PLAINSBORO
Plainsboro is a rapidly growing community of approx 20,000 residents that combines suburban and rural environments. It is surrounded open space and farmlands but also is in close proximity to the intellectual and cultural resources offered by Princeton University. The town has many single-family residential housing developments and condominiums, many of which are encircled by large areas of open space. Plainsboro is a desirable location for hi tech companies and corporations, as it is close to Philadelphia, Trenton, and New York City, and has facilities and offices belonging to the University.
LOCATION
Plainsboro is located just east of Route 1, between Route 1 and Hwy 30, and near I-95, in the County of Middlesex. It is near the college town of Princeton, midway between the cosmopolitan cities of New York and Philadelphia, and a short drive to the Atlantic Ocean and sandy beaches.
Trenton is 13.3 miles to the southwest; Newark is forty miles away, and the nearest towns/cities are Princeton Junction (2.1 miles), Princeton Meadows (2.4 miles), Kingston (3.1 miles).
TRANSPORTATION/AIRPORTS
Local airports are: Trenton Mercer, about 15 miles from Plainsboro in Trenton, and McGuire Air Force Base, about 23 miles away in Wrightstown. Newark Liberty International Airport, NJ, and Philadelphia International Airport provide international service to all points.
BRIEF HISTORY
The early history of Plainsboro revolved around the area’s rich agriculture. Plainsboro’s original inhabitants were the agriculturally based Unami Indians. The first European settlers in this area were Dutch, who migrated in the mid 1600’s, and later the English. Both groups were attracted by the fertile soil, benign climate, and available water. In 1897 an experimental dairy farm was established designed to produce quality, certified milk, which later became the largest certified dairy farm in the world, operating until around 1970. The 70’s and 80’s brought about a change in the character of the community when residential neighborhoods rapidly developed, and Princeton University developed a prestigious office park. Today Plainsboro is a harmonious combination business, residential, and open space areas. The area has been recognized in several publications as one of the top suburban communities in the area.
ABOUT EDUCATION
West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District serves the municipalities of Plainsboro and West Windsor. Plainsboro’s proximity to Princeton University ensures a high quality of education in its public and private schools as the District reflects the values the community places on academic and cultural achievement. The district offers a creative range of academic programs, alternative education choices, and extracurricular activities to approximately 9000 students.
The District has four elementary schools (K through 3); one middle school (grades 4 and 5); two schools that serve grades 6, 7, and 8; and two high schools accommodate students in grades 9-12.
The area is rich in opportunities for higher education, from local community colleges to first-rate colleges and universities.
Mercer County Community College (about 3 miles, West Windsor, F/T 4,445)
Princeton University (about 5 miles, Princeton, F/T 6,481)
Rider University (about 10 miles, Lawrenceville, F/T 4,201)
Devry Institute (about 12 miles, North Brunswick, F/T 2,897)
Thomas Edison State College (about 14 miles, Trenton, F/T 3,277)
Middlesex County College (about 15 miles, Edison, F/T 6,739)
Rutgers University-New Brunswick (about 15 miles, New Brunswick, F/T 30,649)
PRINCETON
The town of Princeton is a prestigious community shaped by the overriding influence of Princeton University, established in 1756, and over many years of the institution’s growth, the area has been greatly enhanced. There are beautiful churches and public buildings, educational and religious institutions, founded by a literary, scientific, and religious population that provides a stimulating cultural and educational environment. Princeton is a charming town in itself especially during the spring and summer months. Attractive homes with green lawns, exceptional gardens, a rich variety of trees, and shady tree-lined streets add to Princeton’s natural beauty. The town is well located between the larger metropolitan centers of New York and Philadelphia, and has proximity to the New Jersey shore, which provides a dramatic change of environment and recreational opportunities. The presence of so many university-related students, professors, and personnel as well as many visiting families, friends, and international guests has made for a lively social, dining, and shopping environment with specialty shops, exclusive boutiques, fine restaurants, and the ubiquitous sidewalk café. For an afternoon of outdoor recreation, hiking or biking along the Delaware ad Raritan Canal, a challenging game of golf, or exploring historic sites are all highly recommended. Princeton is the location of important historical events, which adds another layer of interest and richness to the town’s legacy.
LOCATION
Princeton is located between Route One and Hwy 206, northeast of the Trenton metropolitan area, midway between the thriving cities of New York and Philadelphia. Having proximity to Route One, the New Jersey Turnpike, and I-95, the Princeton area is an easy drive from points in the Northeast.
TRANSPORTATION/AIRPORTS
Princeton has convenient access to Amtrak, New Jersey Transit, and air transportation via Mercer County Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport and Philadelphia International Airport, as well as the Princeton Airport, a privately owned, public use facility. A charming one-car train, called the Dinky, makes a connection to the local Princeton train station and the main transport lines in New York and Philadelphia.
BRIEF HISTORY
The earliest inhabitants in the Princeton area were the Lenni Lenape Indians. In the 1680’s a New Englander opened a tavern and served as a meeting place for local officials. During this time the boundaries of four counties were agreed upon, two of which – Middlesex and Somerset Counties – included portions of the Princeton area. A Quaker settlement was established in the 1690’s and by the early 1700’s the community included a gristmill, and a Friends Meeting House. Redefining the county boundaries around the same time resulted in a portion of Princeton’s main road separating two counties. The name “Princeton” first appeared in 1724 and within a decade the town had an established name. The King’s Highway became a common stagecoach and mail delivery route by mid-century. In 1756 the College of New Jersey moved form Newark and built Nassau Hall, which elevated the town’s status. Two prominent signers of the Declaration of Independence, John Witherspoon and Joseph Hewes, resided in Princeton. The Battle of Princeton fought in 1777 was a decisive battle in the Revolutionary War, and brought attention and renown to the town. The Second Continental Congress met for 6 months in 1783 in Princeton, and the NJ State Legislature met there as well.
The present boundaries of Princeton were created in 1813. Mercer County and Princeton Township were established in 1838. Roadways continued to be developed that increased communication and travel between major towns, eg., the present Route 1. The year 1811 saw the establishment of the Princeton Theological Seminary by the Presbyterian Church and in 1815 Alexander Hall was constructed.
Business and trade was given a boost with the coming of the Delaware and Raritan Canal and the Camden and Amboy Railroad, and the Princeton Basin in the 1830’s. More buildings were constructed on the campus; township and borough delineations continued to be redrawn.
Major architects combined with wealthy benefactors to create impressive homes and buildings in the Greek Revival style, and the major buildings of the 1840's and 50's were designed by Philadelphia architects in Picturesque Revival styles. The well-known architect, John Notman, designed four villas, and restored, and modified buildings in Princeton. By the mid 1800’s Princeton boasted a residential area filled with beautiful architecture and large estates.
After the Civil War the College launched an aggressive building campaign that has continued to the present day. In 1896 the college officially became Princeton University, and officially adopted the Collegiate Gothic style of architecture. Twenty-seven buildings in this style were erected during the next 50 years, and the campus expanded.
Post WW1 housing developments saw subdivisions beginning to spring up and residential growth continued at a pace.
By 1800 most of the Township's arable land was in agricultural production or reserved for woodlots for fuel, and the nature of farming changed during the 1800’s. Older farms were divided into smaller plots, and the local community responded to the increasing demand from urban markets for special crops, especially peaches and apples. Farming in New Jersey in general declined continuously after the 1870’s, as some farms did not adapt to the new market. Some of the old farming areas became reforested; some old farms were leased to tenant farmers, and the remaining farms were sold to real estate developers, as agriculture was no longer the profitable occupation it once was. The 1920’s and 30’s brought about suburbanization, and later, the increase in postwar employment and easier commuting to New York brought about a housing boom in Princeton and the surrounding communities.
ABOUT EDUCATION
The high quality of education found in Princeton’s public and private schools is a reflection of the values the community places on academic and cultural achievement. Many of the University’s children attend the Princeton Regional District Schools.
Several of the school districts in the Princeton, Hopewell and West Windsor areas have performed extremely well on the standardized tests. New Jersey Monthly Magazine has consistently rated Princeton, West Windsor/Plainsboro, Hopewell Valley, and Montgomery Township School Districts in the top 75 schools in New Jersey. The Princeton Regional District has enjoyed a continued relationship with the University since its inception, which has resulted in several cooperative programs between the two educational institutions.
Within a half hour of Princeton are the following colleges and universities: Princeton University, Princeton Theological Seminary, Rider University (including Westminster Choir College in Princeton), The College of New Jersey, Rutgers (NJ State University), University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Mercer and Middlesex County Community Colleges.
ROBBINSVILLE
The town of Robbinsville has a population of approx. 10,300 and is the focal point of Washington Township in Mercer County. It is about five miles east of Trenton, and is part of the Trenton metropolitan area. In its former days Robbinsville was primarily rural in nature, and today the Washington Town Center development strives to maintain the warm, small town atmosphere. Residents have easy access to goods and services, fine food and specialty shops in nearby towns, and in the larger metropolitan Trenton. Housing prices range between $20,000 and $650,000, making the average price approx $286,000.
Mercer County itself has much to offer. It is rich in history and proud of the significant contributions made during the Revolutionary War. Contributions to the development of the County continue to be made by families and businesses relocating to the area. Mercer County is a center for the arts and entertainment, technology and entrepreneurship.
LOCATION
Robbinsville is well located just north of the intersection of I-195 and US Route 130, along the New Jersey Turnpike. It is in the larger metropolitan area of Trenton.
TRANSPORTATION/AIRPORTS
The following airports make Robbinsville easily accessible to the wider East Coast, and to international destinations: Trenton-Robbinsville Airport, 1.09 miles; Twin Pine Airport, 9.90 miles; Trenton Mercer Airport, 11.34 miles; Princeton Airport, 12.75 miles.
BRIEF HISTORY
The city of Trenton has a long and important history in the beginnings of our country. Here are a few of the major historical dates and events: 1679 – a group of Quakers established a town on the Delaware River, called Yorkshire Tenth; 1758 – Trenton barracks house soldiers from the French and Indian War; 1774, the town of Trenton totals 500; 1776 – General Washington crosses the Delaware in the Battle of Trenton to defeat the British and Hessian troops; 1790 Trenton becomes the state capital; 1837 – The Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad opens; 1850’s – areas adjacent to Trenton are annexed to the city; 1860 – population is 17,228
More recent history of Trenton shows the city as a thriving industrial area that boasted many companies such as potteries, rubber mills, and wire mills. During WW II an aircraft assembly plant contributed greatly to the war effort. The Lenox plant was well known for its fine ceramic pottery. Roebling Wires was among the best in the steel industry and was known for it suspension bridge design which utilized their wire rope. The rubber and lumber industries were also prominent in the Trenton the manufacturing world. Trenton declined as a powerful industrial area in the post-war years as it became more economical for companies move to the southern states.
ABOUT EDUCATION
Washington Township Public School District serves the town of Robbinsville.
It has developed a curriculum that is based on the most up to date State and National Standards. Two schools in the District, Sharon Elementary School and Pond Road Middle School have applied to be Blue Ribbon Schools. Currently students in Robbinsville attend Lawrence High School located in a neighboring township. Sharon serves K to 4; Pond Road covers grades 5 to 8; and Lawrence serves grades 9 to 12. Washington Twp services an approximate student population of 1,268 in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. With 108 full-time classroom teachers, the district's overall student/teacher ratio is 11.7:1
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