Princeton Magazine | Celebrating the Heritage of Princeton, New Jersey

Jersey Fresh Produce in Season at Trenton Farmers Market

Juicy corn, sweet blueberries, succulent tomatoes, and crunchy cucumbers are among other produce and homemade breads, pies, salads, and specialty stands at the Trenton Farmers Market in Lawrence Township.

A farmer-owned cooperative since 1939, the market is New Jersey’s oldest continuously running farmers market. Located on Spruce Street since 1948, it also carries Amish meats and poultry, kielbasa, cheese, and barbecued rotisserie chicken as well as homemade entrees at vendors such as Pulaski Meats, which specializes in Polish, German, Hungarian, Ukrainian, and Russian food items. more

Phillips’ Mill Presents “The Half of It”

Be among the first audiences to view a never-before-performed play at the historic Phillips’ Mill in Bucks County, Pa. The Phillips’ Mill Community Association is presenting a Premiere Showcase production of The Half of It by Domenick Scudera, a Pennsylvania playwright. The play runs July 18-21 and is directed by Phillips’ Mill Theater Resident Griffin Horn. The Half of It is inspired by the life and work of Bert Savoy, a Vaudeville drag artist who was active in the 1910s and early 1920s and who, until now, has been largely forgotten. The Half of It runs Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7 p.m., with a 3 p.m. matinee on Sunday, July 21. more

From the Publisher, Summer 2024

Dear Readers,

Welcome to your Summer issue of Princeton Magazine.

Normally, this letter would come from Editor-in-Chief Lynn Adams Smith, but given my long life in Princeton, Lynn thought that I would be a better person to review this issue of the magazine with you. Rather than the usual summary of what you can expect to read in the pages that follow, I thought I would write this letter as a more personal recollection of experiences related to the stories in this issue. more

The Saga of Jasna Polana

Barbara Piasecka Johnson, widow of J. Seward Johnson Sr., celebrates her “victory” in front of her mansion gate in Princeton, N.J., June 4, 1986. (AP Photo/Jack Kanthal)

A Look Back at the Story Behind the Famed Property

By Anne Levin

Last fall, the luxury golf club Jasna Polana was listed for sale. Set on 222 park-like acres bordered by Route 206 and Province Line Road, the property boasts an 18-hole Tournament Players Course designed by golf great Gary Player, and a palatial, 46,000-square-foot clubhouse.

Jasna, pronounced “yasna,” has earned a reputation for its meticulously manicured fairways, lush setting, challenging greens, and pricey entrance fee. But the expansive, gated property is best known — or notorious — for the chapter of its history that preceded the creation of the golf club in 1998. more

Grazing Through the History of Central New Jersey Dairy Farms

By Wendy Greenberg | Lead photo from shutterstock.com

On a recent overcast day, the cows at Cherry Grove Farm on Route 206 in Lawrence Township were lying down in the meadow expecting the rain that eventually came. Cherry Grove, on land owned by the same family since 1902, is one of the few dairy farms in Mercer County and nearby. The farm doesn’t bottle milk, as many local farmers used to, but in 2002 the Hamill family began making farmstead cheese in-house. more

Forward-Thinking Innovators from New Jersey

Edison, Bell Labs, Sarnoff, and More

By Donald H. Sanborn III

Thomas Edison famously said, “Genius is 1 percent inspiration, 99 percent perspiration.” Of the many scientists and innovators from New Jersey who have contributed to technology and many other fields, Edison (1847-1931) obviously remains one of the most renowned. Besides developing the first commercially viable version of the incandescent light bulb in 1879, his famous inventions include the electrographic vote recorder (1868), phonograph (1877), an electric locomotive (1880); and a camera that could capture motion (1888). more

3D Printing

At the Digital Forefront of Creative and Technological Design

By Taylor Smith | Lead photo from shutterstock.com

As a medium, 3D printing’s roots stretch back to the 1980s, but it has since grown into a technology that provides artistic experimentation and manufacturing-grade industrial products. 3D printers also find applications in architecture and design, building models that provide mathematically accurate prototype design concepts. A wide range of people are using 3D printers these days — there are 3D printers for home use that are geared towards young teenagers and adults, and those for multimillion-dollar businesses and universities that conduct regular work on them. more

Rex Goreleigh

In the Beginning by Rex Goreleigh. (Invaluable.com)

Harlem Renaissance Artist Paved the Way for Arts Education in Princeton

By Ilene Dube

It sounds like the plot of an inspirational movie.

In the early part of the 20th century, a Black man grows up in the household of a white doctor, where his mother is employed as a housemaid. The man, who is artistically gifted, is orphaned at age 15. He moves to New York to study acting, becomes involved with the Harlem Renaissance where he begins studying painting and drawing, meets muralists Diego Rivera and Ben Shahn while waiting tables, and finds himself working on New Deal projects during the Great Depression.

Fast forward, and the man goes on to exhibit in museums abroad and at home. His work is collected by the likes of Toni Morrison.

This is, in fact, the true story of Russell “Rex” Goreleigh (1902-1986), who spent nearly 40 years in Princeton making and teaching art. more

Ocean Adventures

Shipwrecks, Mutinies, & Survival At Sea

By Stuart Mitchner

The sea never changes and its works, for all the talk of men, are wrapped in mystery.

—Joseph Conrad (1857-1924)

A well-traveled old friend once told me, “If you want to know what it’s like to command a sailing ship, read Conrad’s The Secret Sharer.” In fact, the story has less to do with the unnamed narrator’s command of an unnamed ship than with the author’s command of the suggestive psychological nuances of the captain’s relationship with the fugitive he rescues and hides in his living quarters. Formerly the chief mate of a ship anchored nearby, the man had been hastily accused and confined for killing a rebellious crew member during a violent storm. After a single conversation, the captain believes the other’s story and empathizes with him, even to the extent of imagining the fugitive as a double of himself. He takes advantage of his status as commander to help conceal his “secret self” from the crew, even when his choices are risky and suspect, most eventfully when he steers the ship dangerously close to an island so that the fugitive can safely escape, “a free man, a proud swimmer striking out for a new destiny.” more

Turning Toward a Healthier Lifestyle Through Mindful Nutrition

By Mary Abitanto | Photography by the author

I am Jersey-born and raised and a true Jersey girl at heart. Growing up, I spent every summer on Long Beach Island at our shore house, only a stone’s throw away from the beach. One of my most cherished memories is shopping at the local farmers market in Viking Village located in Barnegat Light, a quaint little fishing town. The small farmers market there carries fresh-from-the-farm produce. My dad and I would pick the ripest tomatoes, corn, eggplant, and figs. The long-awaited first bite into a juicy, red-fleshed fig — oh how I love that taste. It’s a memory that will be forever etched in mind. more

Well-Designed Life, Summer 2024

Racing Pigs, Rides, and More at State Fair Meadowlands

For those who want to see if “our state fair is the best state fair,” as the Rogers and Hammerstein song declares, New Jersey’s State Fair Meadowlands is open through July 7, with fireworks on July 3 and 4. As the song concludes, “it’s the best state fair in the state.” more

Quilt Project Dedicated to Witherspoon-Jackson Neighborhood

Join the Arts Council of Princeton’s Anne Reeves Artist-in-Residence Ronah Harris for a hands-on workshop on quilting on Sunday, July 7 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Princeton Public Library first floor exhibit area.

During her residency at the Arts Council, Harris is designing and completing a quilt dedicated to the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood. Sewing experience is not required to participate, and registration is not required. more

Outdoor Movies in Palmer Square, Princeton Shopping Center

A big outdoor movie weekend is coming up in Princeton. On Friday, July 12 at 8:30 p.m., enjoy a family-friendly movie Honey, I Shrunk the Kids under the stars on the Palmer Square Green. Then, on Saturday, July 13, enjoy Jurassic World Dominion at 8 p.m. on the lawn at the Princeton Shopping Center, 301 North Harrison Street. more

Find Waldo and Discover Princeton Small Businesses

Play “hide and seek” during July at Princeton small businesses for the third annual “Find Waldo Local,” sponsored by jaZams and Candlewick Press. Kids and adults alike can join in on the free fun.

Visit 24 shops in Princeton, as well as the Princeton Public Library, from June 30 to July 31, and perhaps discover some shops you didn’t know about.

Here’s how it works: Start at jaZams, 25 Palmer Square East, on June 30 during the kickoff event, or any day in July to start a stamp card. Collect a stamp at each of the 24 businesses specified, and return your card to jaZams by 6 p.m. on July 31 for prizes and to be entered into a raffle for several grand prizes. You can earn a mini-prize for collecting 10-plus stamps, too. more

Sculptors Shape Fall Exhibits at Michener Art Museum

Head of Victory by Augustus Saint-Gaudens.

How did the careers of two preeminent sculptors of the Gilded Age intersect, and what was the significance? The Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, Pa., now presents “Monuments and Myths: The America of Sculptors Augustus Sant-Gaudens and Daniell Chester French,” on view through January 5.

Daniel Chester French (1850–1931) and Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848–1907) were friends and sometimes rivals who transformed sculpture in the U.S. They produced dozens of the nation’s most recognizable public artworks, including French’s Seated Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., and Saint-Gaudens’s Diana, which graced the top of Madison Square Garden in New York City.

“Monuments and Myths” features approximately 70 sculptures, models, maquettes, and more drawn from the collections of the two artists’ historic homes. more

Art All Night Brings Community Art Gallery to Trenton June 29-30

Art All Night Trenton, the capital city’s signature 24-hour annual community art gallery, will transform its new home — the Trenton War Memorial on Memorial Drive — into a hub of artistic expression featuring local artists, live music, interactive workshops, and more.

In-person programming will take place at the War Memorial building on Saturday, June 29 from 3 p.m. to midnight, and again on Sunday, June 30 from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. During the overnight hours, the in-person event will close and a virtual component and online art gallery will take center stage via the Art All Night website and social media channels. more

Public Speaking and Debate Summer Camp at PPL

During this season of pre-election political debates, rising fifth to ninth graders can learn the basics of debate and public speaking under the guidance of experienced high school student debaters. Both beginner and experienced debaters can sign up for a weeklong Princeton Public Library (PPL) program that starts on June 24. Students will learn research and analytical skills that will extend beyond debate, and can also be helpful in future class presentations and essay writing.

The five sessions, which run through Friday June 28, are in the STEAM Studio Story Room. Hours are 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. daily except Friday. Friday’s program, the final debate, starts at 2 p.m. and is open to family and friends. more

Gloves Off for Old-Time Baseball Game

Batter up on Saturday, June 22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a look back at America’s favorite pastime when the Princeton Historical Society presents its annual vintage baseball game.

The game between the Flemington Neshanock and the Monmouth Furnace teams will take place at Greenway Meadows Park, 275 Rosedale Road. The competitive match of barehanded baseball using 1864 rules (no gloves) will also feature period uniforms.

The event is free; registration is not required. Spectators are welcome to bring a blanket or lawn chair, and stop by for an inning or the whole game. After the game they are welcome to try out the authentic replicas of the 19^th-century equipment. more

Chamber Concerts Enhance Sounds of Summer

(Photo by Lara St John)

The sounds of summer are enhanced by the musical notes of the Princeton University Summer Chamber Concerts, which continue in June and July at Richardson Auditorium, Alexander Hall, on the Princeton University campus. The concerts are free, but tickets are required. Tickets are available one week before each concert, after 10 a.m., through tickets.princeton.edu.

In its 57th season PUSCC’s mission expands summer cultural and educational opportunities by presenting world-class chamber ensembles. Melissa Bohl is committee chair and artistic director. more