New Bern

Yesterday we decided to drive to New Bern, about an hour north of here on US-70 and one of our favorite places to visit.  Located where the Trent and Neuse Rivers meet, it is a city that is only a few feet above the water, and as a result it was badly damaged by Hurricane Florence in September of 2018.  Large parts of the downtown area were flooded, and we witnessed extensive damage when we visited there only a few months later. 

It rained as never before in this city by the ocean,
Out where there is no high ground at all; none.
An outstretched hand remembers, waist high.

It has fully recovered now, and it was a lovely day for walking, temperatures in the 50s and bright blue skies.  New Bern was founded in 1710 by a group of settlers from Bern, Switzerland, which was a city named after the first animal a group of hunters first came upon, a bear.  The city has adopted the animal as a mascot and placed many fiberglass, ceramic bears throughout the city during its 300th anniversary in 2010.  They are literally everywhere.

It is also famous for Tryon Palace, formerly known as the Governor’s Palace, which was the official residence and administrative headquarters of the British governors in North Carolina before the revolution.  Shortly after the state capital was relocated to Raleigh in 1792, the main building burned to the ground. A modern re-creation faithful to the original architect's plans, including the gardens, was built on the site in the 1950s, and we have visited many times.   

New Bern is also known as the Birthplace of Pepsi-Cola, and a small building in the historic area is the actual site where Pepsi-Cola was first invented by pharmacist Caleb Bradham (“Brad’s Drink”)  in 1898. But the historic area also contains a good many shops and restaurants, walkable brick-paved sidewalks, and the historic and very beautiful Gothic-Revival-style Christ Church, ca. 1871.  It was closed today, but I toured it under the supervision of a very friendly docent a few years ago and learned that among its prized possessions is a five-piece communion service, the gift of George II, which is still used to this day.

One of our frequent stops here is Morgan’s Tavern & Grill, located in a roomy, wonderful building, formerly a garage, with lots of little private alcoves; it also featured outdoor dining, which we especially like in these Covid days.  We had the patio to ourselves and enjoyed fresh tacos (shrimp for Martha, seared tuna for me) and a cup of their famous lobster and crab bisque.

Next door is Mitchell’s Hardware, which has been in operation since 1898.  It is a real hardware store, with wooden floors, shelves of nuts and bolts, plumbing fixtures and the like, and it is always a treat to come in the front door and step back in time.

After lunch, I wandered through the Antique Mall across the way, and then made my way to the North Carolina History Center, which also serves as the headquarters for Tryon Palace tickets and information.  The History Center itself is one of the finest I have seen, well-designed and containing good exhibits.  I spent an hour or more there while Martha was visiting shops downtown, but could have spent the entire afternoon.  The exhibits are extensive, and cover everything from the environment of the central coast area and how it was settled to the production of naval stores (turpentine, rosin, and tar) and the resulting destruction of the Long Leaf Pine forests, fishing, and agriculture.  It does not shy away from the history of slavery, “the peculiar institution.”  I was especially struck by the display of an advertisement for a slave auction, as well as one offering a reward for the capture of an escaped slave.  I hope Blackledge never got his man back.

Leaving the History Center, I walked along Metcalf Street and around the corner to Tryon Palace, following the perimeter of its brick walls.  There was almost nobody out and about, and I enjoyed looking at the historic homes along the way.

I had the Palace to myself, and walked all through the grounds, taking a photo of the picturesque dovecote on the way, and then descended through the formal gardens and around the back.

 

 

 

 

January is not the best time of year for touring gardens, but, surprisingly, there were still flowers blooming here and there because it has been so mild.  These narcissus nodded shyly along the path.

When I came to the vegetable gardens, there were even more plants still growing, mostly cabbages, and two gardeners were at work with trowels cultivating them.  I spoke to one of them, a friendly man with a beard wearing overalls who looked a little like I did about 40 or 50 years ago.  “You’ve still got things growing!” I said.  “Oh yes, still a lot of work to do,” he replied.  “I’m from Western North Carolina and they’re calling for a foot of snow this weekend.  We have nothing blooming there!”  He told me that there was a chance of snow or freezing rain here in New Bern, as well, although it looks from the forecast today that it will mostly avoid us.

Martha had arranged to meet me in the gift shop at the History Center after I walked back, and she was there.  I realized that it was already past 3:00 p.m. – time flies, when you have no watch! – and we started back toward Atlantic Beach.