A History Lesson: New Bern, NC
New Bern Waterfront
by Nancy L Rogers
Thanks to Hurricane Florence, New Bern has been in the news lately and not because it was the Colonial Capital of North Carolina. This charming historic town is not only the birthplace of yours truly, but also of Pepsi Cola.
It’s a lovely place, founded in 1710, by Baron von Graffenried from Bern, Switzerland and jam-packed with history. Four historic districts include more than 160 sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There are parks, gardens and about 2,000 crepe myrtles (the city’s official flower), a thriving sailing community, and the confluence of the Neuse and Trent Rivers. The setting for homes along the wide riverfront is absolutely beautiful. It is that unique and wonderful location that has caused them so many problems with this recent storm.
Keep everyone from New Bern in your thoughts as they clean-up and recover from Flo. Then, be sure to visit sometime in the near future.
I always pronounced it New Bern. However, it seems that the locals and those born there call it “Nuburn”. 🤔
Absolutely!
Thanks for sharing. Here’s hoping New Bern can recover from Florence.
Karen, I had never heard of New Bern until your blog. Now I’m dying to go there. Maybe a field trip sometime??? Being from a family from ole Virginia, I know much of Virginia history but none of North Carolina’s. Thanks so much for enlightening me. I’m guessing the folks there are from sturdy stock and will be able to recover from this wretched natural disaster. Thoughts and prayers are with them. Susan Baxa
A future field trip sounds like a great idea!