Slover-Bradham House
Also known as: Burnside's Headquarters
Why it's listed
Built around 1848 for New Bern merchant and shipowner Charles Slover, this three-story pressed-brick house at 201 Johnson Street is described as probably the finest Renaissance Revival building in North Carolina. It has Flemish bond brickwork, a sandstone watertable, strict symmetry, a loggia entrance with Tuscan columns, and delicate cast-iron balconies. Inside, each floor has a center-hall plan with plaster medallions, marble mantels and original silver hardware. No designer is known, and the style stands apart from the Federal buildings common in the town. During the Civil War, General Burnside and the Eighteenth Army Corps made their headquarters here, and the house was carefully protected by Union guards. In 1908 it was bought by pharmacist C. D. Bradham, who invented Pepsi-Cola and built a national business. The house remains virtually unaltered and was valued for its architecture and these associations.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it probably the best-executed, most sophisticated example of Renaissance Revival architecture in North Carolina, virtually unaltered and unmatched in New Bern. It also served as headquarters for General Burnside's Union forces during the Civil War. Later it was the home of C. D. Bradham, inventor of Pepsi-Cola.
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 73001327, listed April 11, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 201 Johnson St., New Bern |
|---|---|
| County | Craven County |
| Listed | April 11, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001327 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (c. 1848) |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Invention |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition and unaltered, on its original site, and used as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Coordinates | 35.11104, -77.03660 (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 73001327.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18158091
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.