In 1922, the face of New Bern was forever changed. Over three thousand people were displaced in a fire that raged through the African American community, decimating hundreds of structures. The fire started at the Rowland Lumber Company on the banks of the Neuse River; within minutes, the largest lumber mill in the state of North Carolina was consumed. A second fire, sparked a few hours later, converged with the first fire, sealing the fate of any wooden clapboard and shingle-roofed homes.