History

In 2004, the Historical Society of Princeton acquired the historic Updike Farmstead in Princeton Township. The farmstead now consists of six acres of land, a farmhouse, barns, chicken coops, other outbuildings and a windmill. The property lies in a State and National Historic District and Princeton Township's Battlefield Preservation District. The farm is along the route followed by Continental troops on their way to engage British soldiers at the neighboring Thomas Clarke farm at Princeton Battlefield.

Benjamin Clarke, an original Stony Brook settler, first owned the land as part of a 1200 acre parcel he purchased in 1696. The property remained in the hands of his descendents for over 150 years. George Furman Updike acquired the farm in 1892. The Historical Society purchased the remaining six-acre farmstead from his family. Funding assistance came from the New Jersey Green Acres Program and the Mercer County Open Space Preservation Board.

Plans for rehabilitation of the farmstead buildings and related sitework are in development by the Historical Society and Farewell Mills Gatsch Architects of Princeton. Acquisition of the farmstead allows the Historical Society to expand Bainbridge House capacity for exhibitions and will grant greater access to its collections both on view and in storage. Bainbridge House and the Updike Farmstead together will help tell the stories of Princeton Borough and Princeton Township.

 

U.S. Reprehensive Rush Holt and the Historical Society of Princeton Celebrate the Rehabilitation of the Updike Farmstead

Princeton, New Jersey–On Monday, November 30, 2009, the Historical Society of Princeton (HSP) welcomed one hundred guests, including a fourth grade school group from Community Park Elementary School, to celebrate the commencement of construction at the Updike Farmstead with a Ceremonial Groundbreaking Event.  The Society is preserving and restoring the historic Quaker Road property bordering the Battlefield Preservation District and the Institute for Advanced Study.

HSP’s President of the Board of Trustees, John H. Dumont and Executive Director Erin L. Dougherty began the event by welcoming and thanking all community members from throughout Princeton who have assisted with rehabilitation efforts to date. U.S. Representative Rush Holt delivered the keynote address to an audience that included Princeton Township and Borough Mayors, Bernard Miller and Mildred Trotman as well as Lawrence Township Mayor Pam Mount.  In his address, Congressman Holt underscored the importance historic preservation and open space to create multi-disciplinary learning environments for the generations to come.  The ceremony concluded with tours of the Updike Farm.

 

From left: Adults are, HSP President of the Board of Trustees, John H. Dumont; Lawrence Township Mayor Pam Mount; Princeton Borough Mayor Mildred Trotman; Princeton Township Mayor Bernard Miller; and HSP Executive Director, Erin Dougherty as well as fourth-graders from Community Park Elementary School	U.S. Representative Rush Holt showing off his “Declaration of Independence Signers” tie to fourth-graders from Community Park Elementary School.
From left: HSP Board of Trustees members, Steve Williams and Scott Sipprelle; Princeton Township Mayor Bernard Miller; U.S. Representative Rush Holt; HSP Capital Campaign Co-chairs, Carol Wojciechowicz and David McAlpin; and HSP Board of Trustees member Kristen Appelget.	From left: Surveying the interior of the Large Barn at the Updike Farmstead:  U.S. Representative Rush Holt and HSP Executive Director, Erin Dougherty.

 

Thank-you card drawn by a 4th grade class from Community Park that visited the Updike Farmstead for the November 30, 2009 Groundbreaking.