Honoring the past. Investing in the future.
Artists begin work on the Tryon Palace Foundation’s Inclusive Public Art initiative
The Tryon Palace Foundation’s Inclusive Public Art Project is taking shape, as artists have finished metal work for the interactive sculpture that aims to celebrate and introduce the stories of New Bern’s African American artisans from 1770-1900.
The Tryon Palace Foundation was awarded full funding for the joint Z. Smith Reynolds and Andrew Mellon project called the Inclusive Public Art initiative. The initiative is intended to use permanent, public art to share stories of diversity, equity and inclusion in an effort to stimulate community conversations and sustained community connections.
Specifically, the project aims to provide a shared and fuller understanding of New Bern’s history, and to demonstrate how these stories of diversity and strength make the community more resilient, according to the Tryon Palace Foundation.
The art project proposal describes the installation as a time dial connector constructed with metal, paint, LED lighting, glass and concrete.
The experience and visuals will be simple, yet abstract, complicated, rough, but there will also be beauty, strength, resilience, survival and purpose represented.
The sculpture will be built at an angle, which represents a push toward black futures and the idea that artisans in New Bern’s early history were starting a new life with hopes of a better future and community.
The sculpture will be interactive, requiring individuals to walk through a portal and engage with a QR code after their journey through.
It will be located at Wilson Park, on the corner of Craven and South Front streets, in downtown New Bern. This property was donated to the Tryon Palace Foundation in 2023.
“Wilson Park is a prominent and fitting location for this sculpture in its proximity to the shops, houses, industries and community that these artisans and craftspeople helped build,” according to Tryon Palace staff.
Upon its completion, the sculpture will include the artistic talents of three North Carolina artists: Georgia Nakima, a painter; Stephen Hayes, a sculptor; and Marcus Kiser, a digital designer.
Community engagement has been an important piece of this project, and is vital to its success.
They have received input on the project through community forums, engagement events and by sharing the project scope with various local organizations and individuals. Tryon Palace has received 38 letters of support from organizations, businesses and community leaders.
The public art project will examine the unique period of New Bern’s history from 1770 to 1835, as told in the book, ‘Crafting Lives: African American Artisans in New Bern, North Carolina, 1770-1900’ by Catherine Bishir.
The sculpture has been named The Art of Crafting Lives: “Hands from the Past, Voices of the Future, in honor of the book that inspired this project.
The book provides background and inspiration for the project, which will tell the stories of the city’s African American artisan class from this era, both free and enslaved.
“The stories of these remarkable middle- and working-class men and women are important to our understanding of New Bern’s past, present and future,” according to the Tryon Palace Foundation.
These men and women built the town, provided industries vital to its growth and sustainability, established religious and civic organizations and bought their families out of slavery and into freedom. They were vibrant participants in the community on all levels.
These 18th and 19th century artisans have descendants in the area, providing a connectedness and grounded quality to the commemorative work Tryon Palace is doing with this public art project.
Some of the artisans chosen to be represented in the project include:
Asa Spelman – Trade: Cooper
Catherine Bishir notes that the Spelmans were free black migrants from Virginia, who came to the Carolinas in the early 1700s. His 1820 pension application listed his trade as Cooper, someone who crafted barrels and casks for shipping wet and dry goods. During the American Revolution, he enlisted in the 10th North Carolina Regiment.
Amelia Green – Trade: Spinning and weaving
Green used her skills to save money and purchase her daughters Nancy Handy, Harriet Green, and Princess Green, whom she subsequently emancipated. Green’s granddaughter, Kitty, married John Caruthers Stanly. Her great-granddaughter, Catherine, was a leading member of the free black community and of First Presbyterian Church of New Bern. Her great-great granddaughter, Sarah Griffith Stanly Woodward was educated at Oberlin College and taught with the American Missionary Association after the Civil War.
Associated with 310 George St., built ca. 1790-1800.
Donum Montford (Mumford) – Trade: Plasterer and brick mason
Mumford was enslaved by the Cogdell family and emancipated in 1804, a day after being sold to John Carruthers Stanly. Montford married Hannah Bowers, formerly enslaved by the Gaston family. Montford was instrumental in apprenticing, training and emancipating, or assisting in the emancipation of many enslaved individuals.
Associated with John R. Donnell House, Craven County Jail.
James York Green – Trade: Carpentry
Born a slave and trained as a carpenter before being freed in 1812, Green was instrumental in freeing or vouching for family and members of his community. He was active in First Presbyterian Church of New Bern. Green remained in New Bern after the 1850s, when many fellow artisans and prominent families relocated outside of North Carolina.
Associated with no listings in Sandbeck, The Historic Architecture of New Bern and Craven County.
*All photos and information attributed to Tryon Palace and the Tryon Palace Foundation*
With this summer swelter, “cool off” and head over to North Cool Avenue
Contributed by The New Bern Historical Society
North Cool Avenue is a rather unique place in our history, originally named from the Northcool brand of tailored suits – which were manufactured right here in the Sagner factory on the northwest corner of Queen and Pasteur streets.
Sagner & Sons operated the “Sewing Room” in New Bern (with headquarters in Frederick, MD) from the 1940s to 1970s.
Northcool Suits were marketed as “The Tropical Suit that Breathes Fresh Air,” a light-weight cotton blend material allowing you to stay cool in the summer heat. To be precise, the suits had “2547 airways in every inch of fabric for air to come in and cool you off!”
As the advertisement on the building states, the “only thing cooler than a Northcool suit” was that baby in his birthday suit!
Sadly, this two-story building was demolished, but we know Sagner employed several hundred employees from this busy intersection throughout their years of operation.
You can see Union Station Train Depot in the background, and we’ve heard many great stories to accompany this era about the popular Pinnix Drug Store serving up lunch to the workers right across the street. More than just a street name – we think this is spot is one “cool” part of our local history!
Next, this location will be home to King & Lasso’s cigar lounge and bar, which is currently under construction. We are so excited to finish this project and share it with our community!
Help The Way Station Mercantile fill backpacks and hearts
Our friends at The Way Station Mercantile, 240 B Middle St., are gathering clothes and school supplies for a local family in need.
Jen Giambertone, owner of The Way Station Mercantile, started collecting donations after she saw a Facebook post about four boys who were volunteering to wash tires to earn money for school supplies.
“I’ve been in touch with their mom and their story is heart wrenching,” she said. “Every child deserves to walk into school feeling prepared and confident.”
Giambertone said the children are most in need of clothes and shoes, especially the 14-year-old boy, but the youngest child is 2.
The Way Station Mercantile will accept clothing donations for the children through the holidays, but this is the last week to donate school supplies.
To inquire about clothing or school supply donations, email Libertyfieldshomestead@gmail.com.
Giambertone is offering a 10% discount at The Way Station Mercantile for anyone who donates to the family through the holiday season.
Any extra school supplies collected will be donated directly to Craven County Schools in honor of the children, Giambertone said.
The King & Lasso Corner
Get early access to King & Lasso’s special shirts in memory of Howard Matthews by filling out this Google form. Pre-orders available through August 21.
The shirts will be available to the general public for purchase at MumFest on Oct. 10 and 11.
Looking for office space? We’ve got you covered.
King & Lasso has 11 office spaces available for rent at one of our newly renovated properties, 328 S Front St. This is a corner-adjacent location with strong street presence, painted brick exterior with blue trim.
This building is well-suited for professional services, law office, accounting firm, real estate office, insurance agency, salon, boutique, or similar use. Street parking and visibility to both foot and vehicle traffic in the downtown district.
For inquiries about our rental properties, visit the King & Lasso Rentals page on our website.
About the author
Hi everyone! I’m Caramia Valentin, the communications and public relations specialist for King & Lasso. I’m incredibly excited to bring these newsletters to our King & Lasso supporters. In high school, I found my passion for journalism and have been writing articles ever since. I went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in multimedia journalism from Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla. I have been published in the Carteret County News Times, New Bern Sun Journal, and Lynn University’s iPulse magazine.
Although I’m from Onslow County, the three years I spent as a reporter for the New Bern Sun Journal showed me how special this community is. I’m thrilled to continue writing about the people and places that make this community unique with The King & Lasso Business Edit. I hope that you find this newsletter interesting, uplifting and informative. If there’s anything you’d like to see in The King & Lasso Business Edit, please send your suggestions to my email at caramia@kingandlasso.com for consideration!