Internet “wikis” didn’t exist in 1810. In those ancient days, succinct descriptions of people, places and things appeared within quaint artifacts – books. During the late nineteenth century, the editor of The New Berne Times came across one such encyclopedia entry about New Bern – published in the city’s centennial year of 1810 – and saw fit to reprint the article for the newspaper’s April 11, 1871 edition.
The editor didn’t cite the old encyclopedia by name. Nevertheless, the printed piece paints a pretty portrait of the city in its adolescence. The unknown writer placed New Bern on par with Philadelphia and Charleston, and other contemporary accounts confirm the important of this place in the maritime commerce of the day. The entry speaks to that trade as well as the town’s location, appearance, architecture and populace in this by-gone era. It also recalls one of several devastating fires that have punctuated the city’s storied history.
Without further ado, here’s New Bern in its hundredth year:
“New-Bern, a port of entry. Post town, and capital of the district … situated on a beautiful level point of land, formed by the confluence of the river Neuse on the north, and the Trent on the south. Opposite the town the Neuse is about a mile and a half, and the Trent about three quarters of a mile. Its situation very much resembles Charleston, South Carolina.
“The Neuse is navigable for ships of burthen for some miles above the town. There is a brisk trade carried on here to the West Indies, and other places; the exports consisting chiefly of tar, pitch, turpentine, lumber, &c.; and amounted in 1794 to nearly $70,000.” [$1.6 million today.] “There are about 500 houses, mostly of wood, in the town, excepting the cidevant” [that is, former] “palace, jail and other public buildings. That called the palace, was erected before the American revolution, for the Governors, and was then considered very elegant. It has since fallen into decay, excepting one of the wings that has been preserved for a dancing room. There is also an Episcopal Church and court house under which latter a market is held, although the greater part of the marketing is carried on by the boats and canoes on the river side.
“This town suffered, nearly one-third being consumed by fire, which happened in September 1791.
“The latitude of New-Bern is 35.14 n. Longitude 2.17 w. The number of inhabitants is computed at 3,000, of which 1,400 are black. The distance to Philadelphia is 501 miles and” [New Bern] “is about 60 miles from the sea.”]
by Edward Ellis, Special Correspondent
Craven County native Eddie Ellis is a journalist, writer and historian. He’s the author of New Bern History 101 and other works about the area’s rich heritage.
More at edwardellis.com