New Bern, North Carolina
Encyclopedia
New Bern (ˈnjuːbərn) is a city
in Craven County
, North Carolina
with a population of 29,524 as of the 2010 census.
. It is located at the confluence of the Trent and the Neuse
rivers. The city is 112 miles (180 km) east of Raleigh
and 87 miles (140 km) northeast of Wilmington
.
Formerly an Indian town named Chattoka, New Bern was settled in 1710 as a Swiss immigrant settlement, the city is named after Bern, Switzerland
, which is its capital. Bern is bear in the German language and it has a similar flag as the Swiss. The Swiss connection (just as the Dutch
in New Amsterdam
, and German
immigrants in Pennsylvania Dutch
) with England
was established by Marian exiles
and marriages of the Royal House of Stuart
, notable people in the history of Calvinism
.
New Bern is the second oldest town in North Carolina. It served as the capital of the North Carolina colonial government and then briefly as the state capital. After the American Revolution
, New Bern became wealthy and quickly developed a rich cultural life. In fact, at one time New Bern was called "the Athens of the South."
Renowned in the South were the Masonic Temple and the Athens Theater, both still very active today. The Masonic Theater is the oldest theater in America in continuous use!
New Bern is the county seat
of Craven County
and the principal city of the New Bern Micropolitan Statistical Area
.
New Bern is the birthplace of the international drink, Pepsi Cola
. It is also the setting of the Nicholas Sparks' book, The Notebook
. A segment on NBC
's The Today Show
which aired March 16, 2005, mentioned that New Bern was one of the best places in the United States to retire which has been a haven for retirees from the northern states.
New Bern has four historic districts with homes, stores and churches dating back to the early eighteenth century. Within easy walking distance of the waterfront are more than 164 homes and buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. Also nearby are several bed and breakfast inns, hotels, restaurants, banks, antiques stores and specialty shops. The historic districts also are home to many of the town's 2,000 crape myrtles — New Bern’s official flower — and glorious gardens. During the spring explosion of dogwoods and azaleas, a ride through many town neighborhoods is unforgettable.
At Union Point park, located downtown borders both the Neuse
and Trent Rivers, the city’s major celebration spot for events such as Neuse River Days and the Fourth of July. In 1979 local government gave Swiss Bear Downtown Revitalization Corp — a nonprofit corporation of civic leaders — the authority and responsibility to capitalize on the potential of the failing downtown area. Today, art galleries, specialty shops, antiques stores, restaurants and inns have resurrected downtown and the waterfront into a social hub. Improvements are continuously underway. Built and dedicated in 1995 through the efforts of Swiss Bear, James Reed Lane is a downtown mini-park and pedestrian walk-through on Pollock Street across from historic Christ Church. Private restoration efforts return many of the downtown buildings to their turn-of-the-last-century elegance.
New Bern is a very welcoming city. With an abundance of history, water, golf courses, historic downtown, favorable tax rates, and a mild climate, retires from all over the nation are moving to the area.
Varying complex cultures of indigenous peoples
had lived along the waterways of North Carolina for thousands of years before Europeans explored the area. New Bern was first settled by Europeans in 1710 by Swiss and German immigrants under the leadership of Christoph de Graffenried, Franz Louis Michel and John Lawson. It was named after the (later) capital of Switzerland, Bern. The first permanent seat of the colonial government of North Carolina was located in New Bern. Following the American Revolutionary War
, New Bern became the first state capital. Christoph von Graffenried
ordered that the layout of the town was made into the shape of a cross, although the town is not in the shape today due to growth of the town and towns surrounding it.
Tryon Palace
was completed in 1770 and was the former home of British governor William Tryon
. It was used as the original state capitol building of newly independent North Carolina. It burned down in the 1790s. A replica, built from the original plans and on the original foundation, is now maintained as a historic site and tourist attraction. During the 19th-century Federal period, New Bern was the largest city in North Carolina. After Raleigh
was named as the state capital, New Bern rebuilt its economy with the help of trade routes to the Caribbean
and New England
. It reached a population of 3,600 in 1815.
In 1862 during the early stages of the American Civil War
, New Bern was the site of the Battle of New Bern
. The town was captured and occupied by Union
until the end of the war in 1865. Numerous slaves escaped and went to the Union camps for protection, as the Union Army set up the Trent River contraband
camp to house the refugees. The Union soldiers created the Trent River contraband
camp to house the many former slaves who migrated to the Union lines for protection and freedom.
Beginning in 1863, a total of nearly 4,000 freedmen from North Carolina enlisted in the United States Colored Troops
to fight with the Union for their permanent freedom, including 150 men from the Freedmen's Colony.They worked for pay for the Union and later many of the men were among the nearly 4,000 from North Carolina who enlisted in the United States Colored Troops
.e After the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation
of President Abraham Lincoln
, slaves in Union-occupied territories were declared free; more freedmen came to the Trent River camp for protection. The Army appointed Horace James, a Congregational chaplain from Massachusetts, as the "Superintendent of Negro Affairs for the North Carolina District."
In addition to the Trent River camp, James supervised development of the offshore Roanoke Island Freedmen's Colony, which was intended to be self-supporting.
Although many southern towns suffered both physically and economically during the Civil War, New Bern due to the continuous occupation by the Union troops to keep order in place enabled the town to recover after the war had ended much quicker than many other towns. By the 1870's the lumber industry was quickly becoming New Bern's major economic source. By 1890 the large area of forest land, combined with the two rivers, had being used for transportation of the logs. This enabled New Bern to become the largest lumber center in North Carolina and one of the largest in all of the South. During this time as many as 16 lumber mills were running and employing hundreds of New Bernian's. The competitive nature of the lumber barons, the abundance of lumber and craftsmen, led to the creation of some of the finest homes in the south, many of which are still in existence. The lumber boom was to last until the 1920's. One by one the lumber mills went out of business and today only Weyerhaeuser
manufactures lumber in the area.
New Bern has several historical first:
In 1720 the first road and ferry in North Carolina (from New Bern to Bath.
In 1749 the first printing press (and therefore the first newspaper, book and pamphlet printed) in North Carolina.
In 1766 the first incorporated school in North Carolina.
In 1770 the first permanent Colonial Capitol Building completed.
In 1777 the first permanent State Capitol Building and site of first inauguration of State Officials.
Also in 1777 was the first meeting of the North Carolina state legislature.
In 1778 the first public banking institution in North Carolina.
In 1778 first in North Carolina to celebrate Independence Day
.
In 1783 first bookstore in North Carolina.
In 1790 first postal service in North Carolina.
In 1793 first death sentence by a Federal Court in the United States and first public hanging.
In 1796 first in America to celebrate George Washington's birthday.
In 1805 first theater in America still in regular operation
In 1810 first large-faced clock on a building in North Carolina.
In 1817 first Presbyterian Church organization and building in Presbytery.
In 1818 first steamboat owned in North Carolina.
In 1821 first Roman Catholic Church and parish in North Carolina.
In 1845 first chartered fire department in North Carolina still in existence.
In 1862 first torpedo (land mine) put to practical use invented here.
In 1863 first congregation in the South to join the national AME Zion Church (St. Peter's.
In 1868 first public school for African-Americans in North Carolina.
In 1898 first to develop, bottle and market Pepsi-Cola.
In 1901 first town of its size to have its own electric plant.
In 1903 first registered nurse in America (Josephine Burton, June 3, 1903.
In 1911 first motion picture theatre in North Carolina built from the ground up.
In 1912 first consolidated school in North Carolina with a bus transportation system.
In 1942 first modern naval minesweeper made in North Carolina launched here.
In 1972 first fully computerized radio broadcasting station in North Carolina.
In 1996 first novel in America to be on both the hardcover and paperback best seller lists for over a year.
New Bern is located at 35°6′33"N 77°4′9"W (35.109070, -77.069111).
New Bern is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks
region. According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 27.0 square miles (69.9 km²), of which, 25.8 square miles (66.9 km²) of it is land and 1.2 square miles (3.0 km²) of it (4.30%) is water.
typical of the Atlantic coastal plain
. Summers are hot and humid, with frequent afternoon thunderstorm
s and higher amounts of rainfall. Spring and fall are generally mild, with fall foliage occurring from late October to early November. Winters are chilly to cold, with lower average precipitation and occasional snowfall.
and 5.8% Hispanic
and less than 1% Native American
, Also, there were 14,471 housing units in New Bern city, 88.2% of which were occupied housing units.
From the 2000 census there were 10,006 households out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.5% were married couples
living together, 18.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.2% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the year 2000, the city the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 83.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city in 2000 was $29,139, and the median income for a family was $38,990. Males had a median income of $28,720 versus $21,687 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $18,499. About 14.7% of families and 19.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.4% of those under age 18 and 14.1% of those age 65 or over.
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in Craven County
Craven County, North Carolina
Craven County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The estimated population in 2006 was 94,875. Its county seat is New Bern.Craven County is part of the New Bern, North Carolina, Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
with a population of 29,524 as of the 2010 census.
. It is located at the confluence of the Trent and the Neuse
Neuse River
The Neuse River is a river rising in the Piedmont of North Carolina and emptying into Pamlico Sound below New Bern. Its total length is approximately , making it the longest river entirely contained in North Carolina. The Trent River joins it at New Bern. Its drainage basin, measuring in area,...
rivers. The city is 112 miles (180 km) east of Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
and 87 miles (140 km) northeast of Wilmington
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
.
Formerly an Indian town named Chattoka, New Bern was settled in 1710 as a Swiss immigrant settlement, the city is named after Bern, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, which is its capital. Bern is bear in the German language and it has a similar flag as the Swiss. The Swiss connection (just as the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in New Amsterdam
New Amsterdam
New Amsterdam was a 17th-century Dutch colonial settlement that served as the capital of New Netherland. It later became New York City....
, and German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
immigrants in Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch refers to immigrants and their descendants from southwestern Germany and Switzerland who settled in Pennsylvania in the 17th and 18th centuries...
) with England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
was established by Marian exiles
Marian exiles
The Marian Exiles were English Calvinist Protestants who fled to the continent during the reign of Queen Mary I.-Exile communities:According to English historian John Strype, more than 800 Protestants fled to the continent, mainly to the Low Countries, Germany, Switzerland, and France, and joined...
and marriages of the Royal House of Stuart
House of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
, notable people in the history of Calvinism
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
.
New Bern is the second oldest town in North Carolina. It served as the capital of the North Carolina colonial government and then briefly as the state capital. After the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, New Bern became wealthy and quickly developed a rich cultural life. In fact, at one time New Bern was called "the Athens of the South."
Renowned in the South were the Masonic Temple and the Athens Theater, both still very active today. The Masonic Theater is the oldest theater in America in continuous use!
New Bern is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Craven County
Craven County, North Carolina
Craven County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The estimated population in 2006 was 94,875. Its county seat is New Bern.Craven County is part of the New Bern, North Carolina, Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
and the principal city of the New Bern Micropolitan Statistical Area
New Bern micropolitan area
The New Bern Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in the Inner Banks region of eastern North Carolina, anchored by the city of New Bern....
.
New Bern is the birthplace of the international drink, Pepsi Cola
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
. It is also the setting of the Nicholas Sparks' book, The Notebook
The Notebook
The Notebook is a 1996 romantic novel by American novelist Nicholas Sparks, based on a true story. The novel was later adapted into a popular romance film by the same name in 2004.-Background:...
. A segment on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's The Today Show
The Today Show
Today is an iconic American morning news and talk show airing every morning on NBC. Debuting on January 14, 1952, it was the first of its genre on American television and in the world. The show is also the fourth-longest running American television series...
which aired March 16, 2005, mentioned that New Bern was one of the best places in the United States to retire which has been a haven for retirees from the northern states.
New Bern has four historic districts with homes, stores and churches dating back to the early eighteenth century. Within easy walking distance of the waterfront are more than 164 homes and buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. Also nearby are several bed and breakfast inns, hotels, restaurants, banks, antiques stores and specialty shops. The historic districts also are home to many of the town's 2,000 crape myrtles — New Bern’s official flower — and glorious gardens. During the spring explosion of dogwoods and azaleas, a ride through many town neighborhoods is unforgettable.
At Union Point park, located downtown borders both the Neuse
Neuse River
The Neuse River is a river rising in the Piedmont of North Carolina and emptying into Pamlico Sound below New Bern. Its total length is approximately , making it the longest river entirely contained in North Carolina. The Trent River joins it at New Bern. Its drainage basin, measuring in area,...
and Trent Rivers, the city’s major celebration spot for events such as Neuse River Days and the Fourth of July. In 1979 local government gave Swiss Bear Downtown Revitalization Corp — a nonprofit corporation of civic leaders — the authority and responsibility to capitalize on the potential of the failing downtown area. Today, art galleries, specialty shops, antiques stores, restaurants and inns have resurrected downtown and the waterfront into a social hub. Improvements are continuously underway. Built and dedicated in 1995 through the efforts of Swiss Bear, James Reed Lane is a downtown mini-park and pedestrian walk-through on Pollock Street across from historic Christ Church. Private restoration efforts return many of the downtown buildings to their turn-of-the-last-century elegance.
New Bern is a very welcoming city. With an abundance of history, water, golf courses, historic downtown, favorable tax rates, and a mild climate, retires from all over the nation are moving to the area.
History
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
had lived along the waterways of North Carolina for thousands of years before Europeans explored the area. New Bern was first settled by Europeans in 1710 by Swiss and German immigrants under the leadership of Christoph de Graffenried, Franz Louis Michel and John Lawson. It was named after the (later) capital of Switzerland, Bern. The first permanent seat of the colonial government of North Carolina was located in New Bern. Following the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, New Bern became the first state capital. Christoph von Graffenried
Christoph von Graffenried
Christoph von Graffenried led a group of Swiss and Palatine Germans to North Carolina in 1705, and later authored Relation of My American Project, an account of the establishment of this colony in the New World....
ordered that the layout of the town was made into the shape of a cross, although the town is not in the shape today due to growth of the town and towns surrounding it.
Tryon Palace
Tryon Palace is a modern reconstruction of the historical colonial royal governors' palace of the Province of North Carolina. It was constructed in the 1950s across the original mansion site located in the city of New Bern, North Carolina. Today it is a State Historic Site. The Palace gardens are...
was completed in 1770 and was the former home of British governor William Tryon
William Tryon
William Tryon was a British soldier and colonial administrator who served as governor of the Province of North Carolina and the Province of New York .-Early life and career:...
. It was used as the original state capitol building of newly independent North Carolina. It burned down in the 1790s. A replica, built from the original plans and on the original foundation, is now maintained as a historic site and tourist attraction. During the 19th-century Federal period, New Bern was the largest city in North Carolina. After Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
was named as the state capital, New Bern rebuilt its economy with the help of trade routes to the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
and New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. It reached a population of 3,600 in 1815.
In 1862 during the early stages of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, New Bern was the site of the Battle of New Bern
Battle of New Bern
The Battle of New Bern was fought on 14 March 1862, near the city of New Bern, North Carolina, as part of the Burnside Expedition of the American Civil War. The US Army's Coast Division, led by Brigadier General Ambrose E...
. The town was captured and occupied by Union
Union
Union may refer to:* Trade union or labor union, an organization of workers that have banded together, often for the purpose of getting better working conditions or pay...
until the end of the war in 1865. Numerous slaves escaped and went to the Union camps for protection, as the Union Army set up the Trent River contraband
Contraband
The word contraband, reported in English since 1529, from Medieval French contrebande "a smuggling," denotes any item which, relating to its nature, is illegal to be possessed or sold....
camp to house the refugees. The Union soldiers created the Trent River contraband
Contraband (American Civil War)
Contraband was a term commonly used in the United States military during the American Civil War to describe a new status for certain escaped slaves or those who affiliated with Union forces after the military determined that the US would not return escaped slaves who went to Union lines to their...
camp to house the many former slaves who migrated to the Union lines for protection and freedom.
Beginning in 1863, a total of nearly 4,000 freedmen from North Carolina enlisted in the United States Colored Troops
United States Colored Troops
The United States Colored Troops were regiments of the United States Army during the American Civil War that were composed of African American soldiers. First recruited in 1863, by the end of the Civil War, the men of the 175 regiments of the USCT constituted approximately one-tenth of the Union...
to fight with the Union for their permanent freedom, including 150 men from the Freedmen's Colony.They worked for pay for the Union and later many of the men were among the nearly 4,000 from North Carolina who enlisted in the United States Colored Troops
United States Colored Troops
The United States Colored Troops were regiments of the United States Army during the American Civil War that were composed of African American soldiers. First recruited in 1863, by the end of the Civil War, the men of the 175 regiments of the USCT constituted approximately one-tenth of the Union...
.e After the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation
Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation is an executive order issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War using his war powers. It proclaimed the freedom of 3.1 million of the nation's 4 million slaves, and immediately freed 50,000 of them, with nearly...
of President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
, slaves in Union-occupied territories were declared free; more freedmen came to the Trent River camp for protection. The Army appointed Horace James, a Congregational chaplain from Massachusetts, as the "Superintendent of Negro Affairs for the North Carolina District."
In addition to the Trent River camp, James supervised development of the offshore Roanoke Island Freedmen's Colony, which was intended to be self-supporting.
Although many southern towns suffered both physically and economically during the Civil War, New Bern due to the continuous occupation by the Union troops to keep order in place enabled the town to recover after the war had ended much quicker than many other towns. By the 1870's the lumber industry was quickly becoming New Bern's major economic source. By 1890 the large area of forest land, combined with the two rivers, had being used for transportation of the logs. This enabled New Bern to become the largest lumber center in North Carolina and one of the largest in all of the South. During this time as many as 16 lumber mills were running and employing hundreds of New Bernian's. The competitive nature of the lumber barons, the abundance of lumber and craftsmen, led to the creation of some of the finest homes in the south, many of which are still in existence. The lumber boom was to last until the 1920's. One by one the lumber mills went out of business and today only Weyerhaeuser
Weyerhaeuser
Weyerhaeuser is one of the largest pulp and paper companies in the world. It is the world's largest private sector owner of softwood timberland; and the second largest owner of United States timberland, behind Plum Creek Timber...
manufactures lumber in the area.
New Bern has several historical first:
In 1720 the first road and ferry in North Carolina (from New Bern to Bath.
In 1749 the first printing press (and therefore the first newspaper, book and pamphlet printed) in North Carolina.
In 1766 the first incorporated school in North Carolina.
In 1770 the first permanent Colonial Capitol Building completed.
In 1777 the first permanent State Capitol Building and site of first inauguration of State Officials.
Also in 1777 was the first meeting of the North Carolina state legislature.
In 1778 the first public banking institution in North Carolina.
In 1778 first in North Carolina to celebrate Independence Day
Independence Day
An Independence Day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's assumption of independent statehood, usually after ceasing to be a colony or part of another nation or state, and more rarely after the end of a military occupation...
.
In 1783 first bookstore in North Carolina.
In 1790 first postal service in North Carolina.
In 1793 first death sentence by a Federal Court in the United States and first public hanging.
In 1796 first in America to celebrate George Washington's birthday.
In 1805 first theater in America still in regular operation
In 1810 first large-faced clock on a building in North Carolina.
In 1817 first Presbyterian Church organization and building in Presbytery.
In 1818 first steamboat owned in North Carolina.
In 1821 first Roman Catholic Church and parish in North Carolina.
In 1845 first chartered fire department in North Carolina still in existence.
In 1862 first torpedo (land mine) put to practical use invented here.
In 1863 first congregation in the South to join the national AME Zion Church (St. Peter's.
In 1868 first public school for African-Americans in North Carolina.
In 1898 first to develop, bottle and market Pepsi-Cola.
In 1901 first town of its size to have its own electric plant.
In 1903 first registered nurse in America (Josephine Burton, June 3, 1903.
In 1911 first motion picture theatre in North Carolina built from the ground up.
In 1912 first consolidated school in North Carolina with a bus transportation system.
In 1942 first modern naval minesweeper made in North Carolina launched here.
In 1972 first fully computerized radio broadcasting station in North Carolina.
In 1996 first novel in America to be on both the hardcover and paperback best seller lists for over a year.
Geography
New Bern is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks
Inner Banks
The Inner Banks is a term used by some to describe the inland coastal region of eastern North Carolina, an area on the East Coast of the United States that is 22,227 square-miles by its broadest definition...
region. According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 27.0 square miles (69.9 km²), of which, 25.8 square miles (66.9 km²) of it is land and 1.2 square miles (3.0 km²) of it (4.30%) is water.
Climate
New Bern experiences a humid subtropical climateHumid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
typical of the Atlantic coastal plain
Atlantic Coastal Plain
The Atlantic coastal plain has both low elevation and low relief, but it is also a relatively flat landform extending from the New York Bight southward to a Georgia/Florida section of the Eastern Continental Divide, which demarcates the plain from the ACF River Basin in the Gulf Coastal Plain to...
. Summers are hot and humid, with frequent afternoon thunderstorm
Thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the...
s and higher amounts of rainfall. Spring and fall are generally mild, with fall foliage occurring from late October to early November. Winters are chilly to cold, with lower average precipitation and occasional snowfall.
Demographics
According to New Bern city Census 2010 results, the population of the area was approximately 29,524 people. From 2000 to 2010, the New Bern city population growth percentage was 27.7% (or from 23,128 people to 29,524 people). 22.8% of the New Bern city residents were under 18 years of age. Census 2010 race data for New Bern city include the racial breakdown percentages of 57.0 white 32.8% black, 3.6% AsianAsian
Asian refers to an inhabitant of Asia, or someone of Asian descent.In the Americas, the term refers almost exclusively to those from the Asia pacific region, such as China, Japan, South Korea or Vietnam....
and 5.8% Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
and less than 1% Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
, Also, there were 14,471 housing units in New Bern city, 88.2% of which were occupied housing units.
From the 2000 census there were 10,006 households out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 18.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.2% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the year 2000, the city the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 83.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city in 2000 was $29,139, and the median income for a family was $38,990. Males had a median income of $28,720 versus $21,687 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $18,499. About 14.7% of families and 19.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.4% of those under age 18 and 14.1% of those age 65 or over.
Middle schools
- Grover C. Fields Middle School
- H.J. McDonald Middle School {Principal Karen Wood}
- West Craven Middle School
Elementary schools
- Trent Park Elementary School
- Oaks Road Elementary School
- J.T. Barber Elementary School
- Brinson Memorial Elementary School
- Ben D. Quinn Elementary School
- Albert H. Bangert Elementary School
- Creekside Elementary School
- Bridgeton Elementary School
Private schools
- Calvary Baptist Christian School
- St. Paul Catholic School (St. Paul Education Center)
- The Epiphany School
Notable people
- Lewis Addison ArmisteadLewis Addison ArmisteadLewis Addison Armistead was a Confederate brigadier general in the American Civil War, who was wounded, captured, and died after Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg.-Early life:...
, Confederate Army brigadier generalBrigadier GeneralBrigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000... - George Edmund BadgerGeorge Edmund BadgerGeorge Edmund Badger was a Whig U.S. senator from the state of North Carolina.Badger was born on April 17, 1795 in New Bern, North Carolina. Following a partial college education at Yale University, he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1814...
, politician - Graham Arthur BardenGraham Arthur BardenGraham Arthur Barden was a Democratic U.S. Congressman from North Carolina between 1935 and 1961.Born in Sampson County, North Carolina in 1896, he moved to Burgaw, North Carolina at the age of 12, where he attended public schools...
, 13 term congressman (1935–1961). - Cullen A. BattleCullen A. BattleCullen Andrews Battle was an American attorney, politician, and general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...
, postbellum Mayor of New Bern - Samuel J. BattleSamuel J. BattleSamuel Jesse Battle was the first black police officer in the city of Brooklyn, later New York City...
, first African-American policeman in New York City. - Walt Bellamy, NBA Hall of Fame basketball player
- Caleb BradhamCaleb BradhamCaleb Davis Bradham invented the soft drink Pepsi-Cola. He was a pharmacist, born in Chinquapin, Duplin County, North Carolina, May 27, 1867...
, inventor of Pepsi-Cola. - John Heritage BryanJohn Heritage BryanJohn Heritage Bryan was a U.S. Representative from North Carolina.Born in New Bern, North Carolina, Bryan studied under private teachers and attended New Bern Academy....
, US Representative - Davon DrewDavon DrewDavon Anthony Drew is an American football tight end for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Ravens in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
, Tight end for the Baltimore RavensBaltimore RavensThe Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his... - Elwood EdwardsElwood EdwardsElwood Edwards is an American voice over actor. He is best known as the voice of the Internet service provider America Online, which he first recorded in 1989...
, voice of AOL's "You've got mail" - William GastonWilliam GastonWilliam J. Gaston was a jurist and United States Representative from North Carolina. Gaston was born in New Bern, North Carolina, the son of Dr. Alexander Gaston and Margaret Gaston. He entered Georgetown College in Washington, D.C., at the age of thirteen, becoming its first student...
, jurist and U.S. Representative - Montario HardestyMontario Hardesty-External links:* *...
, NFL running back for the Cleveland BrownsCleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - George KoonceGeorge KoonceGeorge Koonce is a former linebacker in the NFL and also served as the Director of Athletics at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee between 2009 and 2010.-Atlanta Falcons:...
, NFL player for the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
and Seattle SeahawksSeattle SeahawksThe Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
, Athletic Director of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee - Bob MannBob Mann (American football)Robert "Bob" Mann was an American football end. A native of New Bern, North Carolina, Mann played college football at Hampton Institute in 1942 and 1943 and at the University of Michigan in 1944, 1946 and 1947. He broke the Big Ten Conference record for receiving yardage in 1946 and again in 1947...
, NFL, Football player, first African-American to play for the Detroit LionsDetroit LionsThe Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, and later also the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
. - Aaron MartinAaron MartinAaron Beamon Martin is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Washington Redskins. He played college football at North Carolina Central University....
, Former NFL player - Linda McMahonLinda McMahonLinda Marie McMahon is an American professional wrestling magnate and politician. She is notable for her career developing WWE with her husband Vince McMahon. She was in the company from 1980 to 2009. During this time, WWE grew from a small regional business in New York to a large multinational...
, wife of World Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
founder Vince McMahonVince McMahonVincent Kennedy "Vince" McMahon is an American professional wrestling promoter, announcer, commentator, film producer, actor and former occasional professional wrestler. McMahon is the current Chairman, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Committee of professional wrestling promotion WWE... - Eliza Jane McKissackEliza Jane McKissackEliza Jane McKissack was a music teacher who, in 1890, became the founding head of music at the University of North Texas College of Music, then called Normal Conservatory of Music, part of Texas Normal College and Teacher Training Institute, which was...
,First Director and a founding member of the Conservator of Music at the University of North TexasUniversity of North TexasThe University of North Texas is a public institution of higher education and research in Denton. Founded in 1890, UNT is part of the University of North Texas System. As of the fall of 2010, the University of North Texas, Denton campus, had a certified enrollment of 36,067... - James E.C. PerryJames E.C. PerryJames E.C. Perry is a Justice of the Florida Supreme Court. He was appointed by Governor Charlie Crist in March 2009 to replace retiring Justice Charles T...
, Justice of the Florida Supreme Court - Teddy ShapouTeddy ShapouTheodore "Teddy" Roosevelt Shapou, Teddy Shapou, was an American war hero of World War II. Born in Lawrence, Massachusetts in 1919 to Lebanese-American parents, he grew up in New Bern, North Carolina with his three sisters. He first attended NC State in Raleigh, NC, then transferred to Georgetown...
,Distinguished and awarded Flying Tiger during World War ll - Brian SimmonsBrian SimmonsBrian Eugene Simmons is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals 17th overall in the 1998 NFL Draft...
, NFL player - Furnifold Simmons, U.S. Senator
- Richard Dobbs SpaightRichard Dobbs SpaightRichard Dobbs Spaight was the eighth Governor of the American State of North Carolina from 1792 to 1795.-Early life:Spaight was born in New Bern, North Carolina, the son of the Secretary of the Crown in the colony...
, signer of the Declaration of IndependenceDeclaration of independenceA declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state... - Edward StanlyEdward StanlyEdward W. Stanly was a North Carolina politician and orator who represented the southeastern portion of the State in the U.S. House for five terms. In 1857, Stanly ran for Governor of California but lost to John B. Weller. Politicians of the mid-nineteenth century remarked that Stanly bore a...
Son of John StanlyJohn StanlyJohn Stanly was a Federalist U.S. Congressman from North Carolina between 1801 and 1803 and again between 1809 and 1811. He was the father of Edward Stanly....
, US Representative 1837-1843, appointed Military Governor of North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
in 1862 - John StanlyJohn StanlyJohn Stanly was a Federalist U.S. Congressman from North Carolina between 1801 and 1803 and again between 1809 and 1811. He was the father of Edward Stanly....
, Father of Edward StanleyEdward StanleyEdward Stanley may refer to:*Edward Stanley, 1st Baron Monteagle , English soldier and peer*Edward Stanley, 3rd Earl of Derby , English nobleman*Edward Stanley, 11th Earl of Derby , British peer and politician...
, Congressman 1801-1803 1809-1811 - Adam WarrenAdam Warren (baseball)Adam Parrish Warren is a Minor League Baseball pitcher in the New York Yankees organization. He currently plays for Triple A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees.-Baseball career:...
, baseball player in the New York YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
organization - Kevin Meade Williamson, AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
screen writer, I Know What You Did Last SummerI Know What You Did Last SummerI Know What You Did Last Summer is a 1997 American horror film. The film stars Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe and Freddie Prinze Jr. The screenplay was written by Kevin Williamson, writer of Scream, and very loosely based on Lois Duncan's popular novel of the same title...
, television series Dawson's CreekDawson's CreekDawson's Creek is an American teen drama television series which debuted on January 20, 1998, on The WB Television Network and was produced by Sony Pictures Television. The show is set in the fictional seaside town of Capeside, Massachusetts, and in Boston, Massachusetts, during the later seasons...