During the War for Independence, British and American armies crossed New Jersey several times. On January 3, 1777, the American forces led by George Washington scored an important victory over British forces led by Charles Cornwallis in the Battle of Princeton. In the summer of 1783, the Continental Congress met in Nassau Hall at Princeton University, making Princeton the country's capital for four months! It was there that the Continental Congress learned of the signing of the Treaty of Paris (1783) which ended the war.

On Sunday, May 21, 2006, the RRR will “invade” Princeton, too!  This lovely town and stately University are jewels of New Jersey.  Beautiful colonial and gothic architecture frame a town rich in American history.  Perhaps a leisurely stroll is to your liking, or maybe a structured tour?  We have arranged a day you are sure to enjoy!

Our day will begin at Morven Museum, 55 Stockton Street / Route 206 (Next to Princeton Borough Hall).  The museum occupies the house called Morven, the former New Jersey Governor’s Mansion and 18th century home of Richard Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Its restoration and conversion to a museum were completed in 2004.  Located on two floors of the restored mansion, the museum features six elegant galleries exhibiting both public and never-before-seen private collections from New Jersey. The fine, folk, and decorative arts currently on exhibit have been lent by numerous public and private collections. Morven’s own history is explored in the Legacy of Leadership exhibit in the West Wing.

Our private tour, approximately 45 minutes long, is scheduled to begin at 11am.  The tour is $4 per person, payable the day of the tour.

After the tour, feel free to meander thru Morven’s historic garden.  It includes a formal, grand lawn dotted with majestic trees, beds of heirloom annuals from the 18th and 19th centuries, and a re-creation of the Colonial Revival style garden that was planted at Morven in the early 20th century.  The peonies and iris should be in full bloom…

Visit the Morven website:   www.historicmorven.org

Feel free to drive modern or antique – but we would love to see your Cadillac or LaSalle!  The sweeping driveway in front of the house will provide a beautiful backdrop for a photo of your car!  The generous staff of the Morven Museum will give us our own portion of the parking lot.  The lot, secluded from view, is ours for the day.  Morven has generously agreed to let us leave our cars there, while we walk in to town for the afternoon.

From Morven, probably around 12:30, we will walk east, toward Nassau Street, the main street of Princeton.  Along the way, we’ll stop at the Princeton Battlefield Monument.  This 50-foot block of Indiana limestone commemorates the famous 1777 battle when George Washington's troops defeated the British.  We’ll have an information sheet with the history of this piece.  (You’ll learn why it took the monument committee 21 years to choose a design!)  In the area of the monument park are numerous pieces of modern sculpture for us to view, also.

Upon arrival at Nassau Street, the rest of the day is yours.  This is a rain or shine event, so please dress accordingly!  We’ll have maps for you (click here), to guide you through the town, showing numerous shops and restaurants.  Perhaps you want to visit Kopp’s Cycles, the nation’s oldest bicycle shop….or have lunch at The Soup Man, of Seinfeld fame - his new restaurant just opened on Palmer Square East.  Are you an amateur sleuth?  Wander over to the Cloak and Dagger Bookstore, which specializes in all types of mystery books.  Princeton University, with world-renowned libraries and museums, is across the street.

Enjoy the afternoon to window shop, eat, or tour.  When your day is complete, return to Morven, and have a safe trip home!

The only cost for the day is the $4 ticket at Morven, your meals, and any other damage you do with your credit cards!

We are requesting that you pre-register, by WEDNESDAY, MAY 17 as a courtesy to our Morven tour guide. 

To pre-register, please contact:

Or use the form below:

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