🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 America’s FIRST State Capitol — Reconstructed 1770 colonial palace — the seat of British royal governors and North Carolina’s first state capitol after independence
Tryon Palace State Historic Site in New Bern is one of the most significant colonial-era buildings in America — the reconstructed 1770 palace of Royal Governor William Tryon. When built, it was the most elaborate government building in British colonial America — so lavish it was called “Tryon’s Palace” by resentful colonists who paid for it through taxes! After independence, Tryon Palace served as North Carolina’s first state capitol (1770–1792). The palace burned in 1798 and was meticulously reconstructed in 1959 using the original architect’s plans, which miraculously survived in the New York Historical Society.
Visitor Information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | New Bern, NC |
| Entry Fee | $20 adults / $10 children |
| Built | 1770 — most lavish colonial! |
| Status | NC’s FIRST state capitol! |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the palace original?
No — the original palace burned in 1798. The reconstruction (completed 1959) used the original architectural plans by John Hawks, which were found in the New York Historical Society. The reconstruction is exceptionally faithful and includes period furnishings, formal English gardens, and working colonial-era kitchens.
About Tryon Palace
Tryon Palace in New Bern was the colonial capitol of North Carolina — built in 1770 as the grandest government building in colonial America. Governor William Tryon’s palatial residence was so extravagant it provoked the Regulator Movement — a frontier rebellion against eastern elite taxation that some historians consider a precursor to the American Revolution. The palace burned in 1798 and was meticulously reconstructed from original architectural drawings in the 1950s.
Things to Do
Touring the reconstructed palace with period furnishings, exploring the formal English gardens, visiting the regional history museum, attending living history programs, and walking through New Bern’s historic district — North Carolina’s first permanent colonial capital.
Make it a road trip: Pair a visit with Goose Creek State Park (within about an hour’s drive) or Hammocks Beach State Park (within about an hour’s drive).
🏛️ Visit Tryon Palace
America’s most lavish colonial palace — NC’s first state capitol 1770!
Wildlife & Nature
Tryon Palace — the reconstructed colonial governor’s palace built in 1770 — served as North Carolina’s first permanent state capitol. Called the “most beautiful building in Colonial America” by visitors of the era. The palace’s Georgian architecture, period gardens, and grounds support songbirds and butterflies in the Kellenberger gardens.
Nearby Attractions
New Bern — surrounding — the second-oldest city in NC (1710) and birthplace of Pepsi-Cola (1893). Croatan NF — 10 miles south. Cape Lookout NS — 40 miles south.
