>>> FROM TRYON PALACE TO THE BIRTHPLACE OF PEPSI, NEW BERN'S
300-YEAR HISTORY IS FILLED WITH FAMOUS FACES AND FASCINATING
FOLKLORE.
PRODUCER CLAY JOHNSON SHOWS US AN OLD-FASHIONED WAY TO SEE THIS
RICH HISTORY UP CLOSE ABOARD A TROLLEY.
>> PEPSI-COLA HITS THE SPOT.
12 FULL OUNCES, THAT'S A LOT.
>> TOUR GUIDE ALICE RUCKERT IS REFRESHING HER PASSENGERS'
MEMORIES ABOUT A POPULAR REFRESHMENT'S ORIGINAL JINGLE.
>> PEPSI-COLA IS A DRINK FOR YOU.
YES.
THANK YOU.
>> YOU JUST CAN'T GET AROUND A DISCUSSION OF PEPSI IN ITS
BIRTHPLACE OF NEW BERN, BUT THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO THIS
TOWN'S 300-YEAR HISTORY.
THESE NEW BERN TROLLEY TOURS ARE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A COMPLETE
OVERVIEW IN JUST 90 MINUTES.
>> AND IT SPANS EVERYTHING FROM THE COLONIAL TIMES AND THE
STARTING OF TRYON PALACE ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO PRESENT DAY.
>> BENGEL WAS ON A MARKETING COMMITTEE IN THE 1990s THAT
DECIDED A TROLLEY WOULD BE GREAT FOR NEW BERN'S TOURISTS.
SHE AND HER HUSBAND FOUND THIS TROLLEY BODY ON A BUS CHASSIS IN
PHOENIX.
>> AND WE PURCHASED IT AND HAD IT SHIPPED BACK FROM PHOENIX
BACK HERE TO NEW BERN.
>> FOR 18 YEARS, THE TROLLEY HAS BEEN TRAVELING THE STREETS OF
DOWNTOWN NEW BERN AND TELLING ITS HISTORY.
>> THIS IS AN EASY WAY TO FIND OUT A GREAT OVERVIEW OF A
COMMUNITY, OF A HISTORIC COMMUNITY.
>> IT WAS A VERY SHORT BATTLE.
IT STARTED ABOUT 7:00 IN THE MORNING, OVER BY 1:00 IN THE
AFTERNOON.
AND SOMEONE SAID THAT WAS PERFECT TIMING FOR A LATE LUNCH.
>> ALICE IS ONE OF ABOUT EIGHT TOUR GUIDES.
THEY ALL HAVE THEIR OWN STYLE AND EXPERTISE.
ALICE IS AN HISTORIAN WITH A DEEP LOVE OF NEW BERN'S PAST.
>> SHE WANTS TO REALLY RECOUNT THE HISTORY OF THE DIFFERENT
PERIODS THAT YOU WILL SEE AS YOU GO ALONG THE TOUR.
>> THE TOUR GOES BY HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND PLACES WHERE
HISTORIC BUILDINGS NO LONGER STAND.
>> SO WE NOW HAVE A NEW HOUSE ON THE CORNER WHERE THIS BUILDING
ONCE STOOD.
>> THE TOUR GOES BY THE HOMES OF HISTORIC FIGURES.
>> MAJOR JOHN DAYS BROUGHT IN THE CONTINENTAL ARMY UNDER
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
>> THE TOUR ALSO INCLUDES SOME OF NEW BERN'S RICH AFRICAN
AMERICAN HISTORY.
>> AMELIA GREEN WAS BORN INTO SLAVERY.
SHE PETITIONED THE COURT FOR HER FREEDOM IN THE LATE 18th
CENTURY.
>> THE TOUR IS PEPPERED WITH BOTH FACT AND FOLKLORE.
>> EVERYBODY WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT GHOSTS AND WHO MIGHT BE IN A
HOUSE OR NOT MIGHT BE IN A HOUSE.
>> AND BEHIND THIS LOW BRICK WALL IS THE DAYS' FAMILY BURIAL
PLOT.
>> THERE ARE TWO STOPS ON THIS TOUR WHERE PASSENGERS LEAVE THE
TROLLEY TO GET A CLOSER LOOK AT HISTORIC SITES.
THE FIRST IS AT NEW BERN CEDAR GROVE CEMETERY.
CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH ESTABLISHED THE CEMETERY IN THE
18th CENTURY, AND IT'S ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC
PLACES.
ITS MORE THAN 1,000 MARKED GRAVES INCLUDE THE BURIAL SITES
OF SOME PROMINENT FIGURES IN OUR NATION'S AND STATE'S HISTORY.
>> GASTON, NORTH CAROLINA, LIKE GASTON, GASTONIA, GASTON COUNTY,
ALL NAMED AFTER JUDGE WILLIAM GASTON.
WELL, THEY OUTGREW THE FIRST CHURCH, WANTED A LARGER ONE.
>> CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH IS THE OTHER STOP WHERE PASSENGERS
GET OUT FOR A CLOSER VIEW.
THE CHURCH WAS BUILT IN 1824 AND IS ALSO ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER
OF HISTORIC PLACES.
>> GEORGE WASHINGTON, JAMES MONROE, WHEN THEY VISITED NEW
BERN, WORSHIPPED AT CHRIST CHURCH.
>> PASSENGERS SAY THESE TROLLEY TOURS PROVIDE A RICHER
EXPERIENCE THAN TOURING THE TOWN IN THEIR CARS OR ON FOOT.
>> WE HAD WALKED AROUND TOWN EARLIER, BUT TO HAVE THAT
HISTORY WITH IT WAS ENJOYABLE AND INFORMATIVE AND, YOU KNOW,
WE GOT SOMETHING MORE OUT OF IT THAN JUST SEEING THE BUILDINGS.
>> WHEN YOU'RE IN A CAR, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T STOP AND READ
ALL THE SIGNS.
THE TRAFFIC'S THERE.
AND YOU GET ON THE TROLLEY.
YOU SIT DOWN.
YOU RELAX.
THEY EXPLAIN EVERYTHING TO YOU.
POINT OUT THE HIGH SPOTS.
THEN IF YOU WANT TO GO BACK AND STOP IN FRONT OF ONE, YOU CAN DO
THAT.
>> WE JUST FELT LIKE IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO TELL THE STORY AND
LET PEOPLE EXPERIENCE THE CHARM OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND THAT IS
OUR SLOGAN -- EXPERIENCE THE CHARM.
[APPLAUSE]