The Birthplace of Pepsi

Inside a small pharmacy building on a corner lot sat a man diligently working on a secret recipe. In fact he had several versions of this recipe that he sold alongside medicines and healing ointments that he sold inside his drug store. One of the recipes seemed to be a hit among his loyal customers, so he decided to give it a more stylish name and market it in drug stores across 24 states. The recipe would be known as Pepsi-Cola. Why pharmacies? Because when it was originally contrived, it was marketed as a digestive aid. With its popularity increasing, the marketing was changed appeal to the everyday consumer who enjoyed the taste of the new fizzy drink. 

The original recipe that pharmacist Caleb Bradham produced is written upon the wall of the little shop on the corner that once bore medicines and healing ointments. Today this little store is a Pepsi shop dedicated to its foundings.

 They still sell soda fountain Pepsi, but for much less than you will find anywhere else. For only 50 cents, you can get yourself a small Pepsi and popcorn for around a dollar. 

An original soda machine was located near the tables where you once could purchase a Pepsi, in a glass container, for only 10 cents.

Tryon Palace

Besides being the birthplace of Pepsi, the small town of New Bern was once the location of the Royal Governor’s mansion while North Carolina was still a colony. The palace is located close to a river that connects it to the Atlantic Ocean. Its location on the river made for easier access to the capital if traveling by boat as they preferred in those days.  

After the Revolutionary War, the palace was used by American governors before it burned to the ground in 1792. The palace was mostly forgotten about for a time and a highway ran through this area, directly over the old palace building. 

In the 1930’s, there was a movement to restore colonial New Bern and the task of moving the highway and restoring the palace began. After the roadway was removed, the original foundation of the house was found. The team referenced old drawings and inventory lists to faithfully restore the building on its original foundation. Period piece furniture was added to match the inventory lists and so Tryon Palace exists today as a detailed replica of historic New Bern.

The original coat of arms of its first royal governor, William Tryon, hangs above the front door of the palace.

Inside hung the portraits of King George and his wife.

The staircase in the main hall was a marvel of engineering design. If you notice, you will see that there are no supports below the staircase. It is only attached to the wall and is held together via compression and tension of the staircase’s structure. 

The stable and the kitchen also exist on the grounds, which are the right and left buildings, respectively, that are also seen in the above picture. The kitchen was also destroyed, but the stable is the original building that survived the fire and subsequent demolition.