It’s hard to live in the Princeton area and not be aware there is a lot of history around, but have your ever realized to what extent it influenced the things we have today? Similarly, we all know of New Jersey as the Garden State, but were you aware that there is so much that we can gleam naturally from the land around us?
In this February issue of Princeton Perspectives, Nature and Nurture: Princeton’s Resources and Historical Opportunities we share stories and information to help you fully appreciate what is available all around.
What is your favorite local natural or historical feature? That is what we asked locals this month in our Pulse of Princeton. Many have a favorite or two and perhaps their responses will inspire you. Watch the video below for more.
Something else that might inspire you is a former resident’s look at his childhood in Princeton. As young children and teens, many do not appreciate their surroundings and the people helping to bring them up. It can be fascinating to learn how much it can truly hold a place in one’s heart. Read about the impact a Princeton childhood had in this personal reflection 1960s Princeton Provided a Lifetime of Memories and a Path to Opportunities.
What else is here that you might not be fully appreciating? The land and what you can get from it. Naturally Maple Syrup: Sweetness That Can Be Found in Your Own Backyard details not only the awareness that something so delectable could be sitting outside your back door, but how you can take full advantage of it.
Living off the Land: The Many Healthy Natural Resources Available to You highlights some things beyond syrup that you can enjoy locally fresh. And, beyond eating them, there are uses for natures crops and elements that can be truly beneficial to your health.
That includes getting outdoors, breathing in the fresh air and utilizing the resources the area offers. Historical Industries Laid the Groundwork for Today’s Recreational Enjoyment details three places that you might not have been able to explore today, had it not been for how the areas were utilized centuries ago.
History is so much a part of who we are today, that Princeton is taking huge efforts to maintain it. In this month’s Perspectives Revisited you can read an update on the story we shared about 91 Prospect and a fight underway to keep a local municipality from transforming a land area into something many do not want.
Take advantage of this winter’s unseasonably warm temperatures to get outside, start your spring gardens, go for a walk and simply benefit from what the greater Princeton area offers. We hope this issue inspires you to do so.
Lisa Jacknow spent years working in national and local news in and around New York City before moving to Princeton. Working as both a TV producer and news reporter, Lisa came to this area to focus on the local news of Mercer County at WZBN-TV. In recent years, she got immersed in the Princeton community by serving leadership roles at local schools in addition to volunteering for other local non-profits. In her free time, Lisa loves to spend time with her family, play tennis, sing and play the piano. A graduate of the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, Lisa was raised just north of Boston, Massachusetts but has lived in the tri-state area since college. She is excited to be Editor and head writer for Princeton Perspectives!