North Carolina Office of Archives and History

Governor Tryon and His Palace by Alonzo Thomas DillReview by: William S. TarltonThe North Carolina Historical Review, Vol. 33, No. 2 (April, 1956), pp. 254-255Published by: North Carolina Office of Archives and HistoryStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/23516780 .

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254 The North Carolina Historical Review

Governor Tryon and His Palace. By Alonzo Thomas Dill. (Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press. 1955. Pp. xvi, 304. $5.00.)

Mr. Dill's book springs from the movement of recent years to restore Tryon Palace at New Bern, North Carolina's first

capítol and the residence of several royal and early state gov ernors. This kind of motivation sometimes produces narrow

results, but such is not the case in this instance. In addition

to a history of the Palace, Mr. Dill has written a more or less

general history of the colony for the period of Governor Wil liam Tryon's administration (1765-1771), a general history of New Bern for a much longer span, and a fine summary

history of early North Carolina's perambulating capítol. Emphasis shifts back and forth between general and local

problems. The first chapter gives a picture of the colony as a whole at the time of Tryon's arrival. Then follow two chapters on the history of New Bern, which paint a picture of the

town and community that Tryon chose to be the province's first settled capital and the site of the Palace—a combined

capítol and governor's residence. Other chapters deal with

back country problems and the War of the Regulation, the

building of the Palace, the effect of the Revolution upon New Bern and the Palace, and the final relocation of the state

capítol at Raleigh in 1792. This broadened scope made it possible to place Governor

Tryon and the Palace in their proper historical perspective and to provide in outline and in substance a splendid general interpretation of the restored Palace, which is now advancing toward completion. The book also has the effect, to this re

viewer, of further expounding and fortifying the chief justi fication for the restoration project. The logic of this idea is: If the reconstruction and exhibition of the Palace can be made to illustrate, through its interpretive program, as much

important early history as Mr. Dill has been able to make the original illustrate, then there can be little argument about the

validity of the restoration. This book also embodies a fine piece of writing, which com

bines the successful journalist's concern for readability and the conscientious historian's regard for accuracy. The text is

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Book Reviews 255

not footnoted, but extensive documentary notes for each

chapter and a general bibliography take care of documenta tion. There is also an adequate index.

Good authorship happily has been matched by great care on the part of the publisher and printers. The quality and

beauty of the physical book have already excited general admiration.

William S. Tarlton. State Department of Archives and History, Raleigh.

Local History: How To Find and Write It. By D. J. Whitener. (Asheville: Western North Carolina Historical Association. 1955. Pp. 17. Single copies 75 cents; twenty or more copies 50 cents each, postpaid.)

This booklet is a practical guide for "grassroot" historians who are interested in preserving their local heritage. It sug gests concretely what to look for, where to look for it, and how to make it "history."

The second part of the publication gives a tentative list of nineteen recommended topics for research for historical

articles with suggestions on how to proceed. It also itemizes

things to find and where to look. It concludes with a list of available materials for people

studying local history in North Carolina.

This informative publication will be of particular benefit to the inexperienced historian who needs guidance in search

ing for material. The author, who is Dean and Head of the

Department of History at Appalachian State Teachers Col

lege, has had wide experience in training teachers of North

Carolina history. His practical and concise handling of his

subject make this booklet a must for county and school libra ries, county historical societies, newspaper feature writers, and literary clubs. There are many historical problems that need to be studied at the local level and Dr. Whitener has

painstakingly pointed the way to proceed.

Goldsboro. Eleanor Bizzell Powell.

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