Bryan House and Office
Why it's listed
Two buildings on Pollock Street in New Bern make up this property: a brick house of two and a half stories and a small frame office beside it. James Bryan, a merchant trading with the West Indies and American coastal cities, acquired the lot in 1801 after the Tryon Palace grounds were divided and sold. Martin Stevenson, Sr., worked on the house from 1803 into 1804, and it was probably finished before Bryan died in 1806. Its Flemish bond brick, pedimented entrance porch and elaborate hall arch reflect the Federal style. About 1840 the front parlors were remodeled with Greek Revival trim and marble mantels. The office was probably built by Bryan's son John Herritage Bryan, a lawyer and congressman, for his law practice. The house was used by Union troops during the Civil War. It is one of five surviving brick side-hall houses in New Bern and the only one with a detached office still standing.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as the work of builder Martin Stevenson, Sr., and as a rare surviving New Bern side-hall townhouse with an adjacent office. It also shows two stylistic periods, Federal and circa 1840 Greek Revival, and was the home of an important North Carolina family.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 72000935, listed March 24, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 603-605 Pollock St., New Bern |
|---|---|
| County | Craven County |
| Listed | March 24, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000935 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Martin Stevenson, Sr. (builder/joiner) |
| Architectural style | Federal, with circa 1840 Greek Revival alterations |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Stated to be in excellent condition, altered, and owned and occupied by descendants of the Bryan family at the time of nomination. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 35.10678, -77.04352 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 72000935.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18148698
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.