Described was the labor of love involved in the restoration of a lathe originally owned by Charles Henry Hall. Courtesy of its passage down through the centuries by Hall’s nephew, Charles Hall Ashford, Jr., and L.R. Thomas Jr., the lathe is part of the Palace’s collection of human powered tools.
Originally known as the Governor’s Palace, Tryon Palace’s restoration in the late 1950s also entailed rebuilding its grounds. In this part of the project, preservationists had to employ educated guesswork and imagination more than archaeo-historical evidence.
Originally known as the Governor’s Palace, Tryon Palace’s restoration in the late 1950s also entailed rebuilding its grounds. In this part of the project, preservationists had to employ educated guesswork and imagination more than archaeo-historical evidence.
Archaeological excavations have been taking place at Tryon Palace in New Bern for nearly fifty years, but there is still more to examine, including building foundations and numerous artifacts.
From 1952 to 1958, Morley Jeffers Williams conducted extensive archaeological investigations at Tryon Palace in New Bern. These excavations provided information that guided the interior and exterior restoration and reconstruction of the buildings and other architectural features.
It has been argued that historical archaeology began in North Carolina with the work of Talcott Williams in the 19th century in search of the Roanoke settlements or with the work of James Sprunt at Russellborough near Brunswick Town. Beaman argues that historical archaeology did not flourish in the state until the mid 20th century, when Morely Jeffers Williams conducted the first archaeological investigation into the opulent pre-Revolutionary home of William Tryon in New Bern.