In 1873, the windmill was converted into a lighthouse, and the village of Newport began to fade into obscurity. The village was never registered and little mention was ever made of it even existing, apart from a popular lighthouse keeper using the name "Newport" to occasionally specify the location of his lighthouse in the late 1800s. In 1920, the area became a designated National Historic Site and is currently owned and maintained by Parks Canada. The ruins of one of the original stone farm houses remained at the site until the 1980s, when it was completely demolished. Present day, only the windmill and one of the original homes that made up the town of Newport remain standing. The home is known as Joseph Bass house, and is one of the oldest homes still standing in the township; it also served as a tavern and general store. According to a Prescott Journal article from 1898, the house was used during battle as a place to keep the injured and dead. Damage from cannon blasts can still be seen on the exterior of the house, which is currently a private residence.