Stanly, John Wright, House
Why it's listed
Built in the late eighteenth century at Middle and New streets in New Bern, this full two-story wooden mansion has a hip roof with a balustrade, a five-bay facade, and a central doorway framed by Roman Doric columns and an open pediment. Inside, a central hall and four rooms on each floor display Georgian woodwork, a walnut stair balustrade, and a fine Delaware River style mantel. The design is attributed to John Hawks, who came from England to build Governor Tryon's palace. John Wright Stanly bought the unfinished house in 1779 and had it completed. George Washington stayed two nights in April 1791, and General Burnside used it as his first headquarters in New Bern during the Civil War. Later it served as the Bryan family residence and then as a public library from 1935 to 1965. The house was moved twice, in 1932 and 1965, and is now a state-owned museum at 307 George Street undergoing restoration.
Significance in brief: The architecture is attributed to John Hawks, the architect brought from England to design Governor Tryon's palace. The house was home to John Wright Stanly and his son John Stanly, a congressman and Speaker of the State House. President George Washington lodged there in 1791, and it served as General Burnside's headquarters during the Civil War. Its style has no counterpart in North Carolina.
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 70000450, listed February 26, 1970. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 307 George St., New Bern |
|---|---|
| County | Craven County |
| Listed | February 26, 1970 |
| Reference number | 70000450 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 18th Century |
| Architect / builder | John Hawks (attributed) |
| Architectural style | Georgian interior woodwork; exterior in the manner of Hudson River mansions |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as good, altered and moved. It is owned by the State of North Carolina and used as a museum under restoration and furnishing for public exhibition. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Within district | New Bern Historic District (Boundary Increase) (Additional Documentation) |
| Coordinates | 35.10730, -77.04452 (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 70000450.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14707998
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.