For nearly six hours on March 14, 1862, 11,000 Union forces and 4,500 inexperienced and ill-equipped Confederate troops battled for control of New Bern -- a battle that drew the line in North Carolina and changed New Bern forever.
Help commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Battle of New Bern and relive these times of change during a special series of activities, beginning March 9 with the
Sesquicentennial Symposium, followed by the Civil War Weekend at Tryon Palace on March 10 and 11, with themed tours of the Union occupation by costumed interpreters in historic homes, a Union encampment and special Civil War exhibit, crafts from the past and much more.
The Symposium begins on Friday, March 9, with an evening reception from 7:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m., where symposium registrants have an opportunity to meet the speakers. A rare collection of Civil War weapons and clothing that includes many North Carolina artifacts will be displayed at the reception. The reception is ticketed as part of the Symposium and will be held at the historic Attmore-Oliver House. The symposium is presented by the New Bern Historical Society in partnership with Tryon Palace.
On Saturday, March 10, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Tryon Palace's North Carolina History Center, Thunder in the East: The Civil War in Eastern North Carolina. A Sesquicentennial Symposium explores the famous battle and many other aspects of the war. Featured speakers in Cullman Performance Hall include noted Civil War Historian Ed Bearrs; Hari Jones, Curator of the African American Civil War Memorial and Museum in Washington, DC; Josh Howard, Research Historian with the Office of Archives and History in Raleigh; Chris Fonvielle, Associate Professor of History at UNC Wilmington; and noted Civil War authors Richard Sauers and Mark Bradley.
To register for the Symposium and evening reception, call the New Bern Historical Society at (252) 638-8558 or visit
website.
In addition to the Symposium, Saturday, March 10, Tryon Palace will offer a number of other
Civil War Weekend activities. There will be a special opening of the New Bern Academy Museum, as well as an encampment of Union soldiers featuring interactive drilling and musket firings. Admission is free.
On both Saturday and Sunday, March 10 and 11, explore the Union occupation and hear the stories of soldiers and civilians through special Civil War-themed tours by costumed interpreters of the
Stanly and
Dixon houses. And, on both days, families will enjoy learning about New Bern during the Civil War with period craft activities at the
North Carolina History Center and a special interactive gallery cart that explores the bigger picture of the War and its effects on the people who lived through it.
For a full listing of
Civil War events at Tryon Palace and New Bern, visit the website or call (800) 767-1560 or (252) 639-3500.
About Tryon Palace
Tryon Palace, located in New Bern, NC, is part of the Office of Archives and History, an agency of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources.
Tryon Palace is one of North Carolina's most significant historic sites. It is the home of the
Governor's Palace, North Carolina's first colonial and first state capitol, and includes historic buildings, gardens and the North Carolina History Center, which revolutionizes the visitor experience through use of the latest interactive technology.
The North Carolina History Center includes galleries, a performance hall, the museum store and a waterfront café. Tryon Palace's mission is to engage present and future generations in the history of North Carolina from early settlement in 1710, the development of statehood and into the mid-twentieth century. It is dedicated to collecting, interpreting and preserving objects, buildings, landscapes and events that enrich understanding of the making of our state and nation.
Main entry to Tryon Palace is
North Carolina History Center at Tryon Palace, 529 S. Front St., New Bern. For directions and further information about special events, programs or group tours, employment and more, visit our web site:
www.tryonpalace.org
About the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources annually serves more than 19 million people through its 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, the nation's first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the N.C. Arts Council, and the State Archives.
Cultural Resources champions North Carolina's creative industry, which employs nearly 300,000 North Carolinians and contributes more than $41 billion to the state's economy.
To learn more, visit www.ncculture.com.
