Ghent Historic District
Why it's listed
Ghent is a residential neighborhood of about 67 acres roughly one mile southwest of downtown New Bern, developed as a streetcar suburb in the early twentieth century. Its houses sit close to the street on narrow lots along Rhem and Spencer avenues and the north side of Park Avenue. A grassy median down Spencer Avenue marks where the New Bern-Ghent Railway's tracks ran from 1913 to 1929. Of 291 buildings, 203 are houses and 88 are outbuildings, mostly garages, and 191 contribute to the district's character. Construction between 1912 and 1941 produced Colonial Revival and Craftsman houses, American Four-Squares and many bungalows, along with about thirty side-hall-plan houses. The nomination also notes several houses that were probably ordered from Sears, Roebuck catalogues. Later infill includes 1940s frame houses, brick ranch houses and a 1950s Lustron steel house. The district was listed for its cohesive suburban character and the well-crafted work of local builders.
Significance in brief: The district is described as a typical North Carolina streetcar suburb of Colonial Revival and Craftsman houses and bungalows on narrow lots close to the street. Most houses date from 1912 to 1941 and reflect popular pattern-book and catalogue designs, including several probable Sears mail-order houses. Skilled local builders produced well-crafted designs typical of the period.
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 88000226, listed March 17, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Trent Blvd., First St., Park Ave., and Seventh St., New Bern |
|---|---|
| County | Craven County |
| Listed | March 17, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000226 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1912-1941 |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Bungalow/Craftsman, vernacular side-hall |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Most buildings are in good condition, with a few in fair or poor condition. Several houses have recently been restored or renovated by private owners, and some restoration projects are in progress. |
| Acreage | 67 |
| Coordinates | 35.10511, -77.06202 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 88000226.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14707938
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.