Historian, Architect to Present "More Revelations on the Battle of Princeton"

The talk will take place at the Princeton Public Library.

Letter: Battlefield Society Extends Offer to IAS

Writer says the Princeton Battlefield Society and the Institute for Advanced Study are presently steering opposite courses, but it does not have to be that way.

  Dear Editor,  We are all sick of hearing about cliffs and whether we are going over them. I wish to point out that this is not the first cliff we have encountered as a country.  In the winter of 1776-77, our young country was on such a cliff facing uncertainty and danger. General Washington and the Continental Army were facing annihalation and yet in 10 days, fought and clawed their way away from that cliff of disaster. Victories at Trenton and Princeton breathed new life into a faltering cause.  It is no wonder that they succeeded, after all, they were the men of the generation who said "give me liberty or give me death!" It should be no surprise to anyone that many citizens feel that the Princeton Battlefield now under threat of …

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Legal Battle Continues Over Proposed Housing on Historic Site

Group challenges Planning Board findings that could permit faculty housing on Princeton Battlefield site.

The skirmish being fought at Princeton Battlefield today is not one of advancing armies, but of legal teams vying over the issue of faculty housing on historic land. The Princeton Battlefield Society on Friday appealed the Princeton Regional Planning Board’s recent decision in favor of an Institute for Advanced Study  faculty housing development on land the Institute owns adjacent to the historic site.  Princeton Battlefield was designated last month as one of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2012 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It is believed by many to be the site of Gen. George Washington's counterattack and first victory against the British during the Battle of Princeton in 1777. In March 2012, the …

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Letter: Battle Reenactment Drew Crowds, Concern Over IAS Development

Writer says Memorial Day reenactment on the Princeton Battlefield raised awareness about the Battlefield preservation.

  Dear Editor,  Memorial Day has come and gone. The Princeton Battlefield Society held the largest re-enactment in a decade on the battlefield. Our Veterans were remembered.  Hundreds upon hundreds came from as far as Michigan, Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, and all over New Jersey. They all wanted to know what was happening with the IAS and the battlefield.  So, I explained the Society has gone to court to protect the battlefield from the IAS development. I further relayed that the Society has contacted the DEP to review the application, since it appears the IAS wants to build on Wetlands. They shake their heads in disbelief.  "What about the settlement they say?" I explain that as the chief …

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Group Asks Biden to Intervene in Princeton Battlefield Land Dispute

A member of the Princeton Battlefield Society has asked U.S. Vice President Joe Biden to help preserve land pivotal during the Battle of Princeton.

  The following letter was emailed to the Vice President on Monday, April 23 and sent via U.S. mail on Tuesday, April 24. Dear Mr. Vice President,  I am writing to request your assistance in saving a portion of the Princeton Battlefield in Princeton, New Jersey. The Battle  of Princeton, as you may recall, was a pivotal conflict of the American Revolution with the Continental Forces led by General George Washington. As a former Senator of Delaware, I am sure the name of Colonel John Haslet is familiar to you as well as Captain Thomas Rodney. Both men were sons of Delaware who fought bravely on January 3rd, 1777 in this battle.   A portion of the Princeton Battlefield, privately owned by the Institute for Advanced Study, is threatened with …

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Beyond the Court Battle: Enjoy Military Field Days at Princeton Battlefield

Writer hopes everyone will come to see the educational efforts of the Princeton Battlefield Society.

  Dear Editor, In the recent battle between the Institute for Advanced Study and the Princeton Battlefield Society before the Hearing Board, many letters commented on the Society and our lack of doing things at the battlefield. Comments were freely written that we wasted the money given us on litigation, when we should have spent the money on the park. First, the money donated from around the country could be spent on nothing but litigation. It was donated with that understanding. Second, this weekend coming, April 21-22, we are entertaining multiple groups portraying American, British and Hessian units. I hope those who support us will come out. I also hope that those who bashed us in the papers will come out and see what we do when we …

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Letter: Battlefield Society Not Trying to "Take" IAS Property

A member of the Princeton Battlefield Society tries to clear up a misconception from the planning board hearing.

  To the Editor: At the March 1 hearing for the Institute for Advanced Study application to build on a portion of the Princeton Battlefield, a lady from the audience mentioned that she felt the Battlefield Society was trying to "take" the Institute land. My shock and horror at her statement was compounded by a member of the Board stating that he felt the same. While the legal process continues, I wish to clear up this misconception. I have been a member of the Society for a short time, but at no time during my stay was taking the land mentioned. This was an attempt to influence the rezoning the IAS wanted to do. The lady and the Board member should know that the Society tried to talk with the IAS to discuss land swap or land purchase when …

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Letter: Putting the Princeton Battlefield into Historic Context

Writer explains the history of the Battlefield land.

  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 …

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Greta Cuyler

3:30 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Patricia, IAS officials have said said that they have no other plots upon which to build mostly due to conservation easements and wetlands.   more ›

Letter: IAS Needs Zoning Variance

Writer says Princeton's cluster regulations require a minimum amount of usable land, but IAS did not meet those requirements.

  To the Editor: The hearing for the IAS application to build affordable faculty housing on a portion of the Princeton Battlefield is scheduled on Feb. 16 at City Hall. So many people have written in on both sides of the issue and there is still much confusion and, sadly, division. The IAS application concerns land that was part of the battle in 1777. It has survived all this time relatively untouched, used as farm fields. The land was the focal point of Washington's counterattack. The parcel of land is owned by the IAS. To use the land in question, requires permission for a zoning change . The Institute indicates that they have complied with all the regulations associated with the change and should be granted permission. The Princeton …

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IAS Needs to Find Alternate Housing Location

Writer says the fact that the IAS land was the location of Gen. George Washington's counterattack is reason enough not to build there.

  To the Editor: In my opinion, the Institute for Advanced Study plan to build faculty housing should be denied. The housing may be built, but not on the proposed location. This seems to be a point of confusion. Let me clarify my opinion.  First, I am a member of the Battlefield Society. I am a simple member, so I show up at the hearings to learn the facts. The facts seem to be that the IAS wishes to build 15 units on a parcel of land they own just north of the State Park. The State Park is part of the original battle. The IAS parcel is another part of the same battle. The IAS parcel contains the counterattack portion of the battle, the Washington led counterattack and the turning point. For this reason, I believe it should be preserved.  …

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