Craven County: Rivers, Forests and History

At the confluence of the Trent and Neuse Rivers lies New Bern, the county seat of Craven County. Water shapes the landscape beyond this meeting point, too: the county’s streams and creeks range from freshwater to brackish water to saltwater. When planning a trip, nature experiences and historic sites are therefore side by side.

Water, Forest and Activities

Much of the water in Craven County is in and around the heavily forested Croatan National Forest, which covers 160,000 acres. There are 40 miles of streams in Croatan National Forest. Together, these landscape features give the water-and-forest theme a concrete form: rivers, streams and creeks are as much a part of the region as its vast forest.

Golf, boating and hiking are possible in Craven County almost year-round. The options appeal to travelers with different interests in outdoor activities. You can focus your stay more on the waterways, hiking or golf; at the same time, the county’s history remains a distinct focus. When planning your trip, it’s worth first considering which of these themes matters most to you.

History on Display in New Bern

Craven County and New Bern were founded by Swiss immigrants in the early 18th century. New Bern was the first capital of North Carolina and the meeting place of the first Provincial Congress in the colonies in 1774. These milestones provide a historical timeline that you can explore further at New Bern’s historic sites.

Tryon Palace was built as a governor’s palace in 1767. The Tryon Palace and North Carolina History Center complex comprises seven buildings in total. As part of the Tryon Palace experience, visitors can explore historic homes; they can also discover a special exhibition at the North Carolina History Center. A replica of the original Tryon Palace building, which burned down in 1798, now houses the History Center.

Museums and Historic Sites

Nearly one-third of the 1862 Civil War Battle of New Bern took place in New Bern Battlefield Park. Fighting positions known as redans have been preserved there. This makes the park a place where you can explore Civil War history in a specific landscape. The New Bern Firemen’s Museum was founded in 1955 and is connected with the first chartered fire company in North Carolina.

The New Bern Academy Museum is housed in an 1809 building in New Bern’s historic residential district. Its original classrooms house four permanent exhibits on the Civil War, New Bern architecture and the building’s history. The focus is thus on both the city and the history of the museum building itself.

The Attmore-Oliver House is among the early examples of a popular architectural style in New Bern. Its original construction is dated to around 1790, and its expansion to around 1834–1835. Three period rooms—the dining room, parlor and living room—offer a glimpse of life in mid-19th-century New Bern. Architectural history and depictions of domestic life complement the political and military themes of the other historic sites.

Naval Aviation and Local Offerings

The aviation exhibits in Havelock tell the story of naval aviation across a period of more than 100 years. The New Bern Farmers Market offers local produce, plants, farm-raised meat, baked goods and arts and crafts. Along with museums and historic buildings, a wide range of goods and local production are therefore among the topics you can consider when planning your trip.

This distinction helps you plan your trip around the experiences that interest you most.

Discover more destinations: Franklin County, Alleghany County, Clay County, Wayne, Avery County and Hoke County.

For the broader travel overview: North Carolina.