Princeton Facts
Fact 1: In 1830, the Delaware & Raritan Canal was constructed to facilitate regional trade without the hassle of navigating coastal waters. For a century, the D&R did an incredibly brisk business, but other modes of transportation eventually gained prominence. The canal closed to traffic in 1932, was named a National Historic Site in 1973, and now, some sixty miles of it are designated a state park. Along the old tow path, folks bike, run, and fish; on the water, they boat, canoe, and observe local wildlife. The D&R also connects a variety of historic locales.
Fact 2: Perhaps one of Princeton's most famous academics, Albert Einstein was a city resident for some twenty years during the 1930s, 40s, and early 50s. While he pursued work in theoretical physics at the Institute for Advanced Study, Einstein lived in a white, two-story home at 112 Mercer Street. Before he died, he requested that it not become a museum, and today, it's the home of another Institute faculty member and not open to the public. Interested visitors can browse a small exhibit relating to Einstein's life in Landau's clothing store at 102 Nassau Street.
Fact 3: Carnegie Lake gets such use by the university that it's hard to imagine Princeton without it. Thanks to alumni persistence, dreams became reality in 1906, when marshy land south of campus was scraped clean and Stony Brook and Millstone River dammed to fill it. Students were elated, and Carnegie's visit to the feature he financed was a time of much celebration. Even Woodrow Wilson, then-president of the university, found satisfaction in the gift, although he had solicited funds in the past. His comment: "We asked for bread, and he gave us cake."
Fact 4: Although Princeton Cemetery boasts the graves of many distinguished Americans, it also holds headstones marking two more tragic ends. The final burial places of Jose and Kitty Menendez are here as well. They were the parents of Lyle and Erik Menendez, convicted in 1996 of murdering their parents in cold blood. The family once lived in Princeton. The brothers are now serving life terms at separate prisons in California.
Fact 5: Newcomers to Princeton can be puzzled by references to its physical boundaries. These include mention of Princeton Borough and Princeton Township. In fact, they're two separate entities, each with its own local government. Princeton Borough roughly encompasses downtown and was founded in 1813. The Township, on the other hand, completely encircles the Borough and was founded in 1838. Together, they compose one of the region's most affluent, culturally-prominent, and desirable areas in which to live.
Fact 6: With Princeton's academic prestige, it's no surprise that a host of famous folks have inhabited the town or been associated with the university. In addition to Albert Einstein, Woodrow Wilson, and Paul Robeson, other natives or residents included Toni Morrison, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Donald Rumsfeld, Charlie Gibson, Joyce Carol Oates, and Malcolm Forbes.
Fact 7: The worlds of film and television also enjoy ties to Princeton. Famous alumni who've gone on to careers in the dramatic arts include Jimmy Stewart, David Duchovny, Dean Cain, and Brooke Shields. A number of feature films have also used the university as a backdrop. Most familiar is "A Beautiful Mind," about Princeton Ph.D. John Nash, who battled schizophrenia and eventually won the Nobel Prize in Economics. Other locally-filmed movies include "One True Thing" and "Scent of a Woman."
Fact 8: Princeton was originally founded by Quakers in the late 17th century and named Stony Brook. Some twenty-five years later, its name was changed to honor England's William III, who was also known as the Prince of Orange and Nassau. Dubbed "Prince-town," the settlement eventually became the easier-to-say "Princeton." These days, the governor's official residence rests in Princeton, at Drumthwacket, and the borough's population is 14,200; the township numbers approximately 13,000 residents.
Fact 9: With its prominence in pre-Revolutionary America, Princeton had a strong voice in matters relating to the early nation. George Washington fought here, the Continental Congress met here, and several local residents signed the Declaration of Independence as an assertion of autonomy. Among them were attorney Richard Stockton and Scottish-born minister and president of the College of New Jersey (later Princeton University), John Witherspoon.
Fact 10: Were it not for Princeton University, one of the country's most popular sporting pastimes might be very different. In 1869, the Princeton Tigers took on Rutgers' Scarlet Knights in America's first-ever college football game. Although Princeton lost, 6-4, and although the game was more like rugby than present-day football, it did establish a tradition of athletic competition and camaraderie that continues to this day.
HI: 81°
HI: 83°
HI: 78°
