All About New Bern
History of New Bern
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New Bern, the second oldest city in North Carolina, was settled in 1710 by German Palatine and Swiss colonists led by Baron Christophe von Graffenreid. He purchased the land from the Tuscarora Indians who had a small settlement here known as Chattawka, which meant "where the fish are taken out." As a point of interest, the oldest water elm tree in the US still stands in the historic section of downtown, and under that tree the treaty with the Indians was signed! |
Named for the city of Bern Switzerland, the town was located on the triangle of land where the Trent and Neuse Rivers meet.
The original settlers suffered with the climate, a lack of provisions, diseases and Indian problems.
A "Carolina Charter" was issued by King Charles II after he was restored to the throne in 1660 granting his loyal supporters and drinking buddies, (The Lords Proprietor) wide areas of land in the New World. The Carolina Charter spread from Virginia to the Spanish border of Florida. The name Carolina came from "Carolus", the Latin word for Charles. William, Earl of Craven was one of the original Lords Proprietor and Craven County bears his name. |
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The royal governor William Tryon, saw the need for a permanent capital in the growing colony and selected New Bern as the site. Tryon Palace, first colonial and state capital building of North Carolina was designed by the English architect, John Hawks. the palace was completed in 1770. It was a political center during the Revolution, the then governor fled the capitol for safety in 1775, and the port sheltered many privateers during that War. Even before the Revolutionary War.
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New Bern was known and visited by the pirates who terrorized the Carolina shoreline. Nearby Beaufort has one of Blackbeard's houses, "Hammock House" where purportedly his men and/or a wife stayed on shore leave. Blackbeard's famous ship "Queen Anne's Revenge" was discovered in the shallow waters off the Beaufort coast. |
After the Revolution, New Bern became wealthy and developed a rich cultural life. In fact, at one time New Bern was called "the Athens of the South." The Tryon Palace was the capital of the independent State of North Carolina. It is a town of many firsts: The first school to be chartered in North Carolina, first Roman Catholic church and the first Jewish synagogue in North Carolina. Renowned in the South were the Masonic Temple and the Athens Theater, both still very active in the town.
Union forces (called "federals" at the time) captured New Bern early in the Civil War (March 14, 1862). The officers occupied the larger homes in the town, and the town was filled with Union troops for the rest of the War. For this reason, there was less damage to New Bern than to many small Southern towns.
After the difficulty of Reconstruction, New Bern came to life again and by 1916, there were 16 lumber mills here. A thriving pitch and turpentine trade was established. It was also a source of seafood that was shipped far and wide.
Maps & Directions
New Bern is the county seat of Craven County, in eastern North Carolina, located at the confluence of the Neuse and Trent Rivers and connects to the Inter-Coastal Waterway. This region is called the Central or Crystal Coast, due to the crystal clear waters all along the abundant beaches only 30-45 minutes away.
Following are New Bern's official statistics according to the
United States Census
Bureau Gazetteer:
Population of New Bern (City) as of 1990: 17,363--does NOT include Trent Woods, River Bend, Taberna, plus many of the newer subdivisions are out of the town boundaries.
Population---WITH surrounding areas: over 85,000 as of 1990 census
Map Coordinates: 35.11991 N, 077.07883 W
Zip Code(s): 28560, 28562
Only 2 hours drive from Raleigh-Durham, 5 1/2 hours from Washington, D.C., and 10 hours drive from New York City, this has become a popular destination for families and retirees looking for a small town lifestyle, yet don't want to sacrifice the amenities they enjoyed in larger population centers. New Bern fills the bill, and tourists enjoy a less commercialized beach-and-history vacation.
Getting to New Bern
To drive to New Bern, take Interstate I-95 to US 70-East which will take you straight to New Bern. OR--Exit 95 at Rocky Mount, and take US #43 into New Bern, you'll enjoy the countryside, you'll go through Greenville-- a great nearby town to shop or grab a meal.
New Bern's airport call letters are EWN, served by US Air and Midway Airlines just opened service this month (July-99) connecting from Charlotte and Raleigh North Carolina. New terminal and runways are almost finished. We've a Greyhound Bus station, but railroad passengers must transport themselves from any of east-central stations, Wilson is probably the closest to us. Boaters can cruise here on the Neuse; it's an easy sail from the Intra-Coastal Waterway.
Getting around New Bern
Visitors will have no problem driving around New Bern and the surrounding areas, and rental cars and bikes are available...Call Shorebird Rentals when you get to town. They can even rent boats for river sight-seeing! During the summer months, and part-time during the fall and winter, a trolley goes 'round the historical district. There is a guide provided to tell you what you're seeing. Bikers appreciate the beautiful streets downtown, but walking reigns supreme as the favorite mode of transportation around the charming downtown. There are so many little details you might miss in the abundance of fine old churches and southern-style colonial and Georgian architecture. Most are beautifully preserved and enhanced by both long-time residents and recent arrivals to New Bern. The historic districts are the most interesting places to live in New Bern.
Horse-drawn carriage rides are available, they have a large trolley size carriage for groups. Built especially for the Special Olympics contestants, it was such a hit that the Queen Anne Carriage folks kept it active.
Other New Bern Area Info
Chamber of Commerce
Churches
Dining Out
Golfing
Hotels
Medical Facilities
Military Information
New Bern Area Links
New Bern Facts
Shopping
Things To See