New Bern stakes claim to two significant firefighting milestones — the 1922 Great Fire of New Bern, which was one of North Carolina’s largest urban fires; and its fire department, the oldest chartered fire department in the state.
That Great Fire leveled 40 blocks and 1,000 buildings including the state’s oldest African American church, and left 3,200 people homeless.
Back then, New Bern had four fire stations, 75 fire hydrants, and horse-drawn and motorized fire trucks including a 1914 American LaFrance Pumper.
Firefighters had to dynamite houses to make fire lines to keep the blaze from spreading further, and enough of the city was saved to keep authentic early American history alive in New Bern.
Firefighters saved what was left of Colonial Capitol dwellings and the structures of the state’s second oldest city, which now attracts thousands of tourists each year, creating jobs and bolstering the economy.
The New Bern Firemen’s Museum, which includes that 1914 pumper as part of its collection, also draw tourists and locals downtown.
Preserving those artifacts was important enough for the City of New Bern to establish the museum in 1955.
Said newly retired Fire Chief Bobby Aster, “The thing that is so unique to me is every item is original equipment of the City of New Bern. It’s not New York’s; it’s not New Jersey’s; it’s New Bern’s.”
“Those at other firemen’s museums across county say how lucky we are to be able to say this is all New Bern’s equipment,” he said.
Firemen’s Museum dilemma
An open letter to the community from the acting chair of the Friends of the New Bern Firemen’s Museum Board of Directors outlines a dilemma.
The city has cut funding and officials are talking about selling the building built on Hancock Street in 1984 that has housed the museum. Museum Friends have refurbished and equipped that building behind the Old Firehouse with handicap access and restroom facilities. That has been done mostly with non-public funds.
“The collection and the buildings are owned by the city,” said Nancy Mansfield in her letter. “In fact, when the Museum was founded in 1955, it was city owned and operated.”
“About 10 years ago, facing a budget crisis that threatened to close the Museum, the city formed a partnership with a group of interested citizens called the Friends of the New Bern Firemen’s Museum,” she said. “The city turned over to them the day-to-day operation of the Museum including raising private funds.”
“The city, for its part, agreed to appropriate yearly operating support to the museum,” she said. “This public/private partnership is similar to that of the state and Tryon Palace.”
That happened after the city actually closed the museum and a group led by Sabrina Bengal, Dana Outlaw (before either served on the Board of Aldermen) and Bobby Aster, who believed the museum was an integral part of the city and its tourism industry.
City officials agreed that it was a good idea and, in a gentleman’s agreement, decided to provide $50,000 a year toward its support.
Budget cuts
Bill Frederick took over as chair from Bengel when she went on the Board of Alderman and remains active on the board although he stepped down as chair last year, Mansfield said
Initial support from the city was later lowered to $40,000 a year and this fiscal year New Bern Aldermen cut out all city funding to all nonprofit groups. After an outcry from museum supporters, city aldermen agreed to cut the annual allocation by only half and still pay utilities up to $11,000 and maintenance up to $4,000, considering the museum is city property.
Mansfield said the Old Firehouse needs restrooms before it can be used without the Hancock Street building, as well as a fire escape and elevator in order for the upstairs to be used as exhibit space.
“We could move as fast as we can on the first floor and be in there in a matter of months,” Mansfield said, but can’t operate as a museum without the restrooms in the current building. “We are hoping that will engender enough excitement to work on second floor.”
The Friends need at least a year of inexpensive lease on the Hancock Street museum building to make the transition to the Broad Street fire station, which appears eminent.
Aster said, “Our biggest asset is the old fire station; it’s our biggest artifact. We should be able to remodel and turn it into a museum that is one of the best tourist attractions in the Downtown area.”
He also believes progress is being made toward that end with the city. “I have had more positive comments from Board of Aldermen in the past 90 days than in long time.”
Negotiating with the city
At a recent Museum Board of Directors meeting, Aster said, “Alderman Jeff Odham and Alderman Dallas Blackiston stood up and are taking a lead that feels very comfortable. That’s what we’ve been trying to get and it’s happening.”
Alderman Pat Schaible, who has supported selling the Hancock Street building, said she still feels the city can’t afford both building but thinks negotiations are making progress toward a solution.
She told the Sun Journal she thinks the Board of Aldermen will give the Friends at least a one year lease for the Hancock Street building in the next fiscal year.
Mansfield said, “We are working closely with several of the aldermen to strengthen the partnership between the city and the Friends in a way that will keep our museum open and healthy in the years ahead. But it is clear that in the future, the museum will have to depend more than ever on private support.”
She thinks there is support from Mayor Outlaw: “Dana was one of the people who saved the Firemen’s Museum. He went in and scrubbed walls and physically put sweat equity in this.”
“I understand city officials are looking for every penny they can pull together. There is tremendous reluctance to raise taxes,” she said. “But we need to get the $1 a year lease for a 66-month lease on the Fire House – that’s about as long as the city gives – and the $1 a year lease on the present museum so we can transition.”
“We feel like it’s coming together but we will need the community to step up.”
Sue Book can be reached at 252-635-5665.
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