VIRTUAL VISITS: This year’s house tour sponsored by the Historical Society of Princeton includes the circa 1890 Shadowmawr, at left, and a 1954 home on three scenic acres, right.

By Anne Levin

The four properties showcased on the Historical Society of Princeton’s (HSP) 2023 house tour follow the virtual format introduced by the nonprofit during the COVID-19 pandemic. What may have seemed initially jarring to patrons of the annual fundraiser has become a more widely accepted way of letting people in.

Instead of one day of opening, which risks the threat of bad weather, the virtual model keeps professionally produced videos of each property open, online, from November 27 all the way through December 31. The houses — which range in origin from the 1760s to 1954 — were chosen for their representations of history, architecture, and outdoor setting.

“Our intention is to showcase beautiful architecture and landscape design reflective of Princeton and Mercer County’s craftspeople, designers, and artists,” said Sarah Taggart, the HSP’s executive director. “We are also sharing some of the stories and memories of those who created, lived in, and improved these properties. Wherever possible, we have focused on those who lived and worked at these properties, giving a fuller perspective on these homes as more than just structures.”

There is Pine Tree Farm at 3801 Lawrenceville Road, on a small section of the vast acreage purchased in the early 1700s by Henry Mershon, a Hugenot (French Protestant) fleeing religious persecution in France. Trenton businessman William J. B. Stokes bought the property as a summer home in 1925 after success in Trenton’s booming rubber industry, according to the HSP.

Also on Lawrenceville Road is Shadowmawr, which was likely built by Charles S. Hunt in 1890. The property “is a strong example of a Colonial Revival home,” reads information from the HSP. “Its owners called it Shadowmawr, after the estate’s sprawling, shady lawn.” The property next went to the Gifford family, with whom it remained until Trenton businessman Robert Johnston Stokes bought it in 1920 for $400,000.

Stokes raised his family on the estate and was very much tied into the Princeton and Trenton business communities. Shadowmawr played host to Stokes family gatherings and entertainment for many decades.

The home at 7 Herrontown Road has a history that spans four major periods: the 1760s, 1810s, 1920s, and 1960s to the present day. Known as the Gulick-Hodge-Scott House, it was originally a humble farmhouse “likely constructed by Barefoot Brinson, the Middlesex County Sheriff, as a tenant house in 1767,” according to the HSP.

“Major John Gulick purchased this property and additional acreage along Herrontown Road in 1797. Gulick continued to purchase the original Brinson estates and the Kingston Flour Mill, renaming the property Gulick Farm. He lived on the farm until his death in 1828, and his direct descendants still own and occupy the farm.”

Finally, there is 419 Great Road, built in 1954 and angled on its three-acre setting to capture its expansive, rural views, which are preserved from development.

Originally, the property was home to a white clapboard building. That building was transformed in 2004, but sat empty for a decade before being designed as a blend of Colonial and farmhouse elements.

“The home brings a sense of traditional rural architecture with modern color palettes and amenities,” according to the HSP. “With the views of the rolling hills and neighboring small winery, the homeowners call the location ‘Napa in N.J.’”

Tickets for the tour are $30, and provide access to all four homes. Houses will be released on a weekly basis, with all four available the last week of the tour. Visit princetonhistory.org for details.

“Our Virtual House Tour provides important support for HSP’s history education programs and staff,” said Taggart. “At HSP, we feel strongly that quality history education provides an important foundation for our civic engagement and community building.”