During the Civil War, Union troops controlled New Bern, forcing the town's firefighting crew — who fought for the Confederacy — out.
Seeing a need for a volunteer fire department, Union general brought retire fire fighters from New York to New Bern. After the war, the Union firefighters didn't want to leave, but the Confederate crew didn't want them there. So, they set up rival fire departments and competed for who would put out fires.
Ray Smith, a volunteer at the New Bern Fireman's Museum, talks us through the century-long rivalry.
