Princeton Early History

The first inhabitants of the Princeton area were the Lenni Lenape Indians. Europeans founded the settlement in the latter part of the 17th century. The first European to find his home in the boundaries of the future town was Henry Greenland.

He built his house in 1683 along with a Tavern. It was in this drinking hole that representatives of West and East Jersey met to set boundaries for the location of the township in the State.

Originally, Princeton was known only as part of nearby Stony Brook. Mr. James Leonard was the first to refer to the town as Prince-town, when describing the location of his large estate in his diary.

The town had been referred to in a variety of ways since, including: Princetown, Prince’s Town and finally Princeton. Although there is no official documental backing, the town is considered to be named after William, Prince of Orange.

Another theory suggests that the name came from a large landowner named Henry Prince, but there is no evidence that this was the case. It is more likely for the settlement to be named after a prince based on the fact that three nearby towns are named similarly: Kingston, Queenston and Princessville.

When Richard Stockton, one of the founders of the township, died in 1709 he left his estate to his sons, which helped expand property and population.

Based on the 1880 census, the population of the town was only 3,209 (not including students). Local population has expanded from the nineteenth century. According to the 2000 census, Princeton Borough has 14,203 inhabitants, while Princeton Township has 16,207. These numbers have become stagnant; since the founding of Princeton University, the town’s population spikes every year during the fall and winter and drops significantly over the course of the summer.

Expansion

Due to various objections from the residents of Stony Brook, Princeton could not become a Township for a while after its expansion.

The objections were that the town either had little land or that it could not be responsible for its own taxes. In 1838, once Mercer County was established along with Princeton Township, Windsor Township held some of Nassau Street.

In 1853, West Windsor surrounded some of its land, giving Princeton Borough enough room to declare itself autonomous by 1894. Afterward Princeton was to be divided into two parts: a borough and township because it was founded from pieces of Middlesex, Burlington, Somerset and Hunterdon counties.

These counties were divided by the central “King’s Highway”, better known today as Nassau Street. Nassau crosses both the borough and the township, eventually turning into Princeton Kingston Road to the north and Stockton Street to the south.

Revolution

Aside from housing the University of the same name, the settlement suffered the revolutionary Battle of Princeton on its soil. After the victory in 1776, the town hosted the first Legislature under the State constitution of New Jersey to decide the State’s seal, Governor and organization of its government.

In addition, two of the original signers of the Declaration of Independence, Richard Stockton and John Witherspoon lived in Princeton. Princetonians honored their citizen’s legacy by naming two streets in the downtown area after them.

On January 10, 1938 Henry Ewing Hale called for a group of citizens to discuss opening a “Historical Society of Princeton”. Later the Bainbridge House would be dedicated for this purpose. Previously the house was used once for a meeting of Continental Congress in 1783, a general office and as the Princeton Public Library. The house is actually property of Princeton University and is leased to the Princeton Historical Society for one dollar per year. The house has kept its original staircase, flooring and paneled walls. All together, 70% of the house has been unaltered. Aside from safety features like wheelchair access and electrical work, the house was merely restored to its original look.

Princeton In The Revolution

Princeton is not only one of the most historic towns in New Jersey, but in the United States. The presence of the College of New Jersey (which was later renamed Princeton University) brought many famous figures into town. Many college alumni played significant roles in the colonial and Revolutionary period and the honor roll of college presidents is impressive.

The critical Battle of Princeton added to the fame of the town. A week after his triumph at the pivotal Battle of Trenton, General George Washington launched a surprise attack at Princeton on Lord Cornwallis’ troops on their way to reinforce Trenton. Cornwallis was beaten and retreated to New Brunswick, NJ. The Continental Army went into winter quarters at Morristown, NJ. Coupled with the victory at Trenton, the Battle of Princeton raised American morale and kept the war effort going.

Princeton served briefly as the capital of the United States after the Revolution; the Continental Congress met in Princeton from June to November, 1783, in Nassau Hall.

Notable Princeton figures of the colonial and Revolutionary era include:

Aaron Burr, Continental army officer, Third Vice President of the US, and notorious duelist, an alumnus of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University)

Jonathan Edwards, one of America’s greatest theologians and revivalists, third president of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University)

Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee, military leader, Congressman and signer of the Declaration of Independence, an alumnus of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University)

James Madison, fourth President and framer of the constitution, an alumnus of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University)

Benjamin Rush, pioneering doctor, surgeon general of the continental Army, and signer of the Declaration of Independence, an alumnus of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University)

Richard Stockton, signer of the Declaration of Independence.

John Witherspoon, noted clergyman, president of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University), and signer of the Declaration of Independence.

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