Ethel Staten to Speak
Wednesday, February 11, 2015 at The Chelsea
Join the New Bern Historical Society on Wednesday, February 11 at 11:30am at The Chelsea restaurant for a special New Bern Historical Society Lunch and Learn presentation “Dryborough: Past, Present, & Future” about the rich history of Dryborough which became Craven County’s second town incorporated in 1806. Originally located between Queen and Cypress Streets on the edge of New Bern part of it would become Cedar Grove Cemetery and the other part home to African American families, businesses, and artisans.
The lunchtime event will feature an historical exhibit and presentation by Mrs. Ethel Martin Staten, a retired educator and native New Bernian, who grew up in Dryborough and is the founder and president of the Historic Dryborough Neighborhood Association, Inc.
Mrs. Staten will explore not only the early history when Dryborough was first developed by future North Carolina Governor, General Benjamin Smith (1757-1826) and his wife Sarah Rhett Dry Smith (1762-1821) who named it in memory of her father, Colonel William Dry (1720-1781), of South Carolina and Wilmington, but also its enduring legacy as the social and cultural center of African American life in New Bern even after the “Great Fire of 1922” which greatly impacted the people and area both economically and culturally.
Lunch and Learn starts at 11:30am at the Chelsea Restaurant at 335 Middle Street in New Bern. Tickets are $16 for Historical Society members and $18 for non-members; lunch is included. Tickets must be purchased in advance by calling the New Bern Historical Society at 252-638-8558. Beef Tenderloin: Beef tenderloin shoulder with marsala sauce, rosemary roasted potatoes and seasonal vegetables; or Baked Haddock: Baked haddock with lemon-dill sauce, rice pilaf and seasonal vegetables.
Join The New Bern Historical Society at the Chelsea and learn more about New Bern’s diverse heritage and the historic Duffyfield neighborhoods. For more information call 252-638-8558.
Submitted by: New Bern Historical Society