High Hopes and Steadfast Belief by Claudia Houston, Historian, New Bern Historical Society Map courtesy David Rumsey Historic Map Collection; https://davidrumsey.oldmapsonline.org/. At the start of the Civil War in 1861, the small towns of Deer Isle, Maine and Charlotte, North Carolina were about as far apart geographically, ideologically, and socioeconomically as they could be. Situated …
Celebrities Who Served by Claudia Houston, Historian, New Bern Historical Society A number of men and women who have served in the military in North Carolina became famous for their careers in film, sports, and NASA. How many of these stories do you know? Old-time movie aficionados will remember the matinee idol Tyrone Power, the …
A Grand House Finds A Home by Claudia Houston, Historian, New Bern Historical Society Photo credit Ben Lindemann, New Bern, @benlindemannphotography The Historical Society’s 100th Anniversary celebration continues and with it comes an opportunity to reflect upon our long history as an organization. The Society had a rousing start, but due to the Depression and …
Recollections of My Slavery Days by Claudia Houston, Historian, New Bern Historical Society “I have lived through the greatest epoch in history, having been born August 10, 1835, at Newbern, North Carolina. That was not so many years, you see, after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and the winning of the Revolutionary War. …
Another New Bern History Mystery by Claudia Houston, Historian, New Bern Historical Society Poster published on behalf of the Naval Rendezvous, New Berne, North Carolina, 2 November 1863. Photograph from the Naval Records Collection in the U.S. National Archives. During the Civil War, women were not allowed to enlist in the military. In previous articles …
How it All Began by Claudia Houston, Historian, New Bern Historical Society The New Bern Historical Society proudly celebrated its 100th Anniversary on April 19, 2023! A century of service is a significant achievement for any organization, especially a small nonprofit. The Historical Society’s mission today is “to promote and celebrate New Bern and its …
Ladies at Arms – Who Knew? by Claudia Houston, Historian, New Bern Historical Society Women’s military drill team at Carr-Burdette College, Sherman, TX Did you know that the ladies in New Bern at one time had a Military Drill Company? The November 10, 1885, New Bern Daily Journal announced that “The Ladies of the Baptist …
First Federal Death Sentence – in New Bern? by Claudia Houston, Historian, New Bern Historical Society A true tale of mayhem, mutiny, and murder on the high seas led to six mariners being charged with murder off the coast of Ocracoke. The subsequent court case, held in New Bern in 1793, resulted in the death …
Starting the New Year with a Bang! by Claudia Houston, Historian, New Bern Historical Society Photograph of two experimental Colt percussion revolvers courtesy Museum of Connecticut History/Connecticut State Library In April 2023, the New Bern Historical Society will celebrate its 100th Anniversary with an exciting exhibit in the Duffy Gallery of the North Carolina History …
Two Small Sparks, One Great Fire: What a Difference a Day Makes by Claudia Houston, Historian, New Bern Historical Society The New Bernian, December 2, 1922 Friday, December 1, 1922, started out in anticipatory fashion as over 400 people from New Bern left for Raleigh to attend the Eastern Carolina Football Championship between New Bern …