Let the Horse Decide: Fuller’s Music Story NBHS Historian/Claudia Houston At a fork on a sandy road outside Bridgeton, a wagon creaked to a halt. George Reid Fuller Sr., with a pump organ in tow and a horse out front, loosened the reins and let fate—or rather, the horse—choose the way. Left meant Vanceboro; right […]
This Month in New Bern History – January 2026 Read More »
The Night New Bern “Switched-On” Christmas! NBHS Historian/Claudia Houston Have you ever wondered how we celebrated the holidays in the past compared to how we do so now? How did some of these traditions start in New Bern? Every year, a public tree is put up downtown, and a celebratory tree lighting takes place to
This Month in New Bern History – December 2025 Read More »
Honor Delayed: The Harlem Hellfighter Buried in New Bern NBHS Historian/Claudia Houston Harlem Hellfighters – National Archives The legendary Harlem Hellfighters—World War I’s All-Black 369th Infantry Regiment—were recently honored with the Congressional Gold Medal in Washington, D.C., and New York. Known for their unmatched courage, the Hellfighters served 191 consecutive days in combat—longer than any
This Month in New Bern History – November 2025 Read More »
A Pulitzer, a Love Story, and New Bern’s Link to the Wall Street Journal NBHS Historian/Claudia Houston New Bern has a knack for attracting fascinating people. Some are born here, some pass through, and others find themselves drawn back later in life. Two of those people lead us straight from East Front Street to the
This Month in New Bern History – October 2025 Read More »
Two Brothers, One War: The Whitman Legacy in Battle and Verse NBHS Historian/Claudia Houston Celebrated poet Walt Whitman is often praised for his poetic portrayal of the American Civil War. His younger brother, George Washington Whitman, endured the war as a soldier, prisoner, and survivor. George’s experiences in the war were different from the literary
This Month in New Bern History – September 2025 Read More »
Lost at Sea – The Croom Family Legal Odyssey NBHS Historian/Claudia Houston William Croom of Lenoir County played a key role in defending New Bern during the Revolutionary War. His post-war investments in Florida land made him a wealthy man. His son, Hardy Bryan Croom, born in 1797, graduated from UNC with a law degree.
This Month in New Bern History – August 2025 Read More »
A Legacy Built in Faith and Brick: The Story of Pastor George A. Rue and Rue Chapel NBHS Historian/Claudia Houston In the heart of New Bern, North Carolina, stands a church built not just with bricks, but with faith, vision, and resilience — characteristics that reflect those of its remarkable pastor, George A. Rue. Born
This Month in New Bern History – July 2025 Read More »
A Local Legend with a Global Past NBHS Historian/Claudia Houston New Bern has seen its fair share of ambitious dreamers, but few have left a mark quite like James Milton West. Born in Ohio in 1879, West was anything but ordinary. By the time he made New Bern his home in the 1920s, he had
This Month in New Bern History – June 2025 Read More »
The Forgotten Keepers of the Light NBHS Historian/Claudia Houston The lighthouses of North Carolina helped guide ships through treacherous waters, and lighthouse keepers tended their lights with quiet dedication. Among these unsung guardians were two sisters from New Bern—Martha Annie and Susan Dena McCotter. Their remarkable yet forgotten contributions helped keep sailors safe along the
This Month in New Bern History – May 2025 Read More »
Historic Five Points District NBHS Historian/Claudia Houston Whether you are new to the City of New Bern or a long-time resident, you have probably heard of the area known as Five Points. However, many ask, where exactly is it and what is its historical significance? Intersection of Five Points New Bern’s Five Points is just
This Month in New Bern History – February 2025 Read More »