Vanished New Bern, No. 10

a series of views of lost area buildings

By John B. Green III

John Wright Stanly House dependencies

John Wright Stanly House dependency at right of image, photo from Nellie M. Rowe, Discovering North Carolina, 1933.

After having been moved twice, the John Wright Stanly House now sits on a lot that is only a fraction of the size of its original grounds.  As a part of the Tryon Palace historic site on George Street, it is toured by thousands each year.  Few of those thousands are aware that the house once possessed two large flanking outbuildings or dependencies on its original site.  The grounds of the John Wright Stanly House (constructed c. 1779 - 1783) once covered half a city block between Middle and Hancock streets.  The house faced Middle Street flanked by the dependencies.  The larger of the two sat to the north of the house and faced New Street.  Colonel John D. Whitford, New Bern's 19th century historian, identified the building as Congressman John Stanly, Jr.'s law office, although at the time of his writing (1882) it had been occupied as a dwelling for a number of years.  The site of the Stanly house and its dependencies was sold to the federal government in 1932 for the construction of a new courthouse and post office.  The main house was moved onto the rear portion of its grounds and turned to face New Street. The smaller dependency which had stood to the south of the Stanly house was also moved at this time and placed behind the main house.  Following a long-standing New Bern tradition of moving and reusing discarded buildings, John Stanly's old law office was given to Judge R.A. Nunn who dismantled the structure and used the material in the construction of a new building outside of town.  This building was later destroyed by fire.

Surviving dependency being moved to George Street, 1966.

In 1966 the John Wright Stanly House, after having served as the town library for thirty years, was given to the Tryon Palace Commission.  The house and the smaller surviving dependency were moved to George Street to become part of the Tryon Palace historic site.  While the main house was restored at great expense, it was determined that there was no room and no use for the smaller dependency and it was unceremoniously demolished.

Knock, Knock

By John B. Green III

Door knocker, c.1935, from the John Wright Stanly House.

The New Bern-Craven County Public Library has been located for more than forty-six years at the northwest corner of Johnson and Middle streets. It's present red-brick building was constructed between 1967 and 1968 and was remodeled and enlarged in 1991-1992.  Many older residents, however, remember the library's previous location, the historic John Wright Stanly House.

Post card, c. 1960, of the New Bern Public Library (John Wright Stanly House).

This architecturally and historically important house was constructed ca. 1779-1783 by New Bern merchant and patriot John Wright Stanly.  President George Washington is said to have stayed in the house during his visit to New Bern in 1791. The American Civil War saw the house used as Union General Ambrose Burnside's headquarters following his capture of the town in 1862.  Originally constructed at the southwest corner of Middle and New streets, the Stanly house faced Middle Street and occupied half a city block. By the late 19th century, under the ownership  of the Bryan family, the grounds had acquired dense Victorian plantings.

Photograph, c. 1900, of the John Wright Stanly House.

By the early 1930s the John Wright Stanly House had fallen upon hard times. The Stanly corner lot was sold to the federal government for the construction of a new post office and federal courthouse and the house itself was moved to the rear portion of its grounds and turned to face New Street.  The Stanly House, at its new location, was purchased in 1935 by the New Bern Library Association.  It was renovated and restored with funds and assistance from the Emergency Relief Administration and the Works Progress Adminstration. The library moved into its new quarters in April and May of 1935 where it would remain for the next thirty years. By the early 1960s the John Wright Stanly House was deemed to be inadequate for library purposes and plans were set in motion to build a modern facility. The present lot at the corner of Johnson and Middle  streets was secured, the library was moved to temporary quarters at 311 East Front Street, and the historic John Wight Stanly House was given to the Tryon Palace Commission. The Commission decided to move the house to George Street adjacent to the Palace complex and, for the second time in its long existence, the Stanly House sprouted wheels and set off for its new home.

John Wright Stanly House rounding the corner of New and Hancock streets, 1966.

The New Bern-Craven County Public Library reopened in its spacious, new building on February 25, 1968.

Post card, c.1968, of the New Bern-Craven County Public Library.