A new home for "The Bear"

The huge wooden bear sculpture in front of Persimmons Restaurant has a new home. Created by artist Jodi Hollnagel-Jubran and other volunteers for the 2011 Craven Arts Festival in the Riverfront Convention Center last September, the sculpture has been in front of the restaurant since the show ended.  

 

Thanks to the City’s Public Works Department, “the Bear”  was relocated to the Ratio Theatre Company on 901 Pollock Street. Fortunately, the original plan to burn the sculpture at the end of the show fell by the wayside following many people’s reaction of ...oh, no, you can’t do that! Although it wasn’t built to endure the ravages of time, the Bear has held up well and has added color and interest to downtown New Bern.

Susan Moffat Thomas

Executive Director

The Evolution of Union Point Park...New Bern Woman's Club, the house the Depression built

New Bern Woman's Club - Late 1930's

The property along the Neuse River in the city’s early history was the site of seafood and sawmill operations. By the early 1900’s, its decline as a port city led to the gradual  deterioration of the Neuse and Trent waterfront. By the early 1920’s Union Point  was used as a city dump. In 1931 the New Bern Women’s Club initiated a major project to convert the Union Point dump into a park and construct a Club House. Mayor Tolson and the Board of Aldermen approved the project provided it could be done without any cost to the city other than City labor, when it could be spared. With President Roosevelt’s announcement, municipalities could borrow P.W.A. funds with a local match of funds, the Woman’s Club Committee requested some of the relief-employed labor be diverted toward the park project.  "The large force of laborers began by leveling and grading the land. The Club women, knowing the men on the relief payroll had been on short rations for many months, opened a soup kitchen and prepared meals by collecting donations of food and money. They  also opened a distribution center for new and used clothing. Clothed and fed, when the men began to sing as they worked, the women knew their project was assured." 

New Bern Woman's Club - Late 1970's



*Summarized from a 1934 Woman’s Home Companion entitled 

  “The House the Depression Built”. 

When the building was completed, Mayor Tolson’s gift to the project was a lovely lily pool. The building and park became a rallying point that boosted the morale of the city and was the place community activities, parties, picnics and dances took place for many years.  

Newly constructed pavilion in Union Point Park - 1950's

In the 1950’s and 1960’s, Cedric Boyd, Public Works Director, developed the park further with a pavilion the City employees constructed, a picnic area and boat ramps.  As the downtown deteriorated, the hurricanes and frequent flooding led to the deterioration of the park and Woman’s Club building. The concrete floor heaved and cracked and the building was closed for use in the early 1980’s as it was deemed unsafe.

Union Point Park - Late 1970's

In a future blog, I will relate the controversy and future plans for the park that led to the demise of the House the Depression built. 

Susan Moffat Thomas

Executive Director 

 



MUMFEST 2012 Brochure

After many weeks of writing copy, selecting photos, editing, cropping, and working with the print shop, the mumfest brochure is being printed and will be ready for distribution throughout the area and state. It is always amazing that a tri-fold brochure takes so much time, talent and effort by so many to get it ready for printing.

Twenty thousand copies, compliments of CenturyLink, our brochure sponsor, will be distributed to welcome centers, hotels, restaurants, B&B’s and visitor information centers throughout the state and region.

If any mumfester’s would like to have copies to mail to friends and family members interested in attending mumfest, any businesses that would like copies for their countertops or insertion in shopping bags, or real estate agents for including in relocation packages, please let us know. We can deliver them to you or you may pick them up from our office on 316 South Front Street in the Chamber Building.

Susan Moffat Thomas

Executive Director

Downtown Happenings...a medley of entertainment to round out the holiday week

Collison Course – A 60’s Retro (July 6 - 7) features an assortment of short plays, written in the 1960’s by era playwrights. This is part of the Loessin Summer Theatre Festival which will be held in the Cullman Performance Hall at the NC History Center. 8 p.m., $15 for adults, $5 for children. For more information: 252-328-4788.

Bear City Opry (July 7) offers a a night of Country and Gospel Music played the way it used to be played at the Grand Ole Opry. 7 p.m. Masonic Theatre -  $15 at the door, kids under 12 $2. For more information: 252-670-7082.

New Bern Farmer’s Market (July 7)  has a variety of events scheduled each week-end during the month. On the 7^th, the month kicks off with Corn and Country Day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hot buttered corn on the cob will be sold as a fundraiser for the market. Classic music from the Market’s own DJ, Ernest Patterson and live music at 10 a.m.

Trent River Coffee House July 8 Asian Games Club of New Bern meets…featured game is Xiangqi (Chinese Chess). Instruction provided. For more information: 252-514-2030

Short Live the Queen,  (July 6 -7)  the newest mystery drama production and dinner by the Athens of the South Productions. A real step back in time, to the 1400’s…a few Shakespearian bits but mainly a fun piece with a mix of dialogue driven comedy, physical comedy and a little swordplay. Stanley Hall (corner of Pollock and Craven Streets).  7 p.m. Tickets $30 for dinner and show, $15 show only. For more information: 252-229-4977.

Susan Moffat Thomas
Executive Director

Taking to the Streets



City Manager updating board members
on South Front St. improvements

 The June Swiss Bear board meeting broke out of its usual format of meeting from 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. in the Chamber meeting room last Thursday. Following a brief up-date, Mike Epperson, City Manager and Mark Stephens, Director of Public Works conducted a tour of South Front Street from East Front to the Farmer’s Market discussing improvements that are underway and streetscape improvements scheduled to be completed within the year.

Parking lot at Craven and
Hotel Service Dr.

Manager discussing additional
parking in Farmer's Mkt parking lot

To address parking concerns, Public Works is putting parking signs up directing people to the parking lot at Craven and Hotel Service Drive. The tall bushes that obscured the lot have been removed and will be replaced with low smaller shrubs. The lot, developed in the late 1990’s with Municipal Service District (MSD)funds, was reserved for businesses that leased spaces. Since few spaces were actually leased, the decision was recently made to open it up for public parking with the exception of the leased spaces. Parking signage will also be put up on Craven Street to identify the parking lot adjacent to Morgan’s Tavern (the spaces leased by Morgan’s are now clearly marked with signage), on Broad Street directing people to the City lot at the corner of New and Hancock Street and at the Farmer’s Market.    

Streetscape improvements to South Front Street (100, 200, 300 block) are scheduled to begin in early 2013 with completion by late April. Improvements include new sidewalks, street lights (using the same paving materials in other up-dated blocks) and landscaping. This project is being funded with MSD tax money, an additional $.13 ad valorem tax per hundred for property owners in the 12 core block area.  The 400 block will be included if bids come in low enough…If not, the block will be improved at a later date.

City lot at corner of Craven
and South Front St

We are excited South Front Street will be improved. The streetscape improvements will tie the urban renewal area and central business district together, a long term goal, and enhance the South Front gateway to the NC History Center.

Special thanks to Mike and Mark. We all  agreed it was good to actually go out and see what will take place and we plan to do it again when the comprehensive Goody Clancy report on the greater Five Points area is finalized and approved.

Susan Moffat Thomas

Executive Director

New Bern's 4th of July Celebration 169 years ago

This article appeared in the New Bernian newspaper on

June 17^th, 1843

“The Committee of Arrangements appointed by the Citizen Guards for the celebration of the 4^th of July, the birth day of our Independence, report the following Order of the Day:

The day to be ushered in with a Federal Salute and ringing of the Bells. Parade of Citizen Guards with firing of salutes until 8 o’clock.

         “At 9 o’clock, a Procession to be formed on the Academy Green to move in the following Order:

                        Citizen Guards

                        Orator and Reader

                        Clergymen

                        Temperance Society

                        Strangers and Citizens

From the Academy Green to Hancock-street, down Hancock to Pollok, down Pollok to Middle-street, down Middle to Front, down South Front to Craven-street, up Craven-street to New-street, up New to Middle-street, up Middle to Johnson-street, up Johnson to Hancock, down Hancock to the Theatre.

            “At 10 o’clock, the Declaration of Independence will be read by Mr. Thomas R. Wilson and an Oration delivered by Mr. George S. Stevenson. Music by Citizens.

            “At noon, a National Salute to be fired.

            “At 1 o’clock, a Cannon Parade with music.

            “At sun set a Federal Salute will be fired.

            “The day to close with a magnificent display of FIRE WORKS, commencing 8 o’clock, P.M., on the Academy Green—where seats will be prepared for Ladies only.”

COMMITTEE

LEMUEL WILKINS

NATH’L S. BROWN

JOHN I. LEE

SAMUEL A. DUNN

RIGBON WILSON

JOHN  J. STREET

WM. H. TAYLOR

THOMAS O. JONES

June 17^th, 1843

Susan Moffat Thomas
Executive Director

Celebrating Independence Day...a 234 year tradition

On July 4, 1778, New Bern was the first city in the south and the third city in the nation (after Boston and Philadelphia) to stage an Independence Day Celebration while war was still raging with the Mother country.

The July 10, 1778 issue of the North Carolina Gazette reported that, “celebration was observed with great joy and reverence; triple salutes were fired from the batteries in town and the gentlemen of the town met where many toast, suitable to the importance of the day were drunk and the evening happily concluded.”

Thanks to the City of New Bern, the tradition of celebrating the 4th of July continues.

On July 4, the day begins at Union Point Park with the First annual Hope for the Warriors “Run for the Warriors 5K Race & 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk”. Pre-registration fee $2o, $25 on the 4^th. Register at http://www.active.com/.  Proceeds benefit the Hope for the Warriors program.

At 3 p.m. festivities at Lawson Creek Park begin with activities that include bounce houses, a giant slide and an obstacle course for kids. Food vendors will be selling beverages, food and snacks. At 7 p.m. following the reading of the Declaration of Independence there will be patriotic music and the City of New Bern’s Ladder Truck will raise our nation’s flag for the playing of the Star Spangled Banner.

After a day of celebration, the holiday evening will “happily conclude” with a major aerial display of fireworks fired from Lawson Creek Park on the Trent River.

By clicking on the following link, Schedule of Events, July 4, 1981 you can read the schedule of events taken directly from the June 1981 Swiss Bear Board meeting minutes. In the enthusiasm of the early days of the revitalization effort, an impressive range and wealth of entertainment included watermelon seed and tobacco spitting contests, grease pole and cross-cut saw contests and the USMC Air Wing Band. The 4^thof July Celebration was one of many events Swiss Bear organized to bring people back downtown.

Susan Moffat Thomas
Executive Director