The Louis Orr etchings of North Carolina

Treasures from the Kellenberger Room

Featuring books, pamphlets, photographs, documents, and the occasional object from the collections of the New Bern-Craven County Public Library

by John B. Green III

The Louisiana House (Dawson-Clarke House), New Bern, etching by Louis Orr, ca. 1939-1951

Robert Lee Humber loved his native state of North Carolina.  Humber (1898-1970), scholar, attorney, public servant, promoter of justice and peace here and abroad, was also a tireless advocate for the arts in North Carolina.  He was one of the prime movers in the establishment of the North Carolina Museum of Art in the 1940s.  It is an idea of his from the 1930s, however, which is the subject of this post today.

First Presbyterian Church, New Bern, etching by Louis Orr, ca. 1939-1951

Humber lived and worked in France in the 1930s where he met and became friends with American expatriate Louis Orr.  Orr (1879-1966) was a painter and etcher, considered the foremost 20th century practitioner of the art of etching.  An Officer of the French Legion of Honor, his works were the first etchings of a living artist and the first etchings of an American to be acquired for the permanent collections of the Louvre.  By 1939, both Orr and Humber and their families had relocated to the United States to escape the war in Europe.  It was here that Robert Lee Humber conceived of a plan to give his fellow North Carolinians something which no other state possessed - a set of fine art etchings of North Carolina historic structures and scenes, executed by his friend Louis Orr.

New Bern Academy, New Bern, etching by Louis Orr, ca. 1939-1951

Orr, at first reluctant to devote so much time and effort to views of one state, eventually acceded to his friend's request.  Over a period of twelve years from 1939 to 1951, Orr produced fifty etchings of North Carolina plus an additional larger format view of the state capitol.  Originally sold in portfolios of five etchings for $50, today the individual prints, when they can be found, sell for $500 and more.  The Kellenberger Room is fortunate to have eleven of the Orr etchings including all seven of the New Bern scenes - the Louisiana House, New Bern Academy, First Presbyterian Church, St. John's Masonic Lodge, the John Wright Stanly House, the J.B. Blades House, and Tryon Palace.

The Boutwell and the Pamlico

Treasures from the Kellenberger Room

Featuring books, pamphlets, photographs, documents, and the occasional object from the collections of the New Bern-Craven County Public Library

by John B. Green III

United States Revenue Cutter (later U.S. Coast Guard Cutter) Pamlico

When examining early photographs of the New Bern waterfront, a white-hulled vessel is often seen which most New Bernians would identify as the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Pamlico.  This identification is correct in most instances.  The Pamlico was stationed in New Bern her entire career from 1907 to 1946.  Some photographs upon closer examination, however, reveal a much different vessel, the Pamlico's predecessor, the U.S. Revenue Cutter Boutwell.

United States Revenue Cutter Boutwell

The United States Revenue Cutter Service was established in 1790 to patrol the country's ports and coastal waters and enforce the nation's maritime commerce laws.  It would be combined in 1915 with the U.S. Life Saving-Service to form the U.S. Coast Guard.  The USRC Boutwell was one of a succession of cutters assigned to New Bern and eastern North Carolina.  Constructed in 1873, the Boutwell was stationed in New Bern from 1898 to 1907.  Capable of both sail and steam-powered propeller propulsion, the ship measured 138 feet in length with a beam of 23 feet and a draft of 6 feet 9 inches.  The ship carried a crew of seven officers and thirty-one enlisted men and was armed with two deck guns.

The aging Boutwell was removed from New Bern and decommissioned in 1907.  It was replaced by the newly constructed U.S.R.C. Pamlico.  The Pamlico would remain a cherished part of the town's life until it was decommissioned in 1946.

A Rare Survival

Treasures from the Kellenberger Room

Featuring books, pamphlets, photographs, documents, and the occasional object from the collections of the New Bern-Craven County Public Library

by John B. Green III

Land grant from the Lords Proprietors to
Christopher Gale, June 11, 1720

The earliest era of North Carolina's permanent settlement, 1663-1729, is known as the Proprietary period.  This period derives its name from the eight Lords Proprietors, wealthy and influential men who had helped Charles II regain the throne of England.  In gratitude, King Charles granted the province of Carolina to these men along with various rights including that of issuing grants to others.  Of all the thousands of land grants issued during this sixty-year period, most survive only as official clerk's copies in bound volumes.  The original documents, which would have gone to the new owners of the land, have in most instances long since vanished.  We are indeed fortunate, therefore, to have in our collection, an original land grant from 1720, signed by the governor and various members of his council on behalf of the Lords Proprietors, and bearing their seal.

Seal of the Lords Proprietors

The grant for 640 acres (one square mile) of land along the Neuse River "a Little belowe hanging point" was originally granted in 1707 to William Brice who then sold the land to Thomas Urquehart.  Urquehart died without heirs and the property reverted to the Lords Proprietors who on June 11, 1720 granted it to Christopher Gale, chief justice of the province. The document bears the signatures of Governor Charles Eden and Thomas Pollock, President of the Council, along with five other councilmen and officials.

Signature of Thomas Pollock, President of the Council

Signature of Governor Charles Eden

"The day was a perfect one" - the launch of the Charles G. Blades

Treasures from the Kellenberger Room

Featuring books, pamphlets, photographs, documents, and the occasional object from the collections of the New Bern-Craven County Public Library

by John B. Green III

New Bern's maritime history is long and extensive.  Anytime we can acquire a photograph or document illustrating some portion of this history we tend to jump at the chance.  Two years ago we secured a photograph album of views of New Bern taken by an unknown photographer about 1901.  Two of photos in the album are believed to show the launching of the lumber barge Charles G. Blades, an event which drew hundreds of people to the Neuse River waterfront on January 16, 1901.  A detailed account of the launching of what was said to be the largest vessel ever built in the state appeared in the New Bern Daily Journal the following day.

The Blades was constructed for the Blades Lumber Company at its mill located between Johnson and King streets, just north of the Neuse River bridge.  Named for company vice-president Charles G. Blades, the vessel measured 175 feet long with a beam of 28 feet 8 inches, depth of hold of 12 feet 6 inches, draft of three feet, and was capable of carrying 500,000 board-feet of lumber.  On the day of the launching scores of people clambered aboard for the brief trip down the ways and hundreds more crowded the nearby bridge and adjacent shore and wharves.  Ivy Blades, daughter of W.B. Blades, company president, broke a bottle of water across the bow while christening the vessel the Charles G. Blades.  The lumber barge began its slide into the river to the cheers of the crowd and a salute from the U.S. Revenue Cutter Boutwell.  The momentum of the launch carried the Blades nearly half way across the river before the ship was taken in tow by a tug and returned to the dock.

Citizens gathered on board the vessel before the launch.
The Neuse River bridge can be seen to the right.