While traveling through
South Carolina we stopped by the city of New Bern. Our daughter,
Karin, used to work in this area when her husband, Shawn, was in
the Marine Corps and had told us many times about how lovely the
Tryon Palace was. So, we made a special trip to see it.
Fortunately, it was everything that she had said. Tryon Palace is
the cornerstone of historic New Bern and the city's most famous
building today, just as it was in the late 1700s. The original
Georgian building of Tryon Palace was built between 1767 and 1770
as the Government House and residence of the royal governor of
the colony of North Carolina, William Tryon. It was constructed
of local brick, with pine and cypress timbers felled in nearby
forests. Skilled craftsmen were brought to New Bern from as far
away as Philadelphia and London, as were building materials, such
as lead, glass, and ironwork, that were not available locally.
John Hawks was the first professionally trained builder and
architect to practice in the colony of North Carolina, and was
one of the few working in any of colonies. As his elegant plans
illustrate, Hawks brought a knowledge of up-to-date English
architecture to North Carolina.
Governor Tryon and his family moved into their new home in 1770
and on December 5 they hosted "a very grand and noble
Entertainment and Ball" to celebrate its completion. The
Tryons were not able to enjoy their new home very long, however.
In July of 1771 William Tryon was appointed governor of New York
and, with his family, moved to Fort George in New York City. Soon
the new (and last) royal governor, Josiah Martin, his wife and
their four children moved into the government house. In May of
1775, at the onset of the American Revolution, Martin fled the
capital, having already sent his wife and children to New York
for safety.
Until 1794, when the state capital was moved westward to Raleigh,
the Palace was used sporadically as a residence for the elected
governors and for governmental meetings.
When President George Washington visited New Bern in 1791, he was
entertained at the Palace. The building was demolished in the
19th century and the west wing, or Stables, remained standing and
was eventually converted to a residence in use well into the 20th
century.
A movement arose in the 1920s and 30s to reconstruct the Palace
on its original foundations. With donations and two trust funds
the plan to rebuild the Palace began after World War II. To bring
the Palace back to life, the
state of North Carolina purchased and removed over 50 buildings
from the original Palace land, re-routed Highway 70, and moved
the Trent River Bridge.
Once again artisans and materials came from Europe and America to
create the Palace. As result, present-day Tryon Palace stands as
one of this country's most thoroughly documented reconstructions
of a major colonial-period building.
Tryon Palace Historic Sites and Gardens also includes three other
important landmarks and 14 acres of gardens.
The John Wright Stanly House, built in 1779, reflects the wealth
of its owner -- a powerful New Bern citizen whose merchant ships
raided British vessels to aid the American cause during the
Revolutionary War.
The Dion-Stevenson House was owned by George W. Dixon, a
merchant, tailor, and one-time mayor of New Bern. He built this
home between 1826 and 1833 on a lot that was originally a part of
Tryon Palace's garden. A fine example of neoclassical
architecture, the house epitomizes New Bern's life-style in the
first half of the 19th century.
More than two hundred years of gardening history burst into bloom
for visitors to Tryon Palace Historic Sites and Gardens. From the
simple beginnings of colonial times to ornamental gardens of
William Tryon's day, stroll through the Wilderness and discover
plants that early colonists encountered upon their arrival; enjoy
showy displays in the Colonial Revival gardens created during the
1950s restoration.
We really enjoyed going through the Palace and surrounding
buildings and highly recommend it to anyone traveling through the
area. If you'd like to see more about the Tryon Palace, take a
look at their website at: http://www.tryonpalace.org.