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Princeton
Shades of F. Scott Fitzgerald! Golden lads and lasses walk the wellclipped paths between venerable university halls while russet leaves flutter overhead from rows of sturdy trees. Things have changed quite a bit, but still, for a trip to a true university town that combines history, culture, and typical collegiate Gothic architecture, nothing beats a visit to Princeton.
The best way to see the campus sights is to take the free tours offered by the Orange Key Guide Service-just go to the welcome desk at the Frist Center on campus during the school year. Tours leave at 10 A.M., 11 A.M., 1:30 P.M., and 3:30 P.M. weekdays and Saturdays. Sunday tours are 1:30 P.M. and 3:30 P.M. The telephone number for tours is 609-258-1766, and you can also get parking directions by calling. It is not necessary to reserve in advance. Although the website says these tours are primarily for prospective students, they are for everybody and include history, culture, and a bit of gossip. Here are some of the campus sights included in the tour.
1. Nassau Hall: Built in 1756, this Georgian stone structure has survived pillage and fire (by the British, not the students) over the years. It served as a barracks and hospital for troops of both sides during the Revolutionary War. In 1783 Congress met here and drafted the Constitution while Princeton was the capital for a short period. It now serves as an administrative office for the university. A painting of Washington at the Battle of Trenton by Charles Willson Peale is to be found here.
2. Firestone Library: A beautiful two-million-volume library built in , it is the embodiment of the collegiate Gothic style. Major collections include the papers of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Adlai E. Stevenson, John Foster Dulles, Woodrow Wilson, and other famous graduates. A changing exhibit of rare books is also on display.
3. Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs: Guides will show you the outside of this striking building, one of the few modern structures on campus. Designed by Minoru Yamasaki, it includes a reflecting pool and the Fountain of Freedom.
4. The University Chapel: Built in a Gothic design by Ralph Adams Cram in 1928, it is the third largest university chapel in the country, seating . A sixteenth-century carved oak pulpit and some of the finest stained glass to be seen this side of the Atlantic Ocean makes the chapel an outstanding part of the Princeton trip.
5. The Putnam Sculptures: These are a series of massive metal and stone sculptures scattered around the campus as if a giant had decided to distribute his toys among the college buildings. Sir Henry Moore, Jacques Lipchitz, and Louise Nevelson are among the sculptors represented here.
6. Prospect House: A Tuscan villa built in 1949, it is now used as a Faculty Club and is not open to the public. However, the formally designed garden to the rear is open for browsing and is very pleasant. Not included in the tour, but an important stop, is the Princeton University Art Museum. This is a first-rate museum, and wonder of wonders-it's free! Paintings include a generous sampling of Americana, Italian Renaissance, and French Baroque. You'll find a good collection of Chinese bronzes as well as artifacts from Central and South America. A top collection of prints, a statue of Diana, and a separate medieval room that includes part of the stained-glass window from the Cathedral at Chartres are also "must sees." Special changing exhibits are of high quality. Call 609-258-3788 for more information.
If you want to see an Ivy League football game, the new Princeton Stadium seats 6,000, and ticket prices are very reasonable. There is a special parking area for tailgaters only a short walk away.
Besides the university, Princeton has pleasant shopping along Nassau Street and Palmer Square, and many good restaurants (among them Lahiere's, the Nassau Inn, and the Alchemist and Barrister). You might also want to look at the Princeton Cemetery at Wiggins and Witherspoon, which holds the remains of Aaron Burr and Grover Cleveland among its many notables. The Princeton Battle Monument, a fifty-foot structure, stands imposingly at Nassau and Mercer Streets, and a walking tour of the area will take you past many lovely old houses. Albert Einstein's former home, at 112 Mercer St., is not open to the public. However, many people take a photograph of it as they pass by. A short drive down from the Einstein house is Princeton Battlefield Park, which has lots of greenery and a colonial house that is open on specific days.
Historic Morven, Drumthwacket (the present governor's residence), and Bainbridge House have separate listings in this book. Self-guided tour maps can be picked up at Bainbridge House, home of the Princeton Historical Society (158 Nassau St.). Anyone can join the walking tours on Sundays at 2 P.M.
The McCarter Theater on University Avenue runs a full program of professional plays, movies, ballets, and concerts. Call 609-258-ARTS ARTS for particulars. A good number of fairs and community events take place throughout the year, including a tour of private homes in December.
DIRECTIONS: Rts. 206 or 27 to Princeton. The university is on Nassau Street. WEBSITE: www.princeton.edu (university).
Lambertville, New Hope, and Lahaska
Lambertville: Once a poor relation to New Hope in Pennsylvania across the river, Lambertville has become a top destination for antique browsers. One reason is the growth of good restaurants, art galleries, funky clothing shops, and quaint townhouses along the banks of the Delaware.
Lambertville started life as a colonial village with a ferry that connected it to the town across the river. In fact, it was called Coryell's Ferry for many years, and a small contingent of the Continental Army crossed here from Pennsylvania on December 25, 1776, and met the larger group marching on Trenton. The town was also an important stagecoach stop on the New York-Philadelphia run.
In 1834 the Delaware & Raritan Canal opened alongside the Delaware River, and commerce thrived. The workers who had dug the canal rented simple rowhouses, much like the rowhouses one finds in English cities like Manchester. These were sturdy stone or brick homes, and they dotted the landscape of Lambertville.
The Marshall House ( Bridge St.) is a small red brick building built in , and it is one of the better townhouses in the city. John Marshall, who was born there, later discovered gold at Sutter's Mill in California. Unfortunately, he staked a claim too late and died broke, but the modest house that bears his name is now the headquarters of the Historical Society. The Society allows visitors on some Sundays and conducts tours of the town. TELEPHONE: 609-397-0770.
Although Lambertville remained a sleepy community for about a century, it was rediscovered in the 1980s. The Yuppies moved in. The old workers' houses were spiffed up and plastered over. New townhouses were put up along the river. The Lambertville railroad station was turned into a two-story restaurant-with-a-view, called, appropriately enough, the Lambertville Station. The Coryell Courtyard at the Pork Store (8 Coryell St.) features art galleries up a little alley. The yearly Shad Festival (the last week in April) began and still attracts thousands to town to savor the traditional shad while getting a glimpse of the revived town with lots of crafters and artists on its streets.
If you visit today, you'll find many shops and eateries clustered around Bridge Street (the main thoroughfare) and Union Street, which transects it, but there are plenty of alleyways and byways to duck into as well. Although antique shops are numerous, the prices here are pretty steep. Luckily, there are plenty of reproduction and collectible shops also. Some of the best restaurants are open for dinner only, but there are several coffee, brioche, and ice cream shops in town. A bevy of Bed & Breakfasts have opened up, along with two traditional inns, so if you want to sleep over there are plenty of accommodations.
If you go on a weekend, you can also drive south on Route 29 and go 2 miles past the town for a look at the Lambertville and Golden Nugget flea markets, which stand side by side on the left side of the road. There are lots of open tables on the hill and a few inside booths where dealers show "collectibles," junque, and doodads. Don't expect great finds here, but it's not a lot of white socks and T-shirts either, and you're out in the open air with a view of the old canal and the Delaware River beyond. For specific hours call: Golden Nugget (609-397-0811) or Lambertville Antique Market (609-397-0456).
DIRECTIONS TO LAMBERTVILLE: Rt. 287 to Rt. 202 south to Rt. 179, then right onto Bridge Street. WEBSITE: www.lambertville.org.