by Edward Ellis, Special Correspondent
When New Bern was founded in 1710, its Swiss and German settlers could not have imagined the date 2024 – 314 years into the future – any more than they could have fathomed near-weightless men hopping around on the moon.
But here we are.
And, if through some Unimaginable Cosmic Grace, it survives this long again, people might be walking down Middle Street in the year 2338.
2338! Pondering that may just give us a perspective on how long the City of Bears has been around.
We’ve noted in this space repeatedly the many headlines of New Bern history: An attack by the ancient indigenous people that nearly wiped out the early colonists; a deadly raid during the American Revolution; an invasion and capture of the town during the War Between the States. And more. There’s no telling what the next three centuries will bring. Odds are it won’t be boring.
Historians tell us that the best way to predict the future is to understand the past. So, here’s a proposed resolution for 2024: Learn more about your hometown. If you’ve lived in New Bern for years and have never visited Tryon Palace, go there … maybe this week. Visit the incredible North Carolina History Center on Front Street. Participate in the many wonderful programs of the New Bern Historical Society. Take a ride on the historic trolley tour. Take a walking tour. Visit the Civil War Battlefield Park. Go to the Fireman’s Museum. Read a book of local history … or several.
To take just one example from above, Tryon Palace is a masterpiece. While the famous Colonial Williamsburg is a preserved historic village, there isn’t a single structure there as lovely as our palace.
So, resolve to do a little time travel this year. Get out there. Pay attention to the state’s historic markers. See the Lady Blessington cannon and Fred the Fire Horse. Learn from the past!
2338 will be here before we know it!