House and Garden Events
Historical Society of Princeton House Tour November 5, 2011
The Historical Society of Princeton is hosting its 10th annual House Tour from 10 AM to 4 PM on Saturday, November 5, 2011. The tour features five extraordinary homes, from modern to traditional.
Twenty-first century modernist best describes the stunning 4750 Province Line Road, recently built, but evocative of the architectural movement that began in the 1920s and 30s. On a lovely wooded lot, the architect used a sweeping glass arc for the façade, introducing views and natural light of the surrounding landscape into the living spaces.
Edgar Palmer envisioned a square and neighborhood of Georgian revival buildings where residents would live, work and shop in the heart of downtown Princeton. Visitors to 75 Chambers Street, one of the completed townhomes of “The Residences at Palmer Square,” can not only see this dream fulfilled, but also view an extensive collection of antique furniture, needlework and decorative arts.
The owner of 31 Hawthorne Avenue, a striking Spanish revival circa 1930, saw the potential for an extraordinary redesign and renovation. Retained was the basic footprint of the house, once the home of Edward B. Snook, who served as chief bank examiner for the State of New Jersey.
The simple whitewashed stone façade of 56 Edgerstoune Road, a colonial revival, conceals a masterfully designed plan with well proportioned rooms and superb garden views. Built in 1929, it reflects the creativity of Aymar Embury II, a well known New York architect known locally for his design of Princeton University’s Dillon Gymnasium and 1915 Hall.
The oldest home on the tour is 70 Leigh Avenue, a 1920 peri-urban house in the heart of the John/Witherspoon district. The design and construction are examples of a straightforward approach to creating a more sustainable building; the small footprint of the house preserves open space and pervious land.
Advance tickets are $40 for HSP members and $45 for non-members. All tickets purchased the day of the tour are $45. All proceeds help fund the Historical Society’s core mission activities throughout the year, including exhibitions, collections care and educational programming for schools and families.
For more information or to purchase tickets, please call 609.921.6748 x100. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.princetonhistory.org. On the day of the event, tickets may be purchased at Bainbridge House, 158 Nassau Street, or at any of the five homes on the tour.
The Society is grateful to N.T. Callaway Real Estate, Glenmede and the Princeton Area Community Foundation for their generous support of the event.
All photographs are courtesy of N.T. Callaway Real Estate.
ABOUT THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF PRINCETON - The Historical Society of Princeton, founded in 1938, is a museum and library dedicated to interpreting the history of Princeton, New Jersey. The programs, lectures, exhibitions, and events of the Historical Society of Princeton are presented at our two facilities: Bainbridge House and the Updike Farmstead. The Farmstead includes a recently renovated late 18th/early 19th century farmhouse and 6 acres of land. Visit us at princetonhistory.org.
