Joyful Living

Our Trip to New Bern!

Things are finally getting back to normal around here and I can get back to blogging on a regular basis.  A few weeks ago, my husband took me out to New Bern, North Carolina for my birthday.   New Bern is the first established colony in North Carolina and was the capital before Raleigh because is right near the ocean. It was such a wonderfully romantic trip!  He didn't tell me where we were going until that morning.  I packed our bags and we were off.

The drive out to New Bern was beautiful!  Most of the drive was through the countryside with corn and tobacco fields.  We drove past the air base and they were out doing maneuvers; that was really neat to watch!!! 

When we got to New Bern, I was delighted to find out that we were staying in a quaint Bed and Breakfast.  Here is a picture of where we stayed. 


That evening, Trevor surprised me with a carriage ride through town and along the river.




The carriage dropped us off at an amazing restaurant on Pollock St.  We ate on the top floor and had an amazing view of downtown.  The food was amazing.  We had fried green tomatoes with melted mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.  Then we had grilled scallops wrapped in bacon. 

Here is my sweet.



After dinner, we walked down the main street.  The street was lined with old buildings and churches that were lit up. 

The next morning, we walked the historic streets and looked at all the amazing buildings and homes.  Most of these homes were here during the civil war and a few during the revolution.  The air was heavy with history! 



This house above was were the General Burnside lived and it served as his headquarters during the civil war.


After we walked through the historic district, we stumbled upon the old city cemetery.   Some of the graves were 300 years old.  There were sprawling trees with spanish moss hanging all around.  It was beautiful! 



In the cemetery we also found a civil war monument with a mass grave of 71 soldiers from the war.  They perished in the battle of New Bern.  The monument read, "Here lies our dead" and it listed the names of the soldiers and which state they were from.



One thing I found interesting was that they "paved" the streets of the cemetery with seashells.  After the cemetery, we went to the Tryon Palace.  Tryon Palace was originally built between 1767 and 1770, as the first permanent capitol of the Colony of North Carolina and a home for the Royal Governor and his family.



We also were able to go inside of the Stanly House.  George Washington came to the house twice during his tour of the south and it was owned by one of the richest families in the area.  One thing I found particularly interesting was that many of the houses weren't in their original locations.  Many had been picked up off of their foundations and moved.  Most were moved in the 19th century.  Wow!

This was an amazing trip that I won't soon forget.  We were told that around Halloween there is a ghost walk.  We're considering going.  It sounds like a lot of fun.

Untitled Comment

23:59, Tue 12 August 2008 .. Posted by gabbie427

Oh it sounds like you had such a wonderful trip. Thanks for the tour and telling us all about your trip. I feel like I was almost there with you!!!!!

God's Blessings,
Amy jo

Nice pictures

07:29, Wed 13 August 2008 .. Posted by Anonymous

Shelly,

What a great trip! I love all the old houses and even that cemetary.
Blessings,
Jennie