About the Princeton, Hopewell and West Windsor, New Jersey Area
 

Home of Princeton University, as well as Westminster Choir College of Rider University, Princeton Theological Seminary (Presbyterian), and Institute For Advanced Study (renowned as the workplace of Albert Einstein). Princeton Borough's main thoroughfare, tree-lined Nassau Street, separates town from gown and provides a picturesque avenue of shops and restaurants. The University, with its predominately Gothic architecture, offers a wealth of venues for theater, music, and lectures by world-renowned figures, as well as museums and libraries rivaled by few. Housing is a mix of high-end homes built in days gone by and much more modest housing, built more recently, but not much. The newest housing built in the Borough dates from the 1950's (with very few exceptions).

Princeton Township surrounds the Borough and provides much of the housing for what is known collectively as Princeton. Most of the housing in the Township was built after the Borough reached its limit and continues in limited numbers today. The most recent large-scale development came in the mid 90's when a modest number of condominiums and townhouses was built in addition to a few moderately priced single homes. Resales in the $400,000 to $800,000 range are limited and sell very quickly. Most of the new homes, as well as most resales, are in the $1,000,000+ range, with the emphasis on the +.

Just south of Princeton, Lawrenceville is a charming historic community and site of the prestigious Lawrenceville School (private). Lawrence is home to corporate giants Bristol Myer Squibb and Educational Testing Service as well as major shopping malls on Route 1. Stretching from the Princeton border to Trenton, Lawrence Township has a broad range of housing and prices from townhomes in the low $200's to million dollar mansions. Prices generally decrease as one moves away from Princeton.

• The Lawrenceville School

• Rider University

• Notre Dame High School

• Terhune Orchard

These 3 communities west of Princeton, share a school district, Hopewell Valley Regional, which enjoys a fine reputation. The two boroughs are very charming and have the old-fashioned downtown area that many other communities lack. Both are treasure troves of homes built in the 1800's with other homes of more recent vintage. Hopewell Township, which surrounds both boroughs, is quite rural and offers the picturesque wooded rolling foothills of the Sourland Mountains. Newer housing in the Township is mostly on 1+ acre lots with homes in the $800,000+ range. In the southern part of the township several large-scale multi-faceted developments have been built within the past few years with townhomes and single-family homes from $400,000 to $800,000. There are also quaint older homes in the area of Titusville on the Delaware River originally built as summer cottages.

• Pennington

• Hopewell Regional Schools

• The Pennington School

Back to top

Picturesque Montgomery Township, northwest of Princeton saw very little growth until the late 80's, coinciding with the huge corporate growth in the Princeton and Bridgewater areas. Since then it has become a popular locale of newer homes in the $800,000 to $1,400,000 range. It also boasts the only planned golf community of single family homes in the area. Montgomery High School is smaller than Princeton or West Windsor, but enjoys a fine reputation. Rocky Hill is a charming village with historical homes and borders the Delaware-Raritan Canal Park for leisurely strolls along the historic waterway.

• Montgomery Twp. Schools

Lying just east of Princeton this bedroom community is a very popular location because of its location and its school system. With both US Route 1 and the main railroad line for both Amtrak and New Jersey Transit running through the township, the demand for housing has resulted in hundreds of homes built in the '80's and '90's. More suburban than Princeton, single homes priced mainly from $600,000 to $1,200,000 are on lots of .5 to 1 acre. A large community of townhomes, patio homes, and condos adjacent to Princeton, priced from the $300's to the $600's, is one of the most popular places for both sales and rentals. Recognizing that the farmland which once defined West Windsor has all but vanished, the township has taken steps to buy many of the remaining tracts for Open Space, including the recently established West Windsor Community Park with its swim pool complex. West Windsor is also home to the vast Mercer County Central Park.

• West Windsor Recreation

• West Windsor Information

• West Windsor-Plainsboro Schools

Adjacent to West Windsor and sharing a Regional School District is the once-sleepy-farm-community of Plainsboro. Now the site of a Planned Unit Development know as Princeton Meadows it attracts young singles, couples and families to its several apartment and townhouse complexes as well as its modestly priced single family homes. It also has a quaint village section. Like West Windsor, Plainsboro's new housing has grown more expensive in recent years. Townhouses range from $300,000 to $600,000, condos $160,000-$260,000, single family homes from $500,000 to $1,200,000. With a major tract of land on Route 1 being developed by Princeton University into a corporate office park, Plainsboro now houses mega-campuses of Bristol Myers Squibb, Merrill Lynch and many other corporations. The township has recently acquired a large tract of open space called Plainsboro Preserve. Some of its farmland has also been placed into the New Jersey Farmland Preservation program that ensures continued farm use. Visitors come from all over New Jersey to harvest from pick-your-own farms.

• Plainsboro Twp

• West Windsor-Plainsboro Schools

Back to top

This New England village look-alike is highly sought after. In addition to its Main Street of period homes it has a much-loved K-8 school system and sends its high school students to Princeton High. Besides the historic homes, there are a few modest 1950's homes and two developments of homes built in the '80's and '90's near the edge of town. Prices for the latter are generally in the high $800's up to $1,200,000.

• Cranbury Information

• Cranbury Schools

The two communities share a school district. Hightstown has a quaint downtown and is home to Peddie School, a well-respected prep school. Much of the housing was built turn-of-the-century, with most of the rest post-WWII. East Windsor surrounds Hightstown and until the 1960's was mostly farmland. Single homes are generally in the $400,000 to $600,000 range with a large supply of condos under $200,000 and townhouses from $240,000-$400,000. Both towns are a convenient location for those who need to travel the NJ Turnpike to work.

• East Windsor Township

• East Windsor Regional School District

• Lee Turkey Farm

This mostly rural township has seen a large number of housing starts in the past 10 years. With its location astride the NJ Turnpike and Route 130 it is targeted for continued growth. Newer homes tend to be less expensive than in neighboring West Windsor, ranging from $500,000 to $900,000. There is also a significant number of townhomes in the $200's. Although Washington presently sends its high school students to Lawrence High, plans are underway to build their own high school within a few years.

• Washington Township

Back to top

Housing prices range mostly from the low $200's into the low $600's. The newly constructed train station in Hamilton provides an additional departure point for New York-bound commuters.

• Hamilton Township

Known in the 50's for its large Levittown-type development, the Kendall Park section provides a lot of modestly priced housing - under $400,000. There has been a great deal of construction since the mid-'80's in the southern part of the township, closest to Princeton, with several large-scale developments under 12 years old, including townhomes and single family houses priced from about $400,000 to $800,000.

• South Brunswick Township

Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park
Most of the old canal system remains intact today and is a reminder of the days when the delivery of freight depended upon a team of mules or steam tugboats. Nearly 36 miles of the main canal and 22 miles of feeder canal still exist, with many historic structures along the canal.

• Website

Washington Crossing State Park
(Both sides of the Delaware River) This historic park, where George Washington led his troops across the Delaware River for the battle at Trenton, is a 500-acre site and recreational area which includes 13 historic buildings, Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve and observation tower, and picnic areas.

• Website

Howell Living History Farm, Hopewell Township
Howell Farm is a restoration in progress, with many "hands-on" opportunities for all ages to participate in a turn-of-the-century farm. Saturday programs include a children's craft, corresponding to the scheduled program.

• Website

Princeton Battlefield State Park
On January 3, 1777, the peaceful winter fields and woods of Princeton Battlefield were transformed into the site of what is considered to be the fiercest fight of its size during the American Revolution. During this desperate battle, American troops under General George Washington surprised and defeated a force of British Regulars.

Nassau Hall, Princeton
Built in 1756, Nassau Hall originally housed the entire College. Today, Nassau Hall houses the president's and other administrative offices. The sturdy stone structure has survived bombardment during the American Revolution (a cannonball scar is visible on the exterior south wall of the west wing), occupation by troops of both sides during the war, and two fires. George Washington drove the British from Nassau Hall in 1777, and during the later half of 1783, it served as the Capitol of the United States. On August 26th of that year, Washington returned to Nassau Hall to receive the thanks of the Continental Congress for his conduct of the war, and on October 31st news arrived there that the Treaty of Paris had been signed, formally ending the American Revolution.

Drumthwacket, Princeton
Built by Gov. Charles Smith Olden in 1835 and enlarged by Moses Taylor Pyne, it is now the official residence of the governor of New Jersey. Furnishings are Federal period with an emphasis on New Jersey pieces.

• Website

Rockingham, Franklin Township
In 1783, while the Continental Congress was meeting at Nassau Hall in nearby Princeton, Congress rented this house from the widow of Judge John Berrien for use by General George Washington from August 23 to November 10, 1783. Martha Washington joined him at Rockingham.

William Trent House & Old Barracks Museum, Trenton
The William Trent House was built as a summer home around 1719 by William Trent, a wealthy Philadelphia merchant trader and ship owner. Along with his country estate at the Falls of the Delaware, Trent laid out a settlement which he named "Trent's Town." A classic early Georgian house, it is furnished according to an inventory completed in 1726, about 14 months after Trent's death. Although not the original furnishings, the contents of the house provide a good picture of life in a privileged household of the early eighteenth century. The nearby Old Barracks Museum offers a glimpse of the life of a soldier during the Revolutionary War.

Morven, Princeton
Built in the 1750's by Richard Stockton, signer of the Declaration of Independence, Morven was home for two centuries to notable Princetonians. In 1954 it became the New Jersey Governor's Mansion, until the larger Drumthwacket was purchased for that purpose. After undergoing a $2 million renovation to house and grounds, it is now open as a museum.

• Website

Back to top

April
Princeton. Communiversity, spring celebration of the arts overflowing the streets of downtown Princeton. The event, produced by The Arts Council of Princeton and the students of Princeton University, brings together residents, students, merchants, non-profits organizations, musicians, performing artists, visual artists, crafters, and food vendors for a festive street fair.

Early May
Lambertville. Shad Festival outdoor fair celebrating the return of shad to the Delaware River

Mercer County Park - annual Trenton Kennel Club Dog Show - one of the largest in the country

Early June
Trenton. Heritage Days, a celebration of the cultural diversity of the area

Late June
Princeton - McCarter Theater, Opera Festival of New Jersey

July 14
Princeton's Palmer Square - Bastille Day Waiters' Race around Palmer Square. Participants carry a tray with filled wine glasses.

Late July
Solberg Airport Readington, New Jersey. The annual Quick Chek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning, featuring more than 125 sport and special-shaped balloons, barnstorming and vintage airplane exhibits, live musical entertainment, arts & crafts, fireworks, balloon glow, and other entertainment.

December 25
Washington Crossing NJ and PA, Reenactment of Washington's crossing of the Delaware during the Revolutionary War, which lead to the turning point battle.

Golf: There are no fewer than 20 public and private golf courses in and around Mercer County, including 3 Mercer County-owned courses and a fourth under construction.

Tennis: Mercer County maintains both indoor and outdoor tennis complexes. Most communities have public outdoor courts. There are several indoor tennis facilities.

Swimming: Princeton and West Windsor have municipal outdoor pools. Several public high schools have open swims for residents. Princeton YMCA has an indoor pool. Privately operated swim clubs exist in several towns. And the Jersey Shore is only a little over an hour away!

Ice-skating: Mercer County Central Park rink is open when the weather is cold enough to maintain the ice. Princeton University has open skate periods at its Baker Rink. And there is a double rink facility in Hamilton Township for league play and public skating. When the conditions are right, public skating is allowed on Princeton's Lake Carnegie, Cranbury Lake, Peddie Lake (Hightstown) and others.

Horseback riding: Private facilities in Montgomery Twp., Princeton, Cranbury, West Windsor, Kingston, Allentown, and elsewhere.

Back to top

Train: Whether you will be commuting daily to New York City or just going occasionally to enjoy the theater, restaurants, or anything else the Big Apple has to offer, getting there is as simple as hopping on the train at Princeton Junction (plus the 4-minute "Dinky" ride if you're starting in Princeton).

The same train line can take you to Washington DC, to Boston, to Florida or anywhere else that AMTRAK goes. And with the recently constructed train stop at Newark Airport, which connects under roof by monorail to all terminals, you can go anywhere in the world without a car - or a raincoat!

New Jersey Transit Train Schedule

Plane: Did you know that 4 major airports are within 1.5 hours of Princeton: JFK, Newark-Liberty, Laguardia, and Philadelphia? This gives you the opportunity to compare fares and also to use your favorite carrier

Boat: Many of the world's great cruise lines include departures from Manhattan's Hudson River piers. Just recently Royal Caribbean opened their terminal just up the NJ Turnpike in Bayonne. For those people thinking a little smaller, there is a marina on the Crosswicks Creek in Bordentown, from where you can maneuver your own cruiser out to the Delaware River and on to the Atlantic.