Washington Oak
TheWashington Oakis a protected ancientwhite oaktree inPrinceton,New Jersey,USA that overlooks thePrinceton Battlefield State Park.TheInternational Society of Arboricultureand theTree Care Industry Associationjointly recognize the Washington Oak as having lived at the time of the signing of theUnited States Constitutionin 1787.
Place in history
[edit]
The Washington Oak, over 275 years old, stands on Millett's Hill[1]where the pivotalBattle of Princetonwas ignited in 1777. On the morning of January 3 British Lt. ColonelCharles Mawhood'sregiment marched out of Princeton on the Kings Highway (Rt. 206) to reinforce Trenton. But as they approached the top of the hill, Mawhood's men caught sight ofGeneral Mercer'sforces massing on the other side of theStony Brook.They reversed direction, recrossed the Brook and engaged the Americans. When Mercer's troops broke, GeneralGeorge Washington,the tree's namesake, rallied them to victory.[2]
Development pressure
[edit]The tree and its surroundings were the scene of a bitter, protracted dispute between a builder, the Township, and the State over development rights. In 1983Calton Homesacquired the White Farm which included the Washington Oak. Calton planned to build over 1200 homes on the 124-acre (0.50 km2) property, but Townshipzoninglimited the density of homes, allowing only 40. Calton sued the Township arguing the zoning requirements did not comply with theNew Jersey Supreme Court'sMount Laurel rulingswhich required municipalities to developaffordable housingfor low- and middle-income families.[3]This "second battle of Princeton" gathered so much attention that Gov.Thomas Keanreferred to it in his 1989 State of the State address, claiming the farm was "threatened by weapons the British never carried" and "whatGeneral Howeand his British troops could never do,townhouses... are poised to do: win a battle over... New Jersey. "[4]Later that year the parties settled, allowing Calton to build 300 properties on 73 acres (300,000 m2) while the preserving the Washington Oak and its nearby meadow as open space.[5]The resulting development, Washington Oaks at Princeton, provides 60 low- and moderate-income condominium units mixed with 240 market-rate single-family detached houses, townhouses, and condominiums.[6]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Princeton Battlefield sur Flickr: partage de photos!
- ^:ten crucial days | the battle of princeton:
- ^What British Couldn't Win, Housing Law Conquers - New York Times
- ^Excerpts From Address by Kean – New York Times
- ^Princeton Township – Open Space Map
- ^Using Zoning to Spur Lower-Priced Housing - New York Times
40°19′51″N74°41′10″W/ 40.3308°N 74.6860°W
| Historic districts |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Former municipalities | ||
| Public schools | ||
| Independent schools | ||
| Colleges and universities | ||
| Other education | ||
| Places of worship | ||
| Parks and recreation | ||
| Economy | ||
| Performing arts | ||
| Media | ||
| Other landmarks | ||
| Princeton addressed landmarks outside the municipality |
| |