Thanks

Bartlett pears in NC? How long have you had them?
I would expect that fireblight would demolish that exquisitely susceptible variety in a NY minute.
Perhaps they were purchased labeled as 'Bartlett', but are really something else?

I'm strongly suspicious that you've got something other than Bartlett - maybe even Keiffer; especially since you say it's a very very firm canning pear - that'd NOT be what I'd expect of Bartlett.
It's a very common practice for the big box stores, and even some nurseries, to buy overruns, seconds, etc., from the big propagators and apply their own labels(usually Bartlett, for pears, as it's a well-recognized variety name), regardless of the true variety - they figure the bulk of the public either won't know, won't care, won't care for the trees(and they'll die) or they won't bother doing anything with the fruit if/when they do finally begin fruiting.

Have a look at the NCGR Pyrus collection, linked below. Most of the varieties have photos or paintings that illustrate what the fruit looks like. Compare your pears to Bartlett and Keiffer. I'm betting on Keiffer; while many folks denigrate it as being barely edible and only good for making pear preserves, it is iron-clad in being able to withstand the ravages of fireblight and still rock along, producing good crops of fruit - and to me, having grown up in south AL, where it's one of the few pears that can withstand the yearly FB onslaught, it's what a pear is supposed to be - firm, juicy, tasty, and gritty. I love 'em.

I also enjoy these firm, gritty pears, which may be why I've paid it so much attention - the leafed out cuttings are slowly fading away - but there are a few candidates that show signs of making it - but fall is a long time away.