A JOINT RESOLUTION honoring the founders of the City of new bern on the occasion of the City's three HUNDREDTH anniversary.
Whereas, New Bern was founded in 1710 by Swiss and German settlers at the confluence of the Neuse and Trent Rivers on the site of a former Native American community called Chattawka; and
Whereas, Christopher de Graffenried, a member of a prominent family from the area around Bern, Switzerland, founded and laid out the center of the City, which he named New Bern in honor of his native home; and
Whereas, despite early difficulties, including disagreements with the native population, New Bern prospered during the mid‑eighteenth century as a major port and trading center; and
Whereas, Royal Governor William Tryon selected New Bern as the site of the first permanent capital of colonial North Carolina and had a palace built to serve as the seat of government and the home of the Governor; and
Whereas, New Bern served as the location of a number of noteworthy events, including the first Provincial Congress in defiance of British orders in 1774; the first meeting of the General Assembly in 1777; visits by George Washington and sitting Presidents James Monroe and Harry Truman; during Civil War occupation developed important black leaders who contributed to the Union Army and helped begin the Freedmen's Bank and Bureau; and the invention of "Brad's Drink" by pharmacy owner, Caleb Bradham, in 1898, which was later known as Pepsi; and
Whereas, many of New Bern's citizens have rendered distinguished service to the State and the nation, including Richard Dobbs Spaight, a member of the Continental Congress and signer of the United States Constitution; John Wright Stanly, a business owner whose merchant ships raided British vessels to aid the American cause during the Revolutionary War; William Gaston, a State legislator, State Supreme Court Justice, author of the State's song, a member of the United States Congress, founder of Saint Paul's Church, the oldest Catholic congregation in the State, and a champion of tolerance; Joseph Leach, North Carolina's first State treasurer and head of the Council of State during the Revolutionary War period; and George Henry White, a former slave, attorney, State legislator, and the last African‑American to serve in the United States Congress prior to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965; and
Whereas, New Bern has contributed to the cultural prosperity of the State, serving as the home of many artistic people including James Davis, the first printer in North Carolina; Mary Bayard Clarke, a well-known 19th century poet; Bayard Wooten, a nationally known early 20th century photographer; and Ervin Rouse, fiddler and composer of the Orange Blossom Special; and
Whereas, many place names in North Carolina honor individuals whose lives were important in New Bern and in North Carolina, including Wake County named for Margaret Wake Tryon, Tryon named for Governor William Tryon, Gaston County and Gastonia named for William Gaston, and Nash County named for Governor Abner Nash; and
Whereas, New Bern is home to more than 150 sites listed on the National Register of Historic Properties; and
Whereas, New Bern has seen a revival in civic pride and an interest in preserving the City's history and restoring the City's historic structures, including a new North Carolina History Center at Tryon Palace, a restored federal building and courthouse, a new and expanded Firemen's Museum, and a new visitor center at the site of the Battle of New Bern; and
Whereas, New Bern is observing its 300th anniversary in 2010 and plans to highlight this historic occasion through a series of year‑long events and activities; and
Whereas, a major exhibit of New Bern and North Carolina history opened on December 3, 2009, in Bern, Switzerland, at the largest Swiss history museum; and
Whereas, as the State's second oldest city, New Bern has made significant contributions to the history of North Carolina and of the nation for the last three hundred years; Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:
SECTION 1.  The General Assembly honors the memory of the early residents of the City of New Bern for their contributions to their community, the State of North Carolina, and the nation.
SECTION 2.  The General Assembly extends sincere good wishes to the residents of the City of New Bern on the occasion of the City's 300th anniversary in 2010 and encourages the citizens of this State to join New Bern in demonstrating respect for and pride in our history and heritage.
SECTION 3.  The Secretary of State shall transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the Mayor of the City of New Bern.
SECTION 4.  This resolution is effective upon ratification.