Tryon Palace was originally built between 1767 and 1770. Royal Governor William Tryon had brought an English architect, John Hawks, with him when he came to North Carolina in 1764. It is Georgian in style, with symmetry maintained throughout. The Palace was occupied by Governor Tryon, his wife Margaret Wake Tryon, and their daughter Margaret, for only a little over a year. Tryon left New Bern in June 1771 and moved to the royal colony of New York, where he had been appointed governor. The Palace foundations were located during excavations, and with the help of John Hawks' original architectural plans, discovered in England, the Palace was restored to its original state. The Palace was opened to the public in April 1959. The furnishings at the Palace are primarily English. Tours of the building are conducted by guides in period dress, and guests may tour the thirteen acres of 18th-century style English gardens surrounding the Palace on their own.