National Historic Landmark · Princeton, New Jersey

President's House

United States historic place in Princeton, New Jersey. Built 1756 by Robert Smith. Added to the National Register in 1971, and a National Historic Landmark.

Dean's House, 73 Nassau Street, Princeton, Mercer County, NJ HABS NJ,11-PRINT,4A- (sheet 0 of 9)Dean's House, 73 Nassau Street, Princeton, Mercer County, NJ HABS NJ,11-PRINT,4A- (sheet 1 of 9)Dean's House, 73 Nassau Street, Princeton, Mercer County, NJ HABS NJ,11-PRINT,4A- (sheet 2 of 9)Dean's House, 73 Nassau Street, Princeton, Mercer County, NJ HABS NJ,11-PRINT,4A- (sheet 3 of 9)
Photos via Wikimedia Commons · 6 in the Commons category

What it is

The President's House, also known as the John Maclean House, or simply the Maclean House, in Princeton, Mercer County, New Jersey, United States, was built to serve as the home of the President of the College of New Jersey, which later became Princeton University. It was completed in 1756, the same year as Nassau Hall. United States Founding Father John Witherspoon lived here from 1768 through 1779, during which time he served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence. George Washington occupied Maclean House in January 1777, during the Battle of Princeton and in 1783 while Congress met in Nassau Hall.

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The record

Property typeBuilding
AddressNassau St., Princeton, NJ
CountyMercer County
ListedJul 17, 1971
Listed forPolitics and government
Level of significanceNational
Also known asMacLean House; Dean's House
Reference number71000504
Built1756 · more from the 1750s
ArchitectRobert Smith
Type of placeuniversity building
StyleGeorgian architecture
DesignationsNational Historic Landmark
Contributing resources1 building
StandingYes

Visiting

AddressNassau St., Princeton, NJ
Coordinates40.3491° N, 74.6602° W · Directions ↗
Also in Princeton19 listed places in Princeton →
Nearest national park unitLower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River · 17 miles · on Park Atlas
Federal campgrounds nearbyCamp Gateway - Sandy Hook 36 miles · Camp Gateway - Staten Island 36 miles
This one you can go inside. Hours and admission change with the season; the website above has the current schedule.

Explore

Map

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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

When was President's House listed on the National Register?

Jul 17, 1971. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.

Source: National Park Service

When was President's House built?

1756, designed by Robert Smith, in the Georgian architecture style.

Source: Wikidata

Can I visit President's House?

Yes. President's House is recorded as open to the public.

Source: Wikidata

Where is President's House?

Nassau St., Princeton, Mercer County, New Jersey. The nearest national park unit is Lower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River, 17 miles away.

Source: Lower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River

Are there campgrounds near President's House?

Two federal campgrounds are within reach. The closest is Camp Gateway - Sandy Hook, 36 miles away. Camp Gateway - Staten Island is 36 miles away.

Source: Campsite Atlas

Is there cell service at President's House?

FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

Sources

Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 71000504. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA.