Some of New Bern’s distinctive homes: Top — Smallwood- Ward home.
Lower left — The John Wright Stanly house, now a public library. Lower
right — Jarvis-Hand home.
Homes of New Bern
A prominent architect recently
wrote of New Bern: '‘The most
prolific in (food architecture of
all the little cities of the South.*'
By tiertruile S. Curraway
WITH widespread interest now
centered so strongly on colonial
homes throughout Eastern
America, numerous type* Itcing pre¬
served and restored
Virginia. South Carolina nn<
where, it is important for
Carolinians to realize that tin
many fine old dwellings in thi
dating back well over
я
con t nr
Especially in New Bern are there
many outstanding examples of the
past. Every week there are tourists
or other visitors who stop to inspect
the matchless dwellings that .-till pos¬
sess the indefinable charm of ancient
beauty and rare atmosphere.
Strangely enough. New Bern's co¬
lonial domestic architecture i« unlike
that of the rest of the state or that of
Charleston. Years ago the town's
contacts were chiefly with New Eng¬
land, through extensive water trade.
Hence, the remaining colonial and
Georgian buildings are quite similar
to those still standing in Salem, Mass.,
and other parts of the North.
Unfortunately, the preeminent
"home" in New Bern, historic Tryon
Palace, was burned in 1 7!'S, and only
one wing now stands. It is Governor
Clyde E. Hoey’s hope to have this
structure restored during his admin¬
istration.
Tryon Palace was long the social
center of North Carolina, and was
recognized as “jho most beautiful
building in the Americas.” It was
constructed 1767-1770 by Royal (lov¬
ernor William Tryon. Both he and
his successor, Royal Governor Josiah
Martin, resided there. The first two
provincial conventions of North Caro¬
lina met there. President George
Washington and many other notable*
were entertained in the building; and
there Richmond Caswell, first Gov¬
ernor, and other first state officials
under an independent North Carolina
were inaugurated. The first State
General Assembly met there April 7,
1777.
The Stanly Home
Fortunately, when the historic and
lovely John Wright Stanly home was
moved a few years ago to make way
for the new $325,000 postoflice, de¬
signed along colonial lines, the New
Bern Library Association was suc¬
cessful in efforts to buy and restore
tli is dwelling, and it is now open to
the public as a free library.
Washington was entertained in the
Stanly home during his visit to New
Born in 1701, and he described it as
“exceeding good lodgings.” John
Wright Stanly, illustrious patriot,
lived there, as did his distinguished
«on, John Stanly, jurist and legisla¬
tor. who killed Governor Richard
Dobbs Spaight in a duel around the
corner. In the house was born Gen¬
eral Lewis Addison Armistend, who
led in person Pickett's division in the
charge at Gettysburg in 1863, being
killed at the peak of the Confederate
advance.
Near Neuse River bridge arc three
fine old brick homes. The Smallwood-
Ward house, now owned by State
Representative D. L. Ward, is listed
as a perfect type of Georgian archi¬
tecture. Its exquisite hand-carved
woodwork, inside and out. upstair*
and down, is unsurpassed in beauty
of detail.
The Jarvis-IIand house next door
is somewhat similar in design, with
sheltered entrance and intricately-
