A hand rail system and associated methods. Newel posts of the hand rail system can be mounted in a top mount configuration or a lateral mount configuration. Mounts are receivable in a boot subassembly in a horizontal or vertical arrangement for anchoring the boot subassembly to substructure. After anchoring of the boot subassembly, a column subassembly may be installed and anchored. Openings in the boot and column subassemblies permit access to the interior of the newel post for anchoring the boot and column subassemblies and for connecting a hand rail to the column subassembly. Subsequent installation of covers on the boot subassembly and column subassembly closes the newel post and provides a finished appearance free of external indication that openings in the newel post existed and have been covered. Four-sided turned newels, newel panel retainers, and associated methods are also disclosed.