincinnati Music Hall, then make his way across the river for a little backroom gambling. Dean Martin actually worked as a blackjack dealer at one of the finest clubs of the time, which Marilyn Monroe also visited.
Even President John F. Kennedy took a trip to Newport… but not for the same reasons.
The “Sin City” of this age was known across the nation, and it certainly had earned its reputation.