Tryon Palace

Tryon Palace is located in New Bern in North Carolina. The palace was the administrative headquarters of the British governors in North Carolina. This was between the years 1770 and 1775. It was also the official residence of the governors. Rebel troops seized the residence in 1775. The building burned down in 1792. A replica was constructed in the 1950s. The architect used some of the original plans. He also added in some modern support structures.

Tryon Palace insists on research and offering scholarship opportunities. They are in search of information that is historically correct. It encourages hands-on learning by participating in and exploring the resources of the museum. They appreciate curiosity from visitors and encourage learning progressively. They have invested greatly in customer service. Visitors gain experiences full of fun knowledge and exciting adventures.

History

William Tryon was the Governor of North Carolina between 1765 and 1771. He was of British descent and a colonial official. In his service as a lieutenant governor, Tryon realized the need of a government building. The house needed to be centrally placed. He worked with an architect named John Hawks when he became Governor. They drew plans for a government house. It was designed like colonial buildings by the British at the time.
 
The North Carolina legislature allocated 5,000 pounds to construct an edifice. This amount was not enough according to Tryon. He managed to convince the legislature to raise taxes for construction funds.
 
Hawks hired workers from Philadelphia. William Tryon claimed workers native to North Carolina would have no clue on how to build such a house.
 
Tryon and his wife, Margaret Wake, moved into the palace in 1770. Building the house raised a lot of controversies. North Carolina residents saw it as an extravagant and unnecessary portrayal of England. They were also not happy about the additional taxes taken to fund the project. This led to resistance activities like;
 
· Battle of Alamance – It happened on May 16, 1771. It led to seven men being hung
 
· North Carolina’s War of the Regulation
 
Tryon became very unpopular in North Carolina. He was forced to leave the state on June 30, 1771. On July 8 that same year, he was the Governor of New York. His stay at the house lasted a little over a year.
 
The American Revolutionary War began in May 1775. The governor of North Carolina at the time was Josiah Martin. He fled the mansion and it was seized by rebels. It was their seat of government for the period that they had the state.
 
The newly formed United States admitted North Carolina in 1789. The North Carolina State House was constructed in Raleigh three years later. Four North Carolinian governors lived in Tryon Palace after that. They were;
 
1. Richard Caswell
 
2. Abner Nash
 
3. Alexander Martin
 
4. Richard Dobbs Spaight
 
The Palace was then put to different uses. It was;
 
· A school
 
· A boarding house
 
· A Masonic lodge
 

A fire started in the cellar in 1798. The building was completely consumed. The only structures that survived were the kitchen and stable offices. The only original structure that remains today is the stable office. The kitchen was razed in the early 1800s.

 

Buildings

There are several structures at the Tryon Palace Historic Site. These are:
 
1. The main building – This is the reconstructed palace.
 
2. The stable offices – The only existing structure of those built by John Hawks.
 
3. The kitchen office – This is separate from the main building. Buildings built in the 1700s had kitchens away from the main house.
 
4. George W. Dixon House – Built in the early 1830s. Dixon was a rich merchant tailor. He was also a mayor of New Bern.
 
5. The Robert Hay House – This was built in the early 1800s. It was bought by Robert Hay. He was an immigrant from Scotland. He also built wagons.
 
6. The John Wright Stanly House – This building showcases Gregorian architecture perfectly. The house has housed many generations of the Stanly household. Some of them were key figures in the American Revolution, Civil War and the early national period.
 

7. The New Bern Academy – The school was established in 1766. It was the first building established by legal mandate. The original building was also consumed by a fire in 1795. The existing building was constructed in 1806. It was completed in 1809.

 

Staff

Tryon Palace has a number of employees who help maintain the grounds. The staff is divided into several branches. Each branch is dedicated to a specific task. The branches include;
 
1. Educational Services Branch
 
2. Public Affairs Branch
 
3. Collections Branch
 
4. Administration Branch
 
5. Operations Branch
 
6. Operations Branch
 
7. Building Trades Branch
 
8. Gardens Branch

Tickets and Tours

The Palace Gardens and North Carolina History Center offer great palace tours daily. The grounds are open every Monday to Saturday. The hours of operation are between 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. They also open every Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. The last tour starts at 3.30 p.m.
 
There are several types of tickets that can be acquired. They include;
 
· One Day Pass
 
To access the One Day Pass, adults pay $15 while those aged between 6 and 14 pay $8. The pass allows the holder to access the First floor and cellar to the Governor’s Palace. You will also access museum galleries in the North Carolina History Center. You can also walk the gardens. They cover 16 gorgeous acres.
 
· Galleries Pass
 
The Galleries Pass grants access to the museum galleries. These are in the North Carolina History Center. You will also walk in the gardens. Adults pay $10 while younger children pay $5.
 
· Gardens Pass
 
For a fee of $6 for adults and $3 for children. The ticket holder is admitted to the 16 acres of lush gardens. You will access all the gardens, including Latham, Kellenberger and Kitchen gardens.
 
· Group Tours
 
· Photography Pass
 
Tryon Palace is a common attraction for photographers. They use it as a backdrop for;
 
– bridal portraits
 
– military ceremonies
 
Photographers are required to make a reservation before visiting. You can call ahead when planning to take photographs at the facilities.
 
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