Princeton Theological Seminary ( PTSem ), officially The Theological Seminary of the Presbyterian Church , is a private school of theology in Princeton, New Jersey . Established in 1812, it is the second-oldest seminary in the United States, founded under the auspices of Archibald Alexander , the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) , and the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University ). It is also the largest of ten seminaries associated with the Presbyterian Church.
82-591: The Princeton Public Library serves the town of Princeton, New Jersey . It is the most visited municipal public library in New Jersey with over 860,000 annual visitors who borrow 550,000 items, ask more than 83,000 reference questions, log onto library computers over 90,000 times, and attend more than 1,300 programs. Its usage exceeds all but five of New Jersey's twenty-one county systems. Compared to New Jersey's largest municipal library, Newark , Princeton spends four times as much per capita, and has nearly double
164-793: A graduate school , however, it does see such ranking on occasion. In 2020, it was ranked #53 nationwide – tied with University of Iowa and University of Florida – for the field of history by the U.S. News & World Report . It was also rated at A+ by the American rankings and review company Niche in 2020. The journal First Things , an organ of the Institute on Religion and Public Life in New York , ranked Princeton Seminary fifth among American graduate programs in theology, in 2012. In 2021, 114 degrees were awarded, 52.6% to women, and 47.4% to men. Built in 1834, Princeton Seminary's chapel
246-536: A township and a borough . The central borough was completely surrounded by the township. The borough seceded from the township in 1894 in a dispute over school taxes; the two municipalities later formed the Princeton Public Schools , and some other public services were conducted together before they were reunited into a single Princeton in January 2013. Princeton Borough contained Nassau Street ,
328-510: A building at 65 Witherspoon Street. By 2002 the library had a collection of 130,000 books in a building designed for 80,000 and the decision was made to build a new home for the library on the same site. The library was then moved to a temporary location at 301 North Harrison Street during the construction of the new 58,000-square-foot (5,400 m), state-of-the-art library which was opened at 65 Witherspoon Street in April 2004. The new building and
410-413: A four-year term of office, serves as Princeton's chief executive officer and nominates appointees to various boards and commissions subject to approval of the council. The mayor presides at council meetings and votes in the case of a tie or a few other specific cases. The council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in
492-486: A partisan basis as part of the November general election. The mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The borough form of government used by Princeton is a " weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as
574-449: A relatively high number of speakers of Scandinavian languages (425 speakers), Italian (465 speakers), and German (1,000 speakers). Princeton is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected at-large on
656-789: A seminary of the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A ., following a merger between the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. and the United Presbyterian Church of North America , and in 1983, it would become a seminary of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) after the merger between the UPCUSA and the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. In 2019, the seminary announced that it would spend $ 27 million on "scholarships and other initiatives to address its historical ties to slavery". The Rev. Jonathan Lee Walton
738-414: A smaller government structure. The merger was the first in the state since 1997, when Pahaquarry Township voted to consolidate with Hardwick Township The consolidation took effect on January 1, 2013. Princeton is located in the 12th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 16th state legislative district. For the 118th United States Congress , New Jersey's 12th congressional district
820-411: A struggle that lasted nearly fifty years. The first failed attempt to consolidate borough and township was made in 1953, with 63% of township voters in favor of a merger and 57% of borough voters opposed. Subsequent attempts were voted down by borough residents, in large part due to different zoning needs of the densely populated borough versus the more widely-spaced properties of the township (surrounding
902-418: A three-year cycle. The council has administrative powers and is the policy-making body for Princeton. The council approves appointments made by the mayor. Council members serve on various boards and committees and act as liaisons to certain departments, committees or boards. As of 2024 , the mayor of Princeton is Democrat Mark Freda, who is serving a four-year term expiring on December 31, 2023. Members of
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#1732780133573984-536: A total of 18,049 registered voters in Princeton (a sum of the former borough and township's voters), of which 9,184 (50.9%) were registered as Democrats , 2,140 (11.9%) were registered as Republicans and 6,703 (37.1%) were registered as unaffiliated . There were 22 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens . In both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, the Democratic nominee received over 80% of
1066-404: Is 24 to 30 inches (610 to 760 mm) and the average snowiest month is February which corresponds with the annual peak in nor'easter activity. According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Princeton, New Jersey, would have an Appalachian Oak ( 104 ) vegetation type with an Eastern Hardwood Forest ( 25 ) vegetation form. As of the 2010 United States census ,
1148-517: Is a borough in Mercer County , in the U.S. state of New Jersey . It was established on January 1, 2013, through the consolidation of the Borough of Princeton and Princeton Township , both of which are now defunct. As of the 2020 United States census , the borough's population was 30,681, an increase of 2,109 (+7.4%) from the 2010 census combined count of 28,572. In the 2000 census ,
1230-694: Is a destination for visiting scholars from around the world. The current library building was completed in 2013 and was renamed on October 13, 2021, after Theodore S. Wright , the first African American to graduate from Princeton Theological Seminary. The library has over 1,252,503 bound volumes, pamphlets, and microfilms. It receives about 2,100 journals, annual reports of church bodies and learned societies, bulletins, transactions, and periodically issued indices, abstracts, and bibliographies. The Libraries are: Given its status as an autonomous postgraduate institution , Princeton Seminary does not appear in most global or national rankings for universities and colleges. As
1312-566: Is a two-year public college serving Princeton residents and all those from Mercer County. Westminster Choir College , a school of music owned by Rider University since 1992, was established on a large campus in Princeton in 1932. Before relocating to Princeton, the school resided in Dayton, Ohio , and then briefly in Ithaca, New York . In 2012, Rider proposed a parking lot expansion on the Princeton campus that required cutting old-growth trees and
1394-511: Is owned by Princeton University and is leased to the Princeton Historical Society for one dollar per year. The house has kept its original staircase, flooring and paneled walls. Around 70% of the house has been unaltered. Aside from safety features such as wheelchair access and electrical work, the house has been restored to its original appearance and character. During the most stirring events in its history, Princeton
1476-691: Is represented by Bonnie Watson Coleman ( D , Ewing Township ). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Democrats Cory Booker ( Newark , term ends 2027) and George Helmy ( Mountain Lakes , term ends 2024). For the 2024-2025 session , the 16th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Andrew Zwicker ( D , South Brunswick ) and in
1558-420: Is roughly equidistant from New York City and Philadelphia . It is close to many major highways that serve both cities (e.g., Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1 ), and receives major television and radio broadcasts from each. It is also close to Trenton , New Jersey's capital city, New Brunswick and Edison . The New Jersey governor's official residence has been in Princeton since 1945, when Morven (in what
1640-871: Is the oldest and only coeducational Catholic school, joining Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart (K–8, all male) and Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart (coed for Pre-K, and all-female K–12), which operate under the supervision of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton . Schools that are outside of Princeton but have Princeton addresses include the Wilberforce School , Chapin School in Lawrence Township , Princeton Junior School in Lawrence Township,
1722-504: The Center of Theological Inquiry' ( CTI ) as an independent, ecumenical institution for advanced theological research, "to inquire into the relationship between theological disciplines, [and of these with] ... both human and natural sciences, to inquire into the relationship between diverse religious traditions ..., to inquire into the present state of religious consciousness in the modern world, and to examine such other facets of religion in
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#17327801335731804-465: The General Assembly by Mitchelle Drulis (D, East Amwell Township ) and Roy Freiman (D, Hillsborough Township ). Mercer County is governed by a County Executive who oversees the day-to-day operations of the county and by a seven-member Board of County Commissioners that acts in a legislative capacity, setting policy. All officials are chosen at-large in partisan elections, with
1886-562: The Westminster Choir College of Rider University , New Brunswick Theological Seminary , Jewish Theological Seminary , and the School of Social Work at Rutgers University . The institution also has an ongoing relationship with the Center of Theological Inquiry . The plan to establish a theological seminary in Princeton was in the interests of advancing and extending the theological curriculum. The educational intention
1968-644: The section on "government and politics" for more details about the 2011 merger of borough and township. Princeton is located just south of a long, curving ridge known as Princeton Ridge. As Princeton is in a low-lying area, there have been issues with cell phone signals. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , Princeton had a total area of 18.41 square miles (47.69 km ), including 17.95 square miles (46.48 km ) of land and 0.47 square miles (1.21 km ) of water (2.53%). Cedar Grove , Port Mercer , Princeton Basin, and Jugtown are unincorporated communities that have been absorbed into Greater Princeton over
2050-509: The 1980s, it enrolled about 900 students, but as of Fall 2023, the seminary enrolls approximately 276 FTE students. While around 26 percent of them are candidates for ministry specifically in the Presbyterian Church, the majority are completing such candidature in other denominations, pursuing careers in academia across a number of different disciplines, or receiving training for other, non-theological fields altogether. The Seminary holds academic reciprocity with Princeton University as well as
2132-468: The 20th best high school in New Jersey in its 2018 rankings of the "Top Public High Schools" in New Jersey. The school was also ranked as the 10th best school in New Jersey by U.S. News & World Report . Niche ranked Princeton High School as the 47th best public high school in America in its "2021 Best Public High Schools in America" rankings. In the early 1990s, redistricting occurred between
2214-797: The Abraham Kuyper Center for Public Theology is the Abraham Kuyper Collection of Dutch Reformed Protestantism in the library's Special Collections, which focuses on the theology and history of Dutch Reformed Protestantism since the nineteenth century and features a sizable assemblage of primary and secondary sources by and about Abraham Kuyper . The center maintains in partnership with the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam an online database of secondary literature about Abraham Kuyper . The center has also established an annual event organized to award
2296-722: The Abraham Kuyper Prize for Excellence in Reformed Theology and Public Life, during which the recipient delivers an address. The Abraham Kuyper Consultation, a series of further lectures, takes place on the following day. In 2017, there was a controversy surrounding the plan to award the Kuyper Prize to Tim Keller , then Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. A group of students and faculty protested that Keller should not receive
2378-585: The Board of Trustees, and it is part of their commitment to the ongoing work of confession and repentance that was part of the historical audit on slavery." In 2011, Princeton Theological Seminary's Office of Multicultural Relations and The Kaleidoscope Institute worked together to initiate an effort known as "Navigating the Waters", a program designed to promote cultural proficiency and diversity competency in faculty, staff, and students. The Center for Barth Studies
2460-698: The Borough Act of 1894, which required each township to form a single school district; rather than do so, Princeton Borough petitioned to be separated. (The two Princetons combined their public school systems in the decades before municipal consolidation.) Two minor boundary changes united the then site of the Princeton Hospital and of the Princeton Regional High School inside the Borough, in 1928 and 1951 respectively. See
2542-650: The British to evacuate southern New Jersey. After the victory, Princeton hosted the first Legislature under the State Constitution to decide the State's seal, governor and organization of its government. In addition, two of the original signers of the Declaration of Independence— Richard Stockton and John Witherspoon —lived in Princeton. Princetonians honored their citizens' legacy by naming two streets in
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2624-570: The College of New Jersey and relocated to Princeton ten years later, Princeton University's main campus has its historic center on Nassau Street and stretches south from there. Its James Forrestal satellite campus is located in Plainsboro Township , and some playing fields lie within adjacent West Windsor Township . Princeton University was featured at the top of U.S. News & World Report ' s national university rankings for
2706-520: The Community Park and Johnson Park School districts, as the population within both districts had increased due to residential development. Concerns were also raised about the largely white, wealthy student population attending Johnson Park (JP) and the more racially and economically diverse population at Community Park (CP). As a result of the redistricting, portions of the affluent Western Section neighborhood were redistricted to CP, and portions of
2788-862: The French-American School of Princeton, the Laurel School of Princeton, the Waldorf School of Princeton, YingHua International School, Princeton Latin Academy in Hopewell , Princeton Montessori School in Montgomery Township , Eden Institute in West Windsor Township , and the now-defunct American Boychoir School in Plainsboro Township . Princeton Theological Seminary The seminary operates
2870-503: The Princeton Council are Council President Mia Sacks (D, 2025), David F. Cohen (D, 2023), Leticia Fraga (D, 2023), Michelle Pirone Lambros (D, 2025), Leighton Newlin (D, 2024) and Eve Niedergang (D, 2024). In 2018, Princeton had an average property tax bill of $ 19,388, the highest in the county, compared to an average bill of $ 8,767 statewide. People in the township tried unsuccessfully to merge borough and township in
2952-673: The Princeton Theological Seminary Libraries, supports the scholarly activities of the Center for Barth Studies . The Karl Barth Research Collection is acquiring a collection of writings by and about Karl Barth. Although many volumes are still needed, the Research Collection has already acquired Barth's most important works in German and English, several first editions, and an original hand-written manuscript by Karl Barth. The key aspect of
3034-576: The Theological Seminary at Princeton, New Jersey, in 1812, with the support of the directors of the nearby College of New Jersey, as the second graduate theological school in the United States. The seminary remains an institution of the Presbyterian Church (USA) , being the largest of the ten theological seminaries affiliated with the 1.1-million-member denomination. In 1812, the seminary had three students and Archibald Alexander
3116-674: The Township of Princeton voted on November 8, 2011, to merge the two municipalities into one. This was the first referendum when university student voters were encouraged and allowed to register to vote locally, and that likely contributed strongly to the measure passing, as the students were not home owners concerned with zoning matters, and they all counted as part of the borough and not the township. In Princeton Borough, 1,385 voted for and 902 voted against, while in Princeton Township 3,542 voted for and 604 voted against. Proponents of
3198-570: The addition of the Joe R. Engle Organ. On January 18, 2022, members of the Association of Black Seminarians physically removed the sign naming the chapel "Miller Chapel" and held a protest calling for the trustees to rename the chapel because of Samuel Miller's direct ties to slavery. On January 25, 2022, the Board of Trustees of Princeton Seminary voted to rename Miller Chapel in light of the protest. "This decision followed thoughtful deliberation by
3280-406: The area by James Leonard, who first referred to the community as Princetown when describing the location of his large estate in his diary. The community was later known by a variety of names, including: Princetown , Prince's Town and finally Princeton . The name Princeton was first used in 1724 and became common within the subsequent decade. Although there is no official documentary backing,
3362-442: The area in the late part of the 17th century, arriving from Delaware to settle West Jersey , and from New York to settle East Jersey , with the site destined to become Princeton being amid the wilderness between these two boroughs. The first European to find his home in the boundaries of the future municipality was Henry Greenland. He built his house in 1683 along with a tavern, where representatives of West and East Jersey met to set
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3444-566: The award due to his non-affirming views regarding LGBTQ and women clergy. President Barnes initially defended awarding Keller the prize before changing his position. Keller withdrew himself from consideration for the prize and still delivered his lecture. While drawing support from some quarters, the decision to not award Keller the prize also drew criticism in the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post . In 1978, Princeton Theological Seminary's Board of Trustees established
3526-539: The borough and township had a combined population of 28,572. According to the website Data USA, Princeton has a population of 30,168 people, of which 85% are US citizens. The ethnic composition of the population is 20,393 White residents (67.6%), 4,636 Asian residents (15.4%), 2,533 Hispanic residents (8.4%), 1,819 Black residents (6.03%), and 618 Two+ residents (2.05%). The most common foreign languages are Chinese (1,800 speakers), Spanish (1,429 speakers), and French (618 speakers), but compared to other places, Princeton has
3608-413: The borough). An attempt to consolidate in 1979 passed with 70% support in the township but failed in the borough by 33 votes, a result that was upheld after a recount. Although township voters again supported a 1996 merger referendum by an almost 3–1 margin, about 57% of borough voters rejected the consolidation proposal, marking the sixth such failure. The residents of both the Borough of Princeton and
3690-402: The boundaries between the two provinces. Greenland's son-in-law Daniel Brimson inhabited the area by 1690, and left property in a will dated 1696. Then, Princeton was known only as part of nearby Stony Brook . Nathaniel Fitz Randolph, a native of the town, attested in his private journal on December 28, 1758, that Princeton was named in 1724 upon the making/construction of the first house in
3772-550: The church in many capacities, from pastoral ministry and pastoral care to missionary work, Christian education and leadership in the academy and business. The seminary became known during the 19th and early 20th centuries for its defense of Calvinistic Presbyterianism , a tradition that became known as Princeton Theology and greatly influenced Evangelicalism during the period. Some of the institution's figures active in this movement included Charles Hodge , B.B. Warfield , J. Gresham Machen , and Geerhardus Vos . In response to
3854-871: The district's high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship . As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of six schools, had an enrollment of 3,740 students and 341.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.0:1. Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Community Park School with 332 students in grades K-5, Johnson Park School with 329 students in grades PreK-5, Littlebrook School with 342 students in grades K-5, Riverside School with 289 students in grades PreK-5, Princeton Middle School with 803 students in grades 6-8 and Princeton High School with 1,555 students in grades 9-12. New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Princeton High School as
3936-545: The downtown area after them. On January 10, 1938, Henry Ewing Hale called for a group of citizens to establish a "Historical Society of Princeton." Later the Bainbridge House, constructed in 1766 by Job Stockton, would be dedicated for this purpose. Previously the house was used once for a meeting of Continental Congress in 1783, a general office, and as the Princeton Public Library. The House
4018-1085: The executive serving a four-year term of office while the commissioners serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats up for election each year as part of the November general election. As of 2024 , the County Executive is Daniel R. Benson ( D , Hamilton Township ) whose term of office ends December 31, 2027. Mercer County's Commissioners are: Lucylle R. S. Walter (D, Ewing Township , 2026), Chair John A. Cimino (D, Hamilton Township, 2026), Samuel T. Frisby Sr. (D, Trenton , 2024), Cathleen M. Lewis (D, Lawrence Township , 2025), Vice Chair Kristin L. McLaughlin (D, Hopewell Township , 2024), Nina D. Melker (D, Hamilton Township , 2025) and Terrance Stokes (D, Ewing Township, 2024). Mercer County's constitutional officers are: Clerk Paula Sollami-Covello (D, Lawrence Township, 2025), Sheriff John A. Kemler (D, Hamilton Township, 2026) and Surrogate Diane Gerofsky (D, Lawrence Township, 2026). As of March 2011, there were
4100-521: The future of the campus and its academic programs. As of 2023, Princeton is paying Rider $ 1,000 per month to lease overflow parking at the Choir College; the town then sells the parking rights for $ 30 per month to businesses, residents and non-residents. The Choir College parking is a few blocks' walk from downtown. The Princeton Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade . Students from Cranbury Township attend
4182-690: The high school programs offered by the Mercer County Technical Schools , a county-wide vocational school district that offers full-time career and technical education at its Health Sciences Academy, STEM Academy and Academy of Culinary Arts, with no tuition charged to students for attendance. Private schools located in Princeton include The Lewis School of Princeton , Princeton Day School , Princeton Friends School , Hun School of Princeton , and Princeton International School of Mathematics and Science (PRISMS). St. Paul's Catholic School (pre-school to 8th grade) founded in 1878,
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#17327801335734264-823: The increasing influence of theological liberalism in the 1920s and the fundamentalist–modernist controversy at the institution, several theologians left to form the Westminster Theological Seminary under the leadership of J. Gresham Machen . The college was later the center of the fundamentalist–modernist controversy of the 1920s and 1930s. In 1929, the seminary was reorganized along modernist lines, and in response, Machen, along with three of his colleagues: Oswald T. Allis , Robert Dick Wilson and Cornelius Van Til , resigned, with Machen, Allis and Wilson founding Westminster Theological Seminary in Glenside, Pennsylvania . In 1958, Princeton became
4346-777: The largest theological library in the United States and the second largest in the world (after the Vatican in Rome). It maintains a number of special collections, including the Karl Barth Research Collection in the Center for Barth Studies . The seminary also manages an endowment of $ 1.459 billion in 2022, making it the third-wealthiest institution of higher learning in the state of New Jersey—after Princeton University and Rutgers University . Princeton Seminary has been home to many leading biblical scholars , theologians, and clergy among its faculty and alumni. In
4428-410: The legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council. The mayor is elected directly by the voters to
4510-633: The library's new logos and signage were designed by Hillier Architecture. The building is named for George and Estelle Sands, who made a $ 5 million donation, with half going to provide an endowment. The J. Seward Johnson Charitable Trust donated $ 1 million and the university $ 400,000. The total cost of the new building was $ 18 million with two-thirds of that raised from private donations, $ 4 million from Princeton Township , and $ 2 million from Princeton Borough . 40°21′06″N 74°39′37″W / 40.3517°N 74.6603°W / 40.3517; -74.6603 Princeton, New Jersey Princeton
4592-408: The main commercial street, most of the university campus, and incorporated most of the urban area until the postwar suburbanization. The borough and township had roughly equal populations. Other major streets include Harrison, Witherspoon, Nassau, Bayard, Washington, and Stockton. The Lenape Native Americans were the earliest identifiable inhabitants of the Princeton area. Europeans settled into
4674-520: The merger asserted that when the merger is completed the new municipality of Princeton would save $ 3.2 million as a result of some scaled down services including layoffs of 15 government workers including 9 police officers (however the measure itself does not mandate such layoffs). Opponents of the measure challenged the findings of a report citing a cost savings as unsubstantiated, expressed concerns about differing zoning needs between borough and township, and noted that voter representation would be reduced in
4756-637: The modern world as may be appropriate ..." Today, the center has its own board, funding, mission and staff, yet maintains close relations with Princeton Theological Seminary. The present director is William Storrar and the director of research is Robin Lovin. Theology Today is a peer-reviewed, quarterly journal of Christian theology founded in 1944. Koinonia Journal is published annually by doctoral students at Princeton Theological Seminary. The publication and its annual forum promote written and face-to-face interdisciplinary discussion about issues in theology and
4838-498: The municipality is said to be named after Prince William of Orange . Another theory suggests that the name came from a large land-owner named Henry Prince, the son-in-law of a well-known English merchant, but no evidence backs this contention. A royal prince seems a more likely eponym for the settlement, as three nearby towns had names for royalty: Kingston , Queenstown (in the vicinity of the intersection of Nassau and Harrison Streets) and Princessville (Lawrence Township). Princeton
4920-459: The nineteenth century. According to the 2010 census , Princeton Borough had 12,307 inhabitants, while Princeton Township had 16,265. The numbers have become stagnant; since the arrival of the College of New Jersey, now Princeton University, in 1756, the town's population spikes every year during the fall and winter and drops significantly over the course of the summer. In the pivotal Battle of Princeton in January 1777, George Washington forced
5002-664: The ninth consecutive year in 2024, as well as topping comparable lists by Forbes and The Wall Street Journal . Princeton Theological Seminary , the first and oldest seminary in America of the Presbyterian Church (USA), has its main academic campus in Princeton, with residential housing located just outside of Princeton in West Windsor Township. The Institute for Advanced Study maintains extensive land holdings (the "Institute Woods") there covering 800 acres (320 ha). Mercer County Community College , not actually in Princeton but in nearby West Windsor ,
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#17327801335735084-585: The number of visitors and circulation in absolute terms despite a tenth the population. The town of Princeton's first purpose built libraries, among the first in the country, were those of the Princeton Theological Seminary , Lenox Library (1843), and Princeton University , Chancellor Green Library (1873). The town itself however would not have a library to call its own until the twentieth century. The Princeton Public Library opened in 1909, and has had three different homes. The library
5166-591: The old Borough), 08543 ( PO boxes ), and 08544 (the University ). Under the Köppen climate classification , Princeton falls within either a hot-summer humid continental climate ( Dfa ) if the 0 °C (32 °F) isotherm is used or a humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ) if the −3 °C (27 °F) isotherm is used. During the summer months, episodes of extreme heat and humidity can occur with heat index values at or above 100.0 °F (37.8 °C). On average,
5248-635: The racially and economically diverse John Witherspoon neighborhood were redistricted to JP. The Princeton Charter School (grades K–8) operates under a charter granted by the commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Education . The school is a public school that operates independently of the Princeton Regional Schools, and is funded on a per student basis by locally raised tax revenues. Eighth grade students from all of Mercer County are eligible to apply to attend
5330-554: The southern boundary of the former Borough and the Delaware and Raritan Canal was added to Princeton Township in 1853. Princeton Borough became a separate municipality in 1894. In the early nineteenth century, New Jersey boroughs had been quasi-independent subdivisions chartered within existing townships that did not have full autonomy. Princeton Borough received such a charter in 1813, as part of Montgomery and West Windsor Townships; it continued to be part of Princeton Township until
5412-533: The study of religion. It is distributed to well over 100 libraries worldwide. Princeton Theological Review is a student-run, annual and online journal that exists to serve students within the Princeton Theological Seminary body as well as the wider theological community. It is distributed to well over 100 libraries worldwide. Acclaimed writer and theologian Frederick Buechner has long standing ties to Princeton Theological Seminary and
5494-577: The two communities had a total population of 30,230, with 14,203 residents in the borough and 16,027 in the township. Princeton was founded before the American Revolutionary War . The borough is the home of Princeton University , one of the world’s most acclaimed research universities, which bears its name and moved to the community in 1756 from the educational institution's previous location in Newark . Although its association with
5576-573: The university is primarily what makes Princeton a college town , other important institutions in the area include the Institute for Advanced Study , Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory , Princeton Theological Seminary , Opinion Research Corporation , Bristol-Myers Squibb , Siemens Corporate Research , SRI International , FMC Corporation , Educational Testing Service , The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation , Amrep , Church and Dwight , Berlitz International , and Dow Jones & Company . Princeton
5658-407: The vote (4,172 cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 39.2% (2,780 votes), and other candidates with 2.0% (145 votes), among the 7,279 ballots cast by the municipality's 18,374 registered voters (182 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 39.6%. Princeton University , one of the world's most prominent research universities, is a dominant feature of the community. Established in 1746 as
5740-433: The vote. In the 2012 presidential election , Democrat Barack Obama received 75.4% of the vote (9,461 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 23.0% (2,882 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (205 votes), among the 14,752 ballots cast by the municipality's 20,328 registered voters (2,204 ballots were spoiled ), for a turnout of 72.6%. In the 2013 gubernatorial election , Democrat Barbara Buono received 58.8% of
5822-521: The wettest month of the year is July which corresponds with the annual peak in thunderstorm activity. During the winter months, episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values below 0.0 °F (−17.8 °C). The plant hardiness zone at the Princeton Municipal Court is 6b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of −0.9 °F (−18.3 °C). The average seasonal (November–April) snowfall total
5904-650: The years, but still maintain their own community identity. Princeton borders the municipalities of Hopewell Township , Lawrence Township , and West Windsor Township in Mercer County; Plainsboro Township and South Brunswick Township in Middlesex County ; and Franklin Township and Montgomery Township in Somerset County . United States Postal ZIP codes for Princeton include 08540, 08541 ( Educational Testing Service ), 08542 (largely
5986-403: Was a wide spot in the road; the boundary between Somerset County and Middlesex County ran right through Princeton, along the high road between New York and Philadelphia, now Nassau Street. When Mercer County was formed in 1838, part of West Windsor Township was added to the portion of Montgomery Township which was included in the new county, and made into Princeton Township; the area between
6068-603: Was announced to become the next president of Princeton Theological Seminary, with his tenure to begin on January 1, 2023. He was the first Black president to be named to the role since the establishment of the seminary in 1812. Princeton Theological Seminary has been accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) since 1938 and by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education since 1968. The Wright Library
6150-472: Was described by William Edward Schenck in 1850 as having attained "no very considerable size" until the establishment of the College of New Jersey in the town. When Richard Stockton, one of the founders of the township, died in 1709 he left his estate to his sons, who helped to expand property and the population. Based on the 1880 United States Census , the population of Princeton comprised 3,209 persons (not including students). Local population has expanded from
6232-503: Was established at Princeton Seminary in 1997 and is administered by a board of seminary faculty. The Center sponsors conferences, research opportunities, discussion groups, and publications that seek to advance understanding of the theology of Karl Barth (1886–1968), the German Swiss professor and pastor widely regarded as the greatest theologian of the 20th century. The Karl Barth Research Collection , part of Special Collections in
6314-491: Was its first professor. By 1815 the number of students had gradually increased and work began on a building: Alexander Hall was designed by John McComb Jr. , a New York architect, and opened in 1817. The original cupola was added in 1827, but it burned in 1913 and was replaced in 1926. The building was simply called "Seminary" until 1893, when it was officially named Alexander Hall. Since its founding, Princeton Seminary has graduated approximately 14,000 men and women who have served
6396-476: Was named to honor Samuel Miller , the second professor at the seminary. It was designed in the Greek Revival style by Charles Steadman , who also designed the nearby Nassau Presbyterian Church . Originally located beside Alexander Hall, it was moved in 1933 toward the center of the campus, its steps now leading down onto the seminary's main quad. Miller Chapel underwent a complete renovation in 2000, with
6478-399: Was originally located at the historic Bainbridge House on Nassau Street , which is the current home of the Princeton Historical Society. Bainbridge house had been built in 1766 by Job Stockton and was the birthplace of naval hero William Bainbridge . The house came into the ownership of Princeton University, which rented it to the library for $ 1 a year. The growing library moved in 1966 to
6560-428: Was strenuously opposed by neighbors. In 2019, Rider (which is located in Lawrence Township ) attempted to sell the choir college campus in Princeton to a Chinese company, resulting in a public outcry and the prevention of that sale. In 2020, Rider moved all activities of Westminster Choir College from Princeton to its Lawrenceville campus; the Princeton campus is now largely unused while legal wrangling continues about
6642-489: Was then Princeton Borough) became the first governor's mansion. In 1982, it was replaced by the larger Drumthwacket , a colonial mansion located in the former township, but not all have actually lived in these houses. Morven became a museum and garden, owned and operated by the New Jersey Historical Society . Throughout much of its history, the community was split into two separate municipalities:
6724-412: Was to go beyond the liberal arts course by setting up a postgraduate, professional school in theology. The plan met with enthusiastic approval on the part of authorities at the College of New Jersey, later to become Princeton University , for they were coming to see that specialized training in theology required more attention than they could give. The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church established
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