The Early Days:
Founded in 1710 by Baron Christopher de Graffenried with Swiss and German Palatine Colonists. De Graffenried named the area New Bern for his home town in Bern, Switzerland. The city adopted the bear, the heraldic symbol of Bern, Switzerland, as its symbol. Many bears can be seen today as one walks around New Bern. New Bern is the site of many firsts:

• In 1765, royal governor William Tryon established New Bern as the first permanent capital of the North Carolina colony.
• Site of the first printing press in North Carolina.
• Birthplace of "Brad's Drink," later known as Pepsi Cola.
• Site of the first publicly chartered school in North Carolina.
• First city in North Carolina (third in the US) to celebrate Independence Day.

The Academy Museum was built in 1809 as North Carolina's first publicly chartered school.
The three-story brick Academy now charts New Bern's early history. 

Southern forces fought hard to keep New Bern from falling to Union command. During the first assault on the city, Confederate North Carolina troops battled five hours. Despite their efforts New Bern was captured on March 14, 1862. The Harmony House itself was occupied by the gentlemen of Company K of the 45th Massachusetts Volunteer Militia.

The Union soldiers recorded their impressions of New Bern in many letters.
Private Henry Clapp of the Massachusetts Volunteers echoed the statements
of many Union soldiers when he wrote home:

Caleb Bradham operated two stores in New Bern in the 1900's. The second drugstore and soda fountain, constructed in 1912 for Lucinda Stanley at the corner of Broad and Middle Streets is the only standing commercial building that can be linked to Bradham.

Born in Duplin county in 1867, Bradham quit his medical studies and came home to work when his parents' business failed. Eventually, he became a pharmacist and mixed up a tasty concoction known as "Brad's Drink". It got to be so popular that he patented it in 1898 under the name Pepsi Cola!