Features | Princeton Magazine

From the Publisher, Fall 2024

Dear Readers,

Welcome to your Fall issue of Princeton Magazine. Very much like the previous issue, it features articles about Princeton but also demonstrates the historic impact of this small town on the nation.

Our cover story is about the amazing Belle da Costa Greene who, just by happenstance, seems to have been written for this year’s presidential election. Just imagine a Black woman living the lie that she is white in a world that, at the time, was very much tied up in racism, sexism, and classism. more

Belle of the Books

Theodore C. Marceau (1859–1922), Belle da Costa Greene, May 1911. (Biblioteca Berenson, I Tatti, The Harvard University Center for Italian Renaissance Studies)

Overcoming Racism, Sexism, and Classism In the Gilded Age

By Ilene Dube

As the personal librarian to financier J.P. Morgan, Belle da Costa Greene was one of the most influential people in the art and book world. She was courted by dealers, embraced by the socially powerful, and profiled for her accomplishments at a time when working women were rare.

Even before women won the right to vote, Greene was one of the most prominent career women of the early 20th century. She pursued and curated a collection of rare books, manuscripts, and art that became world-renowned. She was regarded as an authority on illuminated manuscripts, and because of her work, the Morgan Library became known as a collection of rare books, manuscripts, and art that competed with such esteemed institutions as the British Museum. more

All Birds, All the Time

Snowy owl (shutterstock.com)

Live Bird Cams Bring the Outside In

By Taylor Smith

With programs like Google Earth, anyone anywhere in the world can transport themselves into another scene, another habitat, and another place. Similarly, bird cams serve as a virtual window into the lives of birds. The trend of streaming bird cams really heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many people felt shut indoors and disconnected from the world around them. Webcams showcasing divergent bird species became voyeuristic, fun, and educational.

One of the leading bird cam websites is CornellLab Bird Cams at allaboutbirds.org/cams. Viewers can watch albatross chicks stretching their wings, elder ospreys devouring a fish, red-tailed hawks curiously staring into the camera, and pileated woodpeckers (indigenous to New York state) foraging for larvae and ants within some tree bark. more

Exploring Historic Princeton Cemetery

“The Westminster Abbey of the United States”

By Laurie Pellichero | Photography by Jeffrey E. Tryon.

Referred to as “the Westminster Abbey of the United States” by John F. Hageman in his 1878 history of Princeton, Princeton Cemetery sits on almost 19 acres near the center of town and is the final resting place of a plethora of famous figures along with many members of the Princeton community. The cemetery, owned by Nassau Presbyterian Church, was established in 1757 and is still an active burial ground.

When first entering the non-denominational cemetery, one immediately notices the many different styles of headstones and monuments, the oldest of which is for Aaron Burr Sr., the second president of the College of New Jersey, now Princeton University. Burr died in 1757. Right in front of that is the grave for his son, U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr Jr. (1756-1836), even better known for his duel with Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton. According to Linda Gilmore, business administrator at Nassau Presbyterian Church and Princeton Cemetery, who also leads tours of the cemetery, it has become a very popular site since the debut of the Broadway show Hamilton. There is even a person who has sent flowers a few times to be placed at the grave with the message “Death doesn’t discriminate between the sinners and saints, it takes and it takes and it takes. Love, Alex.” more

Research Center Reimagined

The Renovated Center of Theological Inquiry Lets in the Light

By Anne Levin | Photography by Jeffrey E. Tryon

Just across Stockton Street from Morven Museum and Garden, an unpretentious red brick building has sat on land owned by Princeton Theological Seminary (PTS) for the past 40 years. Some passersby have assumed it is part of the Seminary. Others haven’t noticed it at all.

Modeled after the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) as an independent nonprofit, the Center of Theological Inquiry (CTI) has never been an attention-getter. Year after year, the interdisciplinary program has quietly hosted scholars and scientists from different parts of the world, in Princeton for a year to investigate the nature of religious beliefs and how they relate to global issues. more

Book Scene: The People’s House

A Peek Inside The Home of the President and First Family

By Stuart Mitchner

This White House Book Scene features a remarkable first couple who bonded through books and reading, a shared interest that led to the creation of the first White House library. Equally remarkable is the rags to political riches back story of one of the most obscure American presidents, Millard Fillmore (1800-1874), whose personal history has a backwoods, born-in-a-log cabin, reading-by-candlelight charm that prefigures the story of Abraham Lincoln, who moved into the White House a decade later.

As Princeton University history professor Sean Wilentz points out in the lead essay in Catherine M. Parisian’s The First White House Library (Penn State University Press 2010), Fillmore “had a greater appreciation for literature and letters than most presidents.” Having grown up in rural poverty, he “prized books and libraries as the chief vehicles of his own ambitions,” and his courtship of his “doted on” teacher Abigail Powers (1798-1853) was “nourished by books.” On his various business and political journeys as a self-made lawyer and member of Congress, Fillmore “made it a point to bring books back to his wife, carton loads at a time, as presents; and well before he became president in 1850, “he had accumulated an impressive library of his own.” During his brief time in office (1850-1853), the Fillmores entertained cultural celebrities of the day, including Washington Irving, the visiting English novelist William Makepeace Thackeray, and the Swedish nightingale Jenny Lind. more

From Cafeterias to Culinary Meccas

TenBerke designed the new dining hall at Yeh College of Princeton University. (Photo by Chris Cooper)

How College Dining Has Evolved

By Wendy Greenberg

Chef Michael Gattis has the same philosophy whether he is introducing kale to Princeton elementary school students or working as executive chef at Princeton University’s Rockefeller College and Mathey College dining halls: “Our mission is to tie in what is going on here at Princeton (University), and that’s education. We have that gift to be able to do that through food,” he noted in a 2018 Dining Services strategic plan.

As a volunteer for Garden State on Your Plate, Gattis helps educate young students to be open to new tastes, comparing raw and cooked vegetables drizzled with lemon, salt, and pepper. “We are starting a healthy dialogue at an elementary school level,” he said of the 15-year-old program, which brings fresh produce to school cafeterias at lunchtime. more

Princeton Garden Theatre

Princeton Garden Theatre on right. (Photo courtesy of the Historical Society of Princeton)

Historic Movie House Celebrates 10 Years as a Nonprofit

By Donald H. Sanborn III

First opened more than 100 years ago, the Princeton Garden Theatre is celebrating its 10th anniversary as a nonprofit. Subsequent to Renew Theaters taking over the management of the Princeton University-owned movie house a decade ago, NJ.com declared that it is “without question, the best movie theater in New Jersey.”

“The Garden has been a part of the Princeton fabric since 1920,” says Christopher R. Collier, executive director of Renew Theaters. “We’ve had the good fortune to be able to run the past 10 years of its operation, and we hope to continue for years to come.” more

A Well-Designed Life, Fall 2024

Savor the Past: It’s Tea Time at Morven

(Photo courtesy of Morven Museum & Garden)

Travel back in time with an afternoon cream tea service in Morven’s historic Garden Room on Thursday, September 26.

Experience cream tea within the walls of the over 200-year-old mansion overlooking the museum’s gardens. The “Secret Tea Room” takes particular pride in its collection of chinaware, which complements the Georgian architectural style of Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street. Cream tea includes refreshments most often associated with the English West Country, such as Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, and Somerset. more

Budding Performers Find a Stage at Café Improv

Are you a budding musician, poet, singer, or comic? Or are you an appreciative audience member who enjoys seeing talent evolve from the ground up? Either way, live performances of music, poetry, and comedy have been entertaining the crowd in the Solley Theater in the Paul Robeson Center for the Arts at the Arts Council of Princeton (ACP), 102 Witherspoon Street, for the past 30 years.

Each month (usually on the fourth Saturday), the live show runs from 7 to 10 p.m. Admission is $2, and $1 for ACP members. The next show is on Saturday, September 28. more

Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month at NY Botanical Garden

(Photo courtesy of NYBG)

The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) celebrates Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month through October 15 with on-site and digital programs that spotlight the important contributions and histories of the plants and people of this diverse community.

Expand your knowledge of plants and Hispanic culture with behind-the-scenes stories of adventure and discovery through the work of NYBG scientists and collaborators in Latin America and the Caribbean. more

Make Fresh Mozzarella in a Cheese Class at Olsson’s

The Mozzarella Making class at Olsson’s Fine Foods is a true hands-on experience and a must for those who want to use only the freshest mozzarella in their cooking (or eating). Participants will leave with a fresh ball of mozzarella after learning how to properly stretch, heat, and mold the cheese. Olsson’s says: “Get those Jersey tomatoes ready!”

Classes fill quickly, but are constantly being added. Upcoming classes are on Saturday, September 14, 28, and October 5 at 9 a.m.; and on Thursday, October 17 at 7 p.m.

Young Patriots Day at Battlefield State Park

Calling all young patriots! Learn about colonial life and the American Revolutionary War at Young Patriots Day at the Princeton Battlefield on Sunday, September 15 from 12 to 3 p.m.

Activities for school-age children and families begin with a flag raising at noon with Gen. George Washington and the Princeton Girl Scout Service Unit.

Activities include demonstrations and drilling with the New Jersey Grays; a talk with George Washington and Ben Franklin; demonstrations including weaving, woodworking, Colonial Spies, and 18th Century Medicine; artillery and musket firing; information tables from historical organizations and sites; and tours of the Thomas Clarke House and Museum.

Families who plan on attending can register at pbs1777.org/young-patriots-day/.

Celebrating 45 Years of Scarecrows in the Village

Celebrate fall! An autumn tradition kicks off on Saturday and Sunday, September 14 and 15 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Peddler’s Village in Lahaska, Pa. For six weeks, more than 100 scarecrows line the brick pathways of the Village. Some are inspired by famous characters, some are humorous, some are scary, and all are handmade by area residents and organizations. The display is free and on view daily through October 27. Guests are invited to vote on their favorite scarecrows, and the creators of the winning scarecrows receive prizes.

The festival includes entertainment, outdoor treats, pumpkin painting, and scarecrow-making workshops. Click here for the schedule of events.

Wicoff House Museum Celebrates Five Years

Celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Wicoff House Museum in Plainsboro at its first outdoor History Faire on Saturday, August 31, from 12 to 4 p.m. Learn about the rich history of the 18th and 19th centuries during a day full of fun, education, and nostalgia.

The Wicoff House Museum is located at 641 Plainsboro Road, inside the municipal complex. It was the home of John Van Buren Wicoff, who led the successful effort of the residents of Plainsboro to incorporate the Township in 1919.

Einstein Magnetism Exhibit in Dohm Alley

What’s a museum to do when there is not yet a site for the museum? The Princeton Einstein Museum has created a pop-up exhibit, “Einstein’s Attraction to Magnetism.” Funded by the Richard Lounsbery Foundation, it is on view 24/7 through September 15 in Dohm Alley, located by 102 Nassau Street.

When he was 5 years old, Albert Einstein’s father gave him a compass, sparking his curiosity in invisible forces. The exhibit explores what magnetism is, how physicists use it, and includes an Einstein selfie for fun photos. There is also an image of the actual compass Einstein owned, which is in the collection of the Historical Society of Princeton at Updike Farm. more

Old Barracks Tavern Night Supports Student Field Trips

Tavern Night at the Old Barracks Museum in Trenton on Friday, September 6 from 7 to 10 p.m. is a celebration of 18th century Colonial American history.

Enjoy savory hors d’oeuvres and an open beer and wine bar in an 18th century tavern. (No one under age 21 is permitted.) Share drinks, play card games, and learn dance steps to the most popular songs with ladies and gentlemen from the period as well as modern guests. Period dress, while not required, is not discouraged.

This fundraiser supports educational programming for thousands of New Jersey students through the Barracks “Meet the Past” field trips. Tickets, not sold at the door, are available here.

Experience the Past on Saturdays at Howell Farm

Take a step back in time to the year 1900 at Howell Living History Farm with its special Saturday events. Try Canning & Pickling on Saturday, August 17; a Fiddlin’ Contest and Picket Fence Art Show on Saturday, August 24; and the 41st annual Plowing Match on Saturday, August 31. The events are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the farm, a facility of the Mercer County Park Commission, located at 70 Woodens Lane in Hopewell Township. more

Visit the Flower Garden at Pretty Bird Farm

View the colorful flowers in the private garden and more at Pretty Bird Farm in Rosedale, Hunterdon County, on August 24 through the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days Program. The farm will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a $10 donation to the Conservancy. more