The Haslen House, also known as the Haslen Dependency, is the current home of New Bern Preservation Foundation offices and a fascinating brick structure in New Bern, NC, renowned as one of the oldest surviving dependencies in Craven County. Belonging to Dr. Thomas Haslen, the Haslen Dependency was originally built on East Front Street (300 block) as a kitchen or service building for his main residence.
Dr. Thomas Haslen was one of New Bern’s leading citizens during the Colonial period. He was a prominent physician, merchant, mayor of New Bern, and trustee of the New Bern Academy.
Archaeological investigations confirmed the Haslen House dependency was built before 1761, most likely in 1759. A distinctive example of 18th-century architecture, evidence showed this dependency remarkably withstood major events like Colonial-era flooding and at least one major fire.
To save it from demolition for an apartment complex, the New Bern Preservation Foundation carefully dismantled the structure in 1980, relocated it behind the Attmore‑Oliver House on the New Bern Historical Society campus, and rebuilt it brick by brick, embedding it over a modern concrete core.
The Flemish-bond brickwork of the original structure was painstakingly reproduced. The basic four-bay-wide, two-bay-deep configuration of the building remains unchanged.
During the 1980 relocation, archaeologists with the NC Division of Archives & History conducted digs at the original site, uncovering a treasure trove of pre‑Revolutionary artifacts including porcelain, clay pipe fragments, nails, bottles, buttons, and even animal bones. Most artifacts were examined further at the North Carolina Division of Archives and History in Raleigh before being returned to New Bern. Larger artifacts are now curated by the Historical Society.
The Haslen Dependency is a vivid link to New Bern’s colonial past — preserved through archeology and adaptive restoration. It stands as a teaching tool for local architecture and daily life in the mid-1700s.
Quick Facts – Haslen House (Dependency)
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Original Location | 300 block on East Front St. |
| Construction Date | Pre‐1761 |
| Current Location | 510-B Pollock St.; behind Attmore‑Oliver House |
| Historical Role | Kitchen/service dependency; tied to Dr. Thomas Haslen |
| Relocation & Restoration | Moved 1980; rebuilt by 1985 using original bricks |
| Archaeological Finds | Porcelain, clay pipes, nails, bottles, tools, bones |
| Preservation Status | Under New Bern Preservation Foundation |