The village was settled about 1822 by two families on the south side of the Napanee River. These were identified as the families of Benjamin Files and William van Pelt Detlor.
By 1851 Newburgh was well established as a local manufacturing centre with 17 manufacturing businesses including 2 grist mills, 5 sawmills, 1 carding and fulling mill (wool), 1 foundry and 2 tanneries. During its early life the village was known as ‘the Hollow’ or ‘Rogues Hollow’ because of reputedly rowdy millers and numerous inns and taverns. By 1857, the village had a population over 1,200 and local industry was still growing.
Newburgh was incorporated in 1858. The Napanee River made it favourable for at least 13 industrial sites. Finkle Carriageworks was one of them. Finkle carriageFinkle’s stage coaches provided vital links to the hinterland and larger centre. He ran a stage route to Kingston by way of Camden East, Wilton and Odessa and also a stage route from Napanee to Kingston, often driving three horses abreast.
The Newburgh Academy (est 1839) put Newburgh on the map as a local education centre. Built in 1853, it was a grammar and secondary school which received international students as well as local.
In 1887 Newburgh was devastated by a fire which destroyed 84 buildings on main st. . 66 business were rebuilt. More fires in 1902 and 1908 destroyed more of the town.
Today Newburgh is thriving with the Newburgh Clinic run by two doctors, Newburgh Public School and Newburgh Post Office, Newburgh United Church, Newburgh Pharmacy, Newburgh L.C.B.O., a small grocery store and a gas station, Newburgh Abram’s Bakery, Second Time Treasures by Louise, Clarke Art and Projects art gallery, and Rogues’ Hollow Antiques, Ontario’s two largest chicken farms, and numerous small businesses such as barber shops and hair salons.
In the Canada 2011 Census, Newburgh had a population of 696, down from 725 in the 2006 census.