Steeped in history and Southern tradition, New Bern charms residents and visitors with its old-fashioned values, interesting landmarks and riverside living. 

The site which eventually became the home of New Bern was first appreciated by various Native American tribes, primarily the Tuscarora, who used the site for hunting camps.  The Indians called this area Chattawka, a word translated as “where the fish are taken out.”

New Bern was founded by Baron Christophe deGraffenried in 1710.  deGraffenried named his settlement after his hometown of Bern, Switzerland.  (Bern itself was named by a group of hunters who named it for the bear, the first animal they came upon during their expedition.  The black bear also is a symbol well-represented throughout Old and New Bern, Bern also being an old Germanic word for bear.)

Diseases, a lack of provisions and supplies, and the climate, combined with an outbreak of war with the Tuscarora during New Bern’s early years, all caused problems for the original Swiss and German Palatine colonists.  Among its victims was surveyor and naturalist John Lawson, who was burned at the stake after he and deGraffenried were captured by Indians.  deGraffenried escaped and later returned to Switzerland.  By 1720, the threat of Indian attacks was largely subdued, and New Bern began to grow.

The area was originally part of the Carolina Charter granted by English King Charles II to eight of his loyal supporters after the king’s restoration to the throne in 1660.  The eight became the Lords Proprietor of a vast expanse of land called Carolina which stretched from Virginia to the border of Florida, then in Spanish hands, and from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific.  The area was dubbed Carolina in honor of the king, Carolina being a derivative of the Latin word for Charles, Carolus. 

In 1689, Carolina was divided by the Lords Proprietor into two separate provinces – North Carolina and South Carolina. The Lords Proprietor were among the groups which helped finance deGraffenried’s colonization efforts.

Craven County, then called Craven Precinct, was itself named for William, Earl of Craven, who was one of the original Lords Proprietor, and New Bern became its seat in 1722.

Over the years leading up to the American Revolution, New Bern grew into one of North Carolina’s largest towns and prospered as a trade and port center, with natural resources such as turpentine, tar and pitch being exported to New England, the West Indies and England.  This trade allowed the import of sugar, molasses, rum and other manufactured goods.

Royal Governor William Tryon decided that New Bern’s central location along the coast made it ideal as a site for the state’s permanent capital.  He then authorized the construction of Tryon Palace, completed in 1770, and New Bern became the state’s political center – and the center of many events leading to the American Revolution, including the calling of the first publicly organized assembly in 1774.  This assembly was opposed by royal governor Josiah Martin, who succeeded Tryon after the latter’s acceptance of a similar post in New York.  Martin himself had to flee for safety the following year.  New Bern sheltered may privateers during the war.

In 1792, North Carolina lawmakers relocated the capital to Raleigh, but New Bern continued to grow and prosper due to its importance as a port city.

After the start of the Civil War, Northern military leaders made New Bern’s capture a strategic goal because of its location.   Occupation, which took place in March 1862, early in the war, led to the preservation of many homes and buildings, which were used as headquarters, hospitals and other necessary offices by the Northern troops.  After the war and Reconstruction, New Bern slowly began to prosper as a lumber town.

Although New Bern is very much a modern city that continues to grow, its charm remains historic.  In the heart of the town stands a reproduction of Tryon Palace.  Tours of the building are conducted by guides in period dress and guests enjoy the color provided by the thirteen acres of 18^th century style English gardens surrounding the Palace.  Special programs and events are offered each month for area residents and visitors.

The waterfront is home to outstanding marinas offering full amenities to both sail and boating enthusiasts.  Water-based recreational activities include fishing, sailing, swimming, boating, and water-skiing.

Golfers have a choice of outstanding courses, including championship 18-hold courses with waterfront fairways and PGA pros.  There are public and private tennis courts and several yacht clubs.  Park facilities include lighted tennis courts; outdoor ball courts; picnic tables and shelters; fishing piers, boat launching ramps; and fitness and exercise trails.

For hikers and campers, the nearby Croatan National Forest has approximately 155,000 acres of forest, 40 miles of streams, three hiking trails, and 4,300 acres of lakes.  The Croatan is generally open from April to September.

Cultural activities has always played an important role in this port city.  Music, theatre and the arts abound in Craven County, and New Bern itself has a civic theatre, a repertory theater group, a summer Shakespeare Festival, two concert series, several schools of dance, the arts council and art galleries, and antique shops.  Festivals, street fairs and special events held throughout the year add to the quality of life in New Bern.  Some of these include the spring Historic Homes and Gardens Tour, the Rotary Regatta, the MUMFest, Ghost Walk, and the Coastal Christmas Celebration to name a few.