Letter: Putting the Princeton Battlefield into Historic Context

To the Editor:

I think that it might be useful to take a step back in understanding that the site of the Battle of Princeton counterattack was envisioned from the beginning to be a vital part of Princeton Battlefield State Park. In 1944 C.S. Sincerbeaux, a local well-respected civil engineer, prepared a map for the American Scenic and Historical Preservation Society showing Washington’s counterattack at the Battle of Princeton. He showed the counterattack to be on what is now the proposed faculty housing site. That was way back in 1944. We don’t know the sources that he used but he was amazingly accurate. We know now that he placed the Continental Army attack line just a little west of where archaeological and original account evidence now places. But Sincerbeaux’s map clearly shows, even then, that this line crossed the site.

This map then became the basis for Governor Walter Edge’s Park boundary lines, and his parcel-by-parcel determination of what needed to be acquired to establish the Park – I have a copy of that map. The Governor had originally wanted the Federal Government to create the Park, but with tight economic times at the end of World War II, and encroachment threatening the Battlefield, he rolled up his sleeves and committed to getting the job done and persuading the NJ Legislature to pass the necessary appropriation. His representative, George Brakeley, who also happened to be vice president and treasurer of Princeton University, then approached the Institute for Advanced Study and asked the Institute to contribute 36 acres to the project -that was in 1944. Governor Edge also sent a copy of the Sincerbeaux map to the Institute. The Institute, at that time, indicated that it was favorably disposed to working with the Governor in putting the Park together. Then in 1945, the Institute purchased 129.99 acres from Robert Maxwell including the site of the counterattack – a site that Governor Edge passionately wanted to be in the Park. It is not clear whether Mr. Maxwell knew at that time that Governor Edge was acquiring properties for the Park, but Mr. Maxwell did retain ownership of a small parcel - where it was believed that General Mercer had fallen. Later he gave that property to Governor Edge for the Park (sold it to the state for $1). I have a copy of the telegram that Mr. Maxwell sent to Governor Edge from West Palm Beach offering the property in a quick response to the Governor’s 1946 request. Mrs. Agnes Pyne Hudson also gifted property to the Park in 1947. Other parcels were purchased, some acquired under the threat of eminent domain.

In 1947 Governor Alfred Driscoll replaced Governor Edge in the State House, and continued to work with George Brakeley in developing the Park. Extraordinarily Governor Driscolll also continued to coordinate closely on Park development former Governor Edge. Upon retiring, Governor Edge purchased and moved into Morven, eventually gifting it to the State in 1954. The Governors shared a belief that the Park would have a major educational function. They also shared the strong belief that the site of the counterattack should be a part of the Park.

Governor Driscoll sent another copy of the Sincerbeaux map to the Institute. Negotiations with the Institute dragged on for 25 long years. Finally, in 1973, the Institute for Advanced Study agreed to deed two parcels to the Park. One, a parcel of 12.264 acres was sold to the state, not gifted, for $335,000. This site bordered the Friend’s Meeting property and was the site of a previously proposed housing development. The other, in the amount of 19.38 acres was on the East side of the Park between the Clarke House and the Institute. So far I have not been able to find a copy of the deed for this property. Since that time, however, there has continued to be interest by the state in adding additional pieces of the Battlefield to the Park. The public record includes a letter addressed to the Institute in 2002 from Alvin Payne, acting director of parks and forestry, who stated: “I would like to request that the planning board and the institute reevaluate this proposal to develop this land. I would like to recommend the institute work with the state’s Green Acres program and allow the state to purchase these parcels.”        

When an issue is as charged as the proposed Institute faculty housing project is, it is important to get as clear an historical understanding as possible.

Kip Cherry

Dempsey Avenue, Princeton

Kip Cherry is 1st Vice President of the Princeton Battlefield Society