During the Revolutionary War, the Assembly decided New Bern was no longer an appropriate place for the capital. The town was not centrally located and was vulnerable to sea attacks. However, the Assembly could not decide on a location for a new capital, and from 1777 to 1794, the Assembly moved from town to town, with seven different towns hosting the legislature. After the Assembly abandoned Tryon Palace as the capital, rooms in the Palace were rented for various purposes. Governor Caswell used the Palace intermittently as his residence from 1777-1779. On April 7, 1777, the first General Assembly of the state met at Tryon Palace. . Tryon’s once grand palace quickly fell to ruin. During the War, lead from the roof and the iron palisades
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. . . The King of G. Britain's Arms, are still suffered to appear in a pediment at the front of the Building; which considering the independent spirit of the people averse to every vestige of Royalty appears something strange” . The Class divisions and resentments still flourished. The mansion was rented out for various uses, as well as used by the city of New Bern to host receptions.
The Palace hosted a prominent guest in 1791 when George Washington stopped in New Bern on his southern tour. At the Palace, Washington was entertained at a banquet and ball and noted in his diary, “Thursday 21st. Dined with the Citizens at a public dinner given by them; & went to a dancing assembly in the evening--both of which was at what they call the Pallace--formerly the government House & a good brick building but now hastening to ruins. The company at both was numerous--at the latter there were abt. 70 ladies. The once stately mansion was reduced to a few habitable rooms and the …show more content…
William N. Reynolds, of the Reynolds Tobacco family, who was state regent and honorary vice president general for life of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), dedicated $3,500 for the restoration of Tryon Palace. The DAR originally tried to purchase the west wing for use as a state museum, but the owner’s asking price was too high. Minette Chapman Duffy spearheaded a fundraiser; and the New Bern Historical Pageant of 1929 was born. The event was the brainchild of Mrs. Duffy, who lived across the street from the remaining wing of the Palace. Acquainted with the state's most influential citizens, she secured $5,000 for the pageant from Mrs. William N. Reynolds of the Reynolds Tobacco fortune in Winston-Salem . The pageant was a financial success and thus became the seed money that was part of a general fund for the
. . . The King of G. Britain's Arms, are still suffered to appear in a pediment at the front of the Building; which considering the independent spirit of the people averse to every vestige of Royalty appears something strange” . The Class divisions and resentments still flourished. The mansion was rented out for various uses, as well as used by the city of New Bern to host receptions.
The Palace hosted a prominent guest in 1791 when George Washington stopped in New Bern on his southern tour. At the Palace, Washington was entertained at a banquet and ball and noted in his diary, “Thursday 21st. Dined with the Citizens at a public dinner given by them; & went to a dancing assembly in the evening--both of which was at what they call the Pallace--formerly the government House & a good brick building but now hastening to ruins. The company at both was numerous--at the latter there were abt. 70 ladies. The once stately mansion was reduced to a few habitable rooms and the …show more content…
William N. Reynolds, of the Reynolds Tobacco family, who was state regent and honorary vice president general for life of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), dedicated $3,500 for the restoration of Tryon Palace. The DAR originally tried to purchase the west wing for use as a state museum, but the owner’s asking price was too high. Minette Chapman Duffy spearheaded a fundraiser; and the New Bern Historical Pageant of 1929 was born. The event was the brainchild of Mrs. Duffy, who lived across the street from the remaining wing of the Palace. Acquainted with the state's most influential citizens, she secured $5,000 for the pageant from Mrs. William N. Reynolds of the Reynolds Tobacco fortune in Winston-Salem . The pageant was a financial success and thus became the seed money that was part of a general fund for the