Events 

Platted in 1806 as the second town in Craven County, Dryborough was developed by future North Carolina Governor Gen. Benjamin Smith and his wife Sarah Rhett Dry Smith.

In the decades before the Civil War, it attracted many free Black artisans, including tailors, painters, and brick masons.It became a cornerstone of African American life in New Bern, housing important sites like the West Street School, the Good Shepherd Hospital (603 West St.), and the West Street Colored Library (608 West St.). The Great Fire of 1922 destroyed much of the area, but the community rebuilt.

The Historic Dryborough Association, founded by Ethel Martin Staten, works to preserve its heritage. In 2016, 14 blocks of the neighborhood were added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Please share with friends, family, churches and organizations and join us on the 25th!