Palmer Square

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Palmer Square is a collection of shops, resaurants, offices and residential spaces in Princeton, New Jersey. Originally built in 1936-1939 by Edgar Palmer, heir to the New Jersey Zinc fortune, the Square was created by architect Thomas Stapleton in the Colonial Revival style as the town's complement to Princeton University, which sits across Nassau Street from the Square.

In order to build the original Square, Birch Street was removed in 1929 and its houses, the center of the original African-American neighborhood of Princeton, were moved to Birch Avenue.[1] Construction of the Square was delayed until 1936 by the depression, and plans to extend the Square past Hulfish Street were put on hold after the initial phase of construction was completed, and were not realized until the 1980's, along with an expansion of Nassau Inn.[2]

The Nassau Inn, which was formerly located directly on Nassau Street, was the centerpiece of the development. A small park sits in front of the Inn, which includes the Borough's Christmas tree.[3] Between the park and Nassau Street, a smaller square holds a bronze statue of a tiger.[4]

One Palmer Square is a major office building, former home to Princeton Bank and Trust (now PNC Bank). The plaza in front of One Palmer Square is the main downtown bus stop, and includes a sculpture by Seward Johnson

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://phs.prs.k12.nj.us/pulse/landmarks/landmarks.html History of African Americans in Princeton, includes pictures of moved houses
  2. ^ http://www.princetonhistory.org/historic_sites.cfm short pieces on historic sites by the Historical Society of Princeton
  3. ^ Palmer Square Shops and Restaurants - Princeton Online
  4. ^ http://www.princetonhistory.org/historic_photos.cfm?Doc_Id=152&StartRow=1&Keyword_Desc=Palmer%20Square&Size_Code=Large Photo from Historical Society collection

[edit] External links

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