Prospect House, known also as just Prospect, is a historic house on the

Princeton University Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ...

campus in

Princeton Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ni ...

, Mercer County,

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

, United States. Built in 1851, it is a fine example of the work of architect

John Notman John Notman (22 July 18103 March 1865) was a Scottish-born American architect, who settled in Philadelphia. He is remembered for his churches, and for popularizing the Italianate style and the use of brownstone. Career Notman was born on 22 Jul ...

who helped popularize Italianate architecture in America. Notable residents include

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...

during his tenure as president of the university. The building now serves as a faculty club. It was designated a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...

in 1985 for its architecture and historic associations.

Description and history

Prospect House stands on the Princeton University campus, between the

Princeton University Art Museum The Princeton University Art Museum (PUAM) is the Princeton University gallery of art, located in Princeton, New Jersey. With a collecting history that began in 1755, the museum was formally established in 1882, and now houses over 113,000 works o ...

and Washington Street. It stands on of landscaped grounds that are a remnant of a once-larger estate. The house is a two-story stone structure, built out of rustically cut sandstone, with a three-story tower at one end, and a single-story service wing. The roofs are low-pitch hip roofs, with broad eaves decorated with brackets. The main facade has a central stone porte-cochere topped by a balustrade. Flanking this are slightly projecting bays, featuring matching second-story balconies. A modern dining room addition, designed by

Warren Platner Warren Platner (June 18, 1919 – April 17, 2006) was an American architect and interior designer. Platner produced a furniture collection that has proved to be a continuing icon of 1960s modernism. He is also famed with designing several promi ...

, extends to the rear. Prospect House was built in 1851-52 for Thomas Fuller Potter. Prior to its construction, the site had been that of a farm whose house had hosted

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

both during and after the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

. The house was designed by

, a Scottish architect based in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

who is credited with introducing the Italianate style of architecture to the United States. In 1878, it was acquired by brothers Alexander and Robert Stuart, who gave it to the College of New Jersey, which became

and served as the house of the school president.

, the third Princeton president to live here, was resident from 1902 to 1911, when he became

Governor of New Jersey The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of New Jersey. The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The official r ...

en route to becoming

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

. On February 10, 1913, Thomas J. Preston Jr., a professor of archeology at Princeton University, married Frances Folsom Cleveland, the widow of President

Grover Cleveland Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. Cleveland is the only president in American ...

at the Prospect House. In 1968, the president's official residence was moved to another house, and Prospect House was adapted for use as a private clubhouse for the university faculty. It was designated a U.S.

in 1985. and

Gallery

File:Prospect House Garden, Centaur by Dimitri Hadzi (1954).jpg, ''Centaur'' by

Dimitri Hadzi Dimitri Hadzi (March 21, 1921 – April 16, 2006) was an American abstract sculptor who lived and worked in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and also taught at Harvard University for over a decade. Life Hadzi was born to Greek-American immigrant pare ...

(1954) File:Prospect House Garden, Titan by Michele Oka Doner (2004).jpg, ''Titan'' by Michele Oka Doner (2004) File:Prospect House Garden (2).jpg, The garden from the house File:Prospect House Garden, Japanese Yew Tree.jpg,

English yew ''Taxus baccata'' is a species of evergreen tree in the family Taxaceae, native to western, central and southern Europe (including Britain and Ireland), northwest Africa, northern Iran, and southwest Asia.Rushforth, K. (1999). ''Trees of Britain ...

tree

References

Prospect House History

External links

Princeton University: Prospect House
{{NRHP in Mercer County, New Jersey National Historic Landmarks in New Jersey Houses in Princeton, New Jersey Houses completed in 1851 Princeton University buildings National Register of Historic Places in Mercer County, New Jersey 1851 establishments in New Jersey Historic district contributing properties in Mercer County, New Jersey

Description and history

Gallery

See also

References

External links