New Bern a nifty escape, especially for Fourth

A visit to North Carolina’s first state capital ought to fire up a nifty time – for the Fourth of July, or any other day – to walk back through history, maybe even quenching, or triggering, a thirst for something fizzy and tasty.

Tryon Palace, the first capitol building of North Carolina – before the capital’s move to Raleigh in 1794, will celebrate Independence Day with its annual “Glorious Fourth,” 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday, with free access to the its gardens, a reading of the Declaration of Independence at 11 a.m. on the palace steps, and live 18th-century music from Thursday Morn’ and the Tryon Palace Fife and Drum Corps.

Then, “Independence Night: A Fourth of July Celebration at the N.C. History Center,” 6-9:30 p.m., in the entrance to the palace complex, is $10 for adults, $5 ages 6-10, and free ages 5 and younger, including a hamburger, hot dog, ice cream buffet, music by from Billy Holton and the Soul Shakers, and viewing of the fireworks from downtown. Evening parking is $5.

Spending any half-day or more across Tryon Palace’s grounds and historic buildings will give anyone a deep glimpse into U.S. history. Stepping into various buildings brings a guided tour, such as in the red-brick centerpiece, rebuilt to its late 1760s splendor, where two British colonial governors resided before the American Revolution – William Tryon and Josiah Martin – and in such neighboring homes once occupied by notables including John Wright Stanly, and later where George Washington lodged on a Southern visit, nuns made a convent while serving as nurses for Union soldiers during the Civil War, and public library operated in the mid-1900s.

Before the departure for a 90-minute, historic trolley bus ride by New Bern Tours on a Sunday this past spring, at Pollock and George streets, the Tryon Palace Fife and Drum Corps – including several musical boy and girl teens – proceeded by in a weekly rehearsal inside the gates of the grounds with its signature home as a backdrop.

This bus tour, separate from palace admission, provides a perfect lead-in for, or follow-up from, visiting the palace. An architectural overview of New Bern covers the array of styles of not only houses, but places of worship, and explains why so many bear sculptures dot the city – named after Bern, Switzerland, from the German word for bear.

A stop to hop out and walk in the shell-stone wall and arch entrance of Cedar Grove Cemetery, a hallowed place established in 1800, gives a glimpse into this outdoor art museum full of the remains of famous people such as Mary Bayard Devereux Clarke, author of “Mosses from a Rolling Stone” and “Idle Moments of a Busy Woman,” and the maternal grandmother to Mary Bayard Morgan Wootten, the photographer and artist who designed the first Pepsi-Cola logo, with all capital letters. The host on the bus also reminded the ensemble about tours available at this cemetery, 4 p.m. Saturdays from the New Bern Historical Society, for $10 (252-638-8558 or newbernhistorical.org).

Take a short walk from the trolley bus origination point and head back downtown to Pollack and Middle streets for the The Pepsi Store – The Birthplace of Pepsi-Cola. In the walls of this corner shop, Caleb Bradham – a pharmacist and University of North Carolina alumnus – invented and began selling the cola in the late 1890s. “Brad’s Drink” began with a concoction of carbonated water, sugar, vanilla, rare oils and cola nuts. Besides laying eyes on the plethora of memorabilia on display and for sale, sit down for a refreshment, of Pepsi, Mountain Dew or Diet Pepsi on tap, with simple price options for a small, medium or large cup: 50 cents, 75 cents or $1.

Also, some new Pepsi products to jazz up taste buds are for sale: Caleb’s Kola, 1893 Ginger Cola, and Mountain Dew Dewshine. Bring home a can or bottle of each, and sample one at a time, one per night – or all three in one sitting – for a souvenir to swallow, savor, and see in three very different looking containers with which to decorate a shelf afterward.

This story was originally published June 30, 2016 at 2:36 PM with the headline "New Bern a nifty escape, especially for Fourth."