New Bern Historic District (Boundary Increase) (Additional Documentation)
Why it's listed
Twenty-three noncontiguous blocks of New Bern, the coastal city where the Trent and Neuse rivers meet, make up this expansion of the historic district. The areas hold most of the city's African American neighborhoods, with narrow grid streets lined by closely spaced houses and small commercial buildings. Their architecture spans 1800 to 1953 and includes one-and-a-half-story gable-end cottages, I-houses, and Craftsman and Foursquare dwellings. Cottage Row, three Gothic Revival houses built between 1858 and 1860 near the railroad, is one example. The 1922 fire destroyed much of the area, and many buildings from the 1920s and 1930s were erected afterward, often by African American owners and local craftsmen. Notable early landmarks include the 1820 McLin House and a brick commercial building on Queen Street. The district is significant for its ties to community growth, the railroad and commerce, and African American life in the city, as well as for its concentration of early twentieth-century architecture.
Significance in brief: The expansion areas are argued to meet Criterion A for community development, commerce, transportation and African American ethnic heritage, and Criterion C for architecture. The document cites their collection of structures dating from 1800 through the mid-1950s, especially 1920s and 1930s styles built after the 1922 fire, and the role of African American builders and artisans.
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 03000965, listed September 25, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly 2 blks of N. Craven,blk on Pasteur St, roughly along Bern, West, Cedar Sts and Trent Court, New Bern |
|---|---|
| County | Craven County |
| Listed | September 25, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03000965 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1800-1953 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival, Queen Anne, Craftsman, Foursquare, Colonial Revival, Italianate, Greek Revival, Second Empire, Art Deco, Moderne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Transportation, Commerce, Black, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 64 |
| Coordinates | 35.10580, -77.04431 (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 03000965.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.