Establishing the Historic District Commission

200 Block Middle St. Early 1980s

In the 1960’s and 1970’s, significant residential and commercial structures in the downtown area were demolished, many were in a deteriorated state and the original facades of many buildings were covered with aluminum and other materials in an attempt to modernize them.

300 Block Middle St. Early 1980s

With the establishment of the Historic Preservation Foundation in 1972, (today known as the New Bern Preservation Foundation), a private nonprofit whose focus was/is preserving historic residential properties, and Swiss Bear in 1979, with a focus on restoring the downtown, the area was beginning to experience an active revitalization effort.  Preserving the City’s unique and historic architecture was a major priority.  

In the late 1970’s, as a revitalization strategy, local preservation groups nominated a 20 block downtown area for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1980, the historic district was expanded to include three areas overlooked in the original district including Trent Court, considered an example of high quality public housing, to act as a buffer zone around Tryon Palace.   

300 Block Middle Street 2000s

National Register District’s, basically honorary designations, are not protected by design controls. The one tangible advantage enables owners of commercial and income producing property to claim tax benefits; however, those who chose not to can simply obtain building permits and renovate their building in whatever fashion they chose.

In February 1980, spurred on by Swiss Bear and the Historic Preservation Foundation, the City Planning Department looked into the feasibility of establishing a local Historic District Commission (HDC), authorized by state statute and enacted by local ordinance that would place design controls on the rehab of exterior buildings, new construction, and delay demolition within the historic district.

 On February 28, with the support of David Rowland, City Planner and the Tryon Palace Commission, a public forum held in the Tryon Palace Auditorium included presentations by Robert Stallings Jr., President, New Bern Historical Society; Newsom Williams, President, Historic Preservation Foundation; David Henderson, Chairman, Swiss Bear Architectural Committee; and Dr. Larry Tise, head of NC Archives and History. They all expressed the need to establish a historic district commission with design regulations for any rehabilitation or new construction within the Historic District.

The great show of interest led to the Board of Aldermen appointing a nine member Commission: Boyd Meyers, Chairman, Peter Sandbeck, Newsom Williams, Charles Francis, Martha Smith, Janet Latham, Carrie Miller, Ray Houghton and Eliza Dudley. Their charge: develop an ordinance, guidelines, and application process with the Planning Department providing support and overall coordination.  

It was controversial from the start.

To nudge, or sledge hammer to preservation, was the title of an August 16, 1980 Sun Journal article by Catherine Landis who covered the contentious public meeting at which many people spoke. David Henderson advised the Commission to specify which guidelines are mandatory and which are just suggestions. “You have to be consistent” he said, “should can never be enforced”.  Commission Chairman, Boyd Meyers said,”when you get to texture, color, mass, you can’t get specific. Let’s keep it general enough so it will help everyone in the community”. Henderson replied “you’re going to get yourself in a hole if you don’t have something enforceable”.  Dr. Ray Houghton, Commission Vice-Chairman said”we’re not trying to strangle people or keep someone from doing something. I’d prefer to nudge people, not hit them with a sledge hammer”.

In the November 18, 1980 Sun Journal  article by Lee Landis, New Bern Historic District praised, panned at hearing,  reporting on the recent public hearing at the Board of Aldermen meeting…the near capacity audience, most of who supported the ordinance appeared at the meeting. The issue as both the advocates and opponents of the ordinance saw it was more government regulation. But those favoring the ordinance said it was necessary to preserve the historic integrity of the city. Those opposing the ordinance said they objected to being considered an “irresponsible minority”. At the urging of former Alderman Ben Hurst, audience members stood up. Hurst said he observed, “90% of the audience favored the ordinance”.

At the conclusion of the public hearing, the Board of Aldermen adopted the ordinance and the Commission’s guidelines. Effective January 1, 1981, a certificate of appropriateness (CA) had to be obtained from the Historic District Commission (HDC), (now Historic Preservation Commission - HPC) prior to any exterior alteration, relocation, new construction or demolition of a building.

A year later, the HDC decided the guidelines needed to be revised. As reported in a May 22, 1982 Sun Journal article, Historic Ordinance may be revised… the consensus of the HPC members was “we should go with our gut reactions (on applications) and stop being so worried about being so diplomatic”. Another commissioner noted “two years ago downtown New Bern was dying and I did not feel like imposing any requirements on people that might impede the restoration of the historic area. Now, with revitalization firmly underway, the circumstances were different and with our experience we can see some of the problems people are having with us and we are having with them and make changes”.

From the onset, the power of the HPC has been a controversial and complex issue and the focus of many bitter arguments, editorials and letters to the editor. Proponents credit the district controls with protecting areas of historic significance, helping chart future growth and stimulating new investment. Opponents contend the historic districts are elitist, often arbitrarily administered by commissioners who abuse their power and are not qualified to pass judgment on what are frequently complex, subjective decisions.

Whatever your opinion, generally speaking, when the design controls were put in place, Swiss Bear, preservationists, developers and investors saw promoting good design within the context of historic preservation as part of a comprehensive approach to stimulate residential and downtown revitalization efforts.

Middle Street Today

A historic district that looked beaten, bruised and neglected in 1980 is now a healthy vital district with new and rehabilitated structures that give New Bern its distinctive “sense of place”.

Susan Moffat Thomas, Executive Director

A Beautiful New Dance Hall/Multipurpose Center in Downtown New Bern

Kudos and three cheers for Joyce Price, Beth Carole Beach and Mary Servalli.

These three special  ladies had the vision and grit to tackle the massive renovation of  Stanley Hall,  249 Craven Street, on the second floor of the Stanley Building at the corner of Pollock and Craven Street.  A ribbon cutting on Friday, July 20 celebrated the completion of what is now a banquet, conference, music and dance venue featuring 3,600 square feet of a multipurpose hall, forty-five feet wide extending the full eighty foot depth of the building.

The Stanley Hall Ballroom is now the home of the Rivertowne Ballroom with Friday open dances, Monday dance classes and Wednesday night Line Dance and Zumba classes. The beautifully restored space with its large dance floor of heart pine, beautiful chandeliers and dramatic staircase makes this the perfect venue for wedding receptions, benefits and or special events for groups up to 200 people. Access to the hall is through a tall recessed door and staircase on Pollock Street or through an entrance and elevator on Craven Street.

The building was originally built in 1874 by Edward R. Stanley, a prominent merchant initially serving as a dance hall. Over the years it has been used for many purposes including a court room, gymnasium for athletic events, YMCA rooms, the town’s post office until the Federal Post Office and Court House Building (now City Hall) was built in the 1890’s.

*  Most recently it served as an office center.  

Prior to the 2008 economic downturn, a developer had purchased and gutted the upper story for renovation as residential condominiums. When Joyce saw the interior space, never realizing what was over her  ground level dance studio, she knew this would be the perfect location for the expansion of the studio. Her enthusiasm spread to Beth Carole and Mary and after many months of renovation, this incredible space has come full circle 138 years later and is once again a dance hall.  

For more information go to www.rivertowneballroom.com  or call 252-637-2003.

*The Historic Architecture of New Bern and Craven County by

  Peter Sandbeck

Susan Moffat Thomas

Executive Director

Renovations - Stanley Hall

Renovations - Stanley Hall

Renovations - Stanley Hall

Renovations - Stanley Hall

Stanley Hall
Grand Opening July 2012
Photo courtesy of Nate Skipper

The Baxter Clock...a new lease on life

City Hall Clock Tower and
Baxter Street Clock Today

The ticking and chiming of a clock is both fascinating and mesmeric to a great many people. When a clock has the special attribute of being a very prominent feature and important landmark, it becomes a highly prized possession to the community. In New Bern we are fortunate to have two such clocks, the City Hall Clock Tower, visible for miles, serves as a symbol of city government and the Baxter Street Clock on Pollock Street.

The Baxter Street, now a public landmark, was built in 1920 by the Seth Thomas Company for the J.O. Baxter family who erected the clock in front of the Baxter Jewelry Store to advertise their business. The four faces were decorated with painted advertisements. In 1973, it was formally recognized as a significant historic asset when it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  

On May 9, 1977, disaster struck and the shock was felt throughout the state.

Excerpts from a letter written on May 10, 1977 by Dabney Coddington, then Curator of Education at Tryon Palace to Janet Seapher, a historian in the state’s Historic Preservation Section, Archives and History, provides a personal account and reaction….

Dear Janet:

I hate reporting things like this. The enclosed Sun Journal article covers it fully. The Baxter Street Clock was first knocked loose from its pedestal by a truck very early in the morning, it appears. In righting the clock the next day, you can see what happened. A comedy of accident and error, but one that has upset a number of people.

Della and Bunny Baxter are, as you may guess, quite stunned by the whole happening. The cast iron casing of the clock remains intact, and the upper parts of the workings were what spilled into the street. They have been collected and kept. A letter from you and A. & H. expressing sympathy and offering any advice on repair, would be most fitting. They were very proud of this landmark and I hope they will restore it, even with new modern workings inside. That block of Pollock Street really looks naked, believe me.

Wish I had better news.

For the next fourteen years, the ornamental paneled base stood as a constant reminder of the tragic accident and attempts to replace the clock by the Baxter family were unsuccessful.

In 1990, I contacted the Verdin firm in Ohio, a company founded in 1842 committed to producing the highest quality cast bronze clocks, bells and towers. They had the original patterns of the clock case and agreed to do the restoration project for $28,000. The Baxter family agreed to give Swiss Bear the clock  and remaining parts if we would could raise the funds to restore it. The City agreed to accept ownership and on-going maintenance if Swiss Bear raised all the funds and coordinated the project. We initiated a fundraising campaign, raised $28,000, coordinated the project and the Baxter Street Clock was again ticking away.

Dedication Ceremony 1991

On April 20, 1991, Swiss Bear transferred clock ownership formally to the City at a dedication ceremony with special guest Patricia Dorsey, NC Secretary of Cultural Resources.

Baxter Street Clock on
Pollock St. Today

Like so many of Swiss Bear’s projects, interested citizens rose to the challenge and their contributions gave this historic landmark a new lease on life.

Tell us what you think.

Susan Moffat Thomas

Executive Director

A Great Lady and Tryon Palace's Biggest Advocate



Carraway Garden at Tryon Palace



In the April 8 News & Observer, I read the article

Gertrude Sprague Carraway

Past Times by Teresa Leonard, a researcher who looks at yesteryear on the blog Past Times, blogs.newsobserver.com/pasttimes. In this column, she  related a 1966 interview with Gertrude Carraway, a famous New Bernian who was born and spent nearly all of her 96 years in New Bern, living in her childhood home on Broad Street.

I enjoyed reading the article immensely as I had the privilege of knowing Ms. Carraway. I was a great fan and admirer and the award I received that I am most proud of is the Gertrude Carraway Award of Merit from the Historic Preservation in 1990.

She was an outstanding person and was one of the driving forces for her work in the preservation and reconstruction of Tryon Palace. She played a key role in initiating a campaign to move NC 70, the Trent River Bridge and the numerous houses that have been built on the Palace site over the years. The Palace, built in 1767-70 to house Royal Governor William Tryon, had burned in the late 1770’s and only one of its wings remained. By 1959, the efforts of Ms. Carraway, the Kellenberger family and many other influential people paid off when the reconstructed Palace was opened and became New Bern’s crown jewel as a tourist attraction.

Other passions included membership in the Magellan Club of World Circumnavigation for going around the world twice; as a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, she became President General of the National DAR in 1953. In that position she inspired President Eisenhower to establish National Constitution Week. She was a prolific writer serving as the editor of the newspaper in New Bern from 1924-1937 and authored six books on North Carolina history, in addition to hundreds of free lance articles.

It was nice to be reminded of the positive impact this dynamic, great lady, who passed away in the 1990’s, made on this city, our state and nation’s history!

Susan Moffat Thomas

Executive Director