Mission, Vision
& History
The Friends of Herrontown Woods
Mission
Our mission is to celebrate Herrontown Woods as a preserve where people
of all ages enjoy, explore, and learn from nature, inspiring them to become its stewards.
Vision
To restore and maintain the preserve’s trails and flora for posterity; to teach and learn about its natural and cultural heritage; and to build a center for people of all ages to creatively engage with nature, art, and history. All to honor the legacy of Oswald and Elizabeth Veblen, who gave their land and homes
to create Princeton’s first nature preserve.
Our goals
To protect, rehabilitate, and maintain the Veblen House and associated historic structures and grounds.
To utilize the buildings and associated grounds for educational and community purposes, including community meeting space, nature center, museum, and library.
To promote public education through events drawing from and building upon the multifaceted legacies of previous owners: the Veblens and Whiton-Stuarts.
To promote research related to these legacies.
To promote native plant landscaping through demonstration and community outreach.
To document the natural and cultural heritage, and promote and facilitate ongoing stewardship, of Herrontown Wood and adjoining lands comprising the Princeton Ridge-East.
To partner with other local, state, and national agencies and organizations to achieve these and other charitable, educational, and scientific goals.
Our history
In the 1930s, the Veblens began acquiring and consolidating properties along the Princeton ridge on the east side of town, near Herrontown Road. Towards the end of Oswald's life, they donated 82 acres to Mercer County to form the Herrontown Woods preserve in 1957. It was Princeton's and Mercer County's first dedicated nature preserve. When Elizabeth Veblen died in 1974, the Veblens' remaining 14 acres, including the Veblen House, were added to the preserve.
In 2013, volunteers who would later form the Friends of Herrontown Woods were given permission to clear trails long blocked by fallen trees and invasive growth. Steady effort ultimately cleared trails on 200 acres of open space in Herrontown Woods and Autumn Hill Reservation, making these beautiful preserves once again welcoming to the public.
2017 was a big year for Herrontown Woods, as FOHW rallied support to successfully prevent the demolition of the Veblen House and Cottage and convince Princeton Municipality to take ownership of the preserve and buildings from Mercer County. FOHW also negotiated an expansion of the preserve through a donation of 7.5 key acres and began work on what has become the Princeton Botanical Art Garden—an extensive native garden and maker space that is a popular stop for visitors.
In 2020, FOHW signed an agreement with Princeton to lease the Veblen House and Cottage. Now, in addition to maintaining and improving trails, and steadily developing the botanical garden, FOHW is also working to realize the Veblens' original vision to have the house and cottage used for community education and enjoyment.