Demographics

Memorial Day parade, 2022, from Paul Ligeti.

One of West Windsor's most profound changes ever is its demographic transformation. For millennia, the only residents here were the Indigenous Lenape, until European colonists arrived in the late 1600s. And starting in the late 20th century, our township changed dramatically as people from other nations (largely south and east Asian), religions, and other identity groups moved here. Scroll to learn more!

​Written by Paul Ligeti, President of the Historical Society, in 2026.

The Original People

The West Windsor area's original residents were an Indigenous society known as the "Lenape." The fog of time obscures their precise origin, but it is estimated that their Paleolithic ancestors immigrated to the East Coast around 9,700 BCE.[1]

The Lenape's territory, the "Lenapehoking," encompassed all of New Jersey and much of the surrounding states.[2] The Lenape were not one large unified tribe; rather, they were a loose society composed of numerous semi-independent tribes.[3] Those in the West Windsor area were called the "Assanpink" (you may recognize the Assunpink Creek running through southern West Windsor, and the historic "Edinburg" community was also once called "Assunpink."[4],[5] 

The Lenape had vibrant cultural and religious customs - such as believing in "manëtu" (spirits) inhabiting all aspects of the natural world. They believed themselves part of this world, not superior to it (in contrast with eventual European settlers).[6] But much of this changed when colonists arrived, driving virtually all of the Lenape out of the West Windsor area by the early 1700s.

Colonial Settlers

Although Europeans explored the New Jersey area as early as 1524,[7] it was not until the 1690s - by which point New Jersey had been established as an English colony[8] - that individuals began acquiring immense swaths of land in the West Windsor area. These early proprietors were largely British and many were Quakers, such as famed founder of Pennsylvania William Penn. Most did not live in the area in the 1690s/early 1700s, but a few did, such as John Bainbridge and Peter Groom. Still, the local population totaled perhaps a few dozen individuals at most back then.[9],[10],[11],[12],[13],[14],[15],[16],[17],[18],[19],[20]

​However, this changed after 1730/31, when West Windsor's predecessor - the much-larger "Windsor Township" - formed.[21] In the 1730s and 1740s, the families of most of the original colonial landowners sold their territories to the first large "wave" of settlers, most of them Dutch and English. The known surnames of landowning families in these two decades, many of whom still populate local cemeteries, include: XXX.​[22],[23],[24],[25],[26],[27],[28],[29],[30],[31],[32],[33],[34],[35],[36],[37],[38],[39],[40],[41],[42],[43],[44],[45]

The Dutch Neck Presbyterian Church graveyard holds many colonists.

Within just a few more decades these colonists had transformed most of the native forests and meadows into farmland stretching as far as the eye could see. This landscape was only cut through by local creeks as well as a burgeoning road network connecting small villages and hamlets. Over these years, the local population grew rapidly. Whereas old Windsor Township had perhaps 40 farms in 1733, by 1772, there were over 1,900 residents - more than 1,800 of them White and 95 Black.[46] And by 1790, over 2,800 - including 46 free non-White and 190 enslaved - lived in Windsor Township.[47]

These farming families are believed to have virtually all been Christian. One of the earliest houses of worship in the broader area was the Stony Brook Friends Meeting House (early 1700s), a Quaker enclave in Princeton's Stony Brook community.[48] By the mid-1700s, a Presbyterian community had developed in the Dutch Neck area.[49],[50] And by the 1790s, a Baptist congregation had grown in the Penns Neck district.[51] The Dutch Neck Presbyterian Church and the Princeton Baptist Church of Penns Neck would remain the West Windsor area's only houses of worship until the 1960s, reflecting Christianity's local dominance.

What the local landscape might have looked like in the mid-1700s.

Nineteenth Century Trends

Windsor Township split into East Windsor and West Windsor in 1797,[52] after which West Windsor stayed a farming community throughout the 1800s. Interestingly, although the township's population grew to 2,129 residents by 1830,[53] it shrank every decade thereafter until 1900 (1,279 residents).[54],[55],[56],[57],[58],[59],[60] This is only partly explained by portions of West Windsor being ceded to Princeton in 1838 and 1853.[61],[62] Research is ongoing into what else could have been the cause.

Throughout the 1800s, between 93% and 98% of West Windsorites were White, and many from those original colonial families. Almost all of the rest were free Black and mixed-race residents, with a declining share of enslaved (21 listed in 1830 versus just one - Diana Updike - in 1860, well after the state ostensibly abolished slavery). Virtually all residents were manual laborers, such as farmers, millers, blacksmiths, and basket makers. About 92% to 95% were from the US (most from New Jersey and surroundings). Almost all of the rest were European immigrants - many from Ireland (likely fleeing the Great Famine) or Germany. Still, the local immigrant population never exceeded a few percentage points during this century.[63],[64],[65],[66],[67],[68],[69],[70]

Irish immigrants are known to have helped build the D&R Canal.

Early 20th Century

In the first half of the 20th century, West Windsor's population finally increased again: from 1,279 in 1900[71] to 2,519 in 1950.[72] Still, the township's population remained about 95% to 98% White, with the remainder almost entirely entirely Black or mixed-race. The immigrant population grew only slightly (about 12% to 13% in the 1920s/30s) - almost all still from Europe. The census also shows that a small Jewish population had also appeared by the 1920s.[73],[74],[75],[76],[77],[78]

Some portents of suburbia began to appear in the early 1900s. The "Berrien City" neighborhood developed just south of the train station in the 1910s[79] and Penns Neck saw some growth in the 1920s.[80],[81] Still, West Windsor remained a farming community throughout the first half of the 20th century.

Some change came with the arrival of migrant workers to the area. As the decades passed, an increasing number of seasonal laborers - mostly Black and Hispanic and from the South - worked on local farms during the warmer months, returning to their home states each autumn after the harvests.[82],[83]

Cranbury farmer & Black migrants sacking potatoes, ca. 1940s. From the Newark Public Library.

Post-World War II Growth

In the late 1950s, roughly two centuries after the area's transformation from native forests and meadows to farmland, West Windsor began to change again, with moderate suburban growth. Following World War II, cheap housing, a growing automobile industry, and notions about homeownership and the "nuclear family" drove many across the nation to the countryside, transforming farmland into vistas of single-family homes with manicured lawns.[84] West Windsor was no different: between the years 1950 and 1980, 2,500 residents grew to 8,500,[85],[86] the Route 1 corridor began to commercialize,[87],[88] and farmland shrank somewhat, from about 65% of the town's total land area to about 50%.[89],[90] In contrast with the older farming families, these newcomers were often white-collar workers, drawn to local research & development institutions such as the David Sarnoff Research Center and American Cyanamid, as well as train station that could take them to New York and Philadelphia.

One notable suburban community from this time is Glen Acres. Opened in 1957 off Alexander Road, it was one of the nation's earliest planned integrated neighborhoods. Still, some residents reported racial tensions in those early years, such as swastikas spraypainted on houses or minstrel shows being performed in the school district.[91],[92],[93]

High School South & Colonial Park neighborhood, 1985, from Jody Kendall.

From 1950 to 1980, West Windsor's population stayed almost entirely White,[94],[95] but some change was in the air. In 1945, the township's first Asian family, the Ngs, set up the "Wing Hing" farm off Princeton Hightstown Road (it was replaced by the "Grovers Mill Estates" neighborhood, centered on Cartwright Drive, in the early-mid 1980s).[96],[97],[98],[99],[100] In the 1950s, Dr. Pia Chu Tan began working as a doctor for the West Windsor School District (West Windsor and Plainsboro didn't consolidate until 1969)[101],[102] and purchased a house in Grovers Mill in 1960 which he turned into an office.[103] And in 1974, the township got its first Asian restaurant: "Peking Express," in the old Princeton Junction general store off Station Drive. This establishment was later the "Good Friends" restaurant in the 1980s and "Asian Bistro" starting in the 2010s.[104],[105],[106]

The Asian community grew moderately over these few decades: whereas the 1950 census shows the Ngs being the only Asian family in town, the 1980 census lists 15 Indian residents, 383 Asian/Pacific Islander, and 121 Hispanic.[107],[108]

Pi-Chang Tan (left) & Pia Chu Tan, from the May 25, 1958 Town Topics.

However, more substantial was the township's religious transformation. As mentioned previously until the 1960s, West Windsor housed only two houses of worship: the Dutch Neck Presbyterian Church in Dutch Neck and the Princeton Baptist Church in Penns Neck. Other worshipers - virtually all of them Christian - visited nearby towns for their spiritual needs.

However, in 1966, the First Lutheran worship service for what is now the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church (built 1975) took place at Maurice Hawk School.[109],[110] In 1972, the West Windsor Catholic Club formed,[111] and the first mass in the Saint David the King Roman Catholic church was held in 1991.[112] In 1975, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints started building its chapel at Alexander Road and Route 1.[113] The next year, an Evangelical community began to meet in Maurice Hawk School and opened the Windsor Chapel in Dutch Neck in 1980.[114],[115] Also in 1976, Beth Chaim dedicated its synagogue on Village Road East,[116] five years after this Reform Jewish congregation formed.[117] This small building, set amid vistas of farm fields, was jokingly called the "Little Shul on the Prairie."[118] Still, the vast majority of the township's residents were Christian. But that would change in the next few decades...

Beth Chaim, 2021, from Paul Ligeti.

1980 to 1999

The last quarter of the twentieth century saw West Windsor transform from a rural community into a suburban one. The 1975 "Mount Laurel" decision, and several subsequent court cases, mandated an affordable housing quota, which, combined with local farmers selling their land to big developers, rang the death knell for the township's former agricultural dominance.[119],[120] Between 1980 and 2000, a suburban developments popped up around town like stalks of corn rising out of the farm fields they once occupied, and commercial developments along Route 1 - plus various shopping centers around town - subsumed more land area.[121],[122] In this same timeframe, West Windsor's population skyrocketed, from around 8,500 residents to 22,000. Most of the newcomers were white-collar workers and younger families.[123],[124]

Between 1980 and 2000, the proportion of White residents had decreased from around 93% to about 72% and Asians increased to 23% (especially East Asian at first, but joined by South Asians especially in the 1990s).[125],[126],[127] An increasing proportion were international immigrants, commonly drawn by the school district's rising reputation and the township's proximity to interstate transportation.[128]

West Windsor's suburbia, 2022, from Paul Ligeti.

​Concurrently, more ethnic restaurants and markets started to open around town - especially east Asian (but later Indian, Italian, and others). When West Windsor's government rechartered in 1993, its Human Relations Council formed to promote understanding, respect, and equity among identity groups.[129],[130] In 1990, the Township held its first "West Windsor Cultural Fair."[131] And just a few years prior, the African-American Parent Support Group formed to advocate for Black families in the school district.[132] A "WWP Asian Club" was also active in the 1980s.[133]

In the 1970s, Carol Beske was the first woman to serve in an administrative position in local government - first on the Zoning and Planning Boards and Township Committee.[134] In 1979, she became the first female mayor, breaking ground for others such as West Windsor's only other female mayor (as of the time of this writing): Carole Carson (1997-2001).[135] Meanwhile, Sam Dyson became the West Windsor Police Department's first African American officer, starting in 1993.[136] And Taiwanese-born Shing-Fu Hsueh became West Windsor's first-ever Asian Town Council member, in 1993.[137],[138] Other local committees and commissions began to diversify along racial and ethnic lines as well.

Sam Dyson, probably early 2000s. From Sam Dyson.

During the late 20th century, more faith-based institutions also appeared. In 1984, the Fellowship Baptist Church broke ground off Village Road West;[139] it later became the "OCM Canaan" Chinese Christian church (see the adjacent photo).[140] Three years later, the Princeton Presbyterian Church began building its house of worship on Meadow Road (it later became the Princeton Meadows Church in 2011, and the "Liquid Church" in 2021).[141],[142],[143] The Princeton Korean Community Church on Washington Road saw its roots in 1991.[144]

Other congregations listed in the League of Women Voters’ 1994 “Know Your Township” pamphlet were the New Covenant Evangelical Free Church (which met at Maurice Hawk School), the non-denominational Princeton Community Church (which met at High School South), the Somang Korean Church of Princeton (which met at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church), and the Christian Jewish Messianic Temple Derech Ha Kodesh (which met at St. David the King).[145] Practitioners of Hinduism and Islam also saw growth in West Windsor during the 1980s and 1990s, but it wasn't until the 21st century that their houses of worship would come to call the immediate area "home."

OCM Cannan Church, 2022, from Paul Ligeti.

21st century Dynamics

The trends of the late 20th century extended into the 21st. Between the years 2000 and 2020, the township's 22,000 residents expanded to 30,000,[146],[147] as even more suburbs replaced the old farming landscape.[148],[149] The Township has also continued to diversify - by 2017, the White and Asian populations were almost equal (both a little under 50% each),[150] and more recently, Asian residents have become the outright majority - especially South Asian (Indian, Sri Lankan, etc.).[151] This also tracks with an increase in immigrants - from around 20% of the township in the year 2000 to 40% in 2017.[152],[153]

In the early 2020s, around three quarters of children in the school district were of Asian descent, and around 15 percent White, with Black and Hispanic students about five percent each.[154] Language offerings and student organizations like the South Asian American Student Association increasingly reflect this trend.[155] There are, of course, other groups as well, for Black, Jewish, and Korean youth, and other identities. And, at home, only a little more than half of students' households speak English as their primary language; other popular tongues include Hindi, Mandarin, Cantonese, Telugu, and Tamil.[156]

Muslim Center of Greater Princeton, 2019, from Paul Ligeti.

Residents no longer need to travel far to find restaurants and markets serving a variety of international cuisines - especially Italian, Chinese, and Indian. Some individuals offer deliveries of "tiffin" meals; others provide beauty services and international styling via at-home businesses. Cricket pitches have been built in town, and festivals in local parks now feature cultural performances representing myriad identity groups as well as religious holidays like Diwali and the Chinese New Year. Language and dance schools are also now a common sight.[157]

Even within the Asian population, there have been changes. Whereas in the 1990s, there were significantly more East Asian residents than South Asian, by 2017, the Indian population had grown to over 60% of Asians in West Windsor.[158],[159]

In 2001, Shing-Fu Hsueh became West Windsor Township's first non-White Mayor and its first Asian one.[160] Following him in 2018 was Hemant Marathe, the first Indian Mayor.[161] Also notable were Kamal Kanna (the first Indian Town Council member)[162] and Diane Ciccone (the first African-American one), both in 2009.[163]

Cricket game in Community Park, 2022, from Paul Ligeti.

Religion has also continued to transform. In 2018, the Muslim Center of Greater Princeton opened its mosque on Old Trenton Road.[164] Other comparatively young congregations and religious centers include OCM Canaan (Mandarin/Chinese), Chabad of the Windsors (Jewish), NextGen Church, Liquid Church, and the  Princeton Korean Presbyterian Church.[165] And the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in nearby Robbinsville was recently constructed as the world's second-largest Hindu temple.[166] At the time of this writing (2026), over a dozen congregations call West Windsor "home," and many meet regularly with one another to promote interfaith cooperation and harmony.[167]

West Windsor has also become more educated. By 2017, over 80% of adults had an associate's, bachelor's, or graduate/professional degree, and most now are white-collar workers; only a handful are in the trades or farming at this point.[168]

West Windsor will doubtlessly experience more changes in the years to come.

History-Music Fest at the Schenck Farmstead, 2024. From Paul Ligeti.

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Bibliography

1.  Kraft, Herbert C. The Lenape-Delaware Indian Heritage: 10,000 B.C.- A.D. 2000. Stanhope, N.J.?: Lenape Books, 2001.
2.  Soderlund, Jean R. Lenape Country Delaware Valley Society before William Penn. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, Inc, 2016.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Clayton, W. Woodford. Essay. In History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey, with Biographical Sketches of Many of Their Pioneers and Prominent Men. Edited by W.W. Clayton. Illustrated, 41. Philadelphia: Everts & Peck, 1883.
6. Ibid.
7. Soderlund, Jean R. Lenape Country Delaware Valley Society before William Penn. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, Inc, 2016.
8. James. “Release of James, Duke of York to John Lord Berkeley, and Sir George Carteret, Original Proprietors of the Colony of New Jersey, June 24, 1664.” England: England, June 24, 1664.
9. Proprietors of East New Jersey, Survey for Thomas Warne. 20 May 1691, East Jersey Deed Book O, Page 82, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
10. Deed of Sale from Thomas Warne to Benjamin Clarke, 8 October 1696, East Jersey Deed Book F, Page 76, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
11. Deed of Sale from the Proprietors of East New Jersey to William Penn, 17 February 1692 (Julian calendar), East Jersey Deed Book O, Page 101, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
12. Deed of Sale from Stephen Warne to John Baker, 19 April 1733, East Jersey Deed Book K, Page 300, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
13. Deed of Sale from Catherine Lyell (Executrix of David Lyell) and David Lyell Jr. and Catherine Lyell Jr. and Fenwick Lyell and William Lyell and Jean Lyell and Robert Lyell to Herman Stout, 7 January 1733 (Julian calendar), East Jersey Deed Book C3, Page 116, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
14. Deed of Sale from Catherine Lyell (Executrix of David Lyell) and David Lyell Jr. and Catherine Lyell Jr. and Fenwick Lyell and William Lyell and Jean Lyell and Robert Lyell to Herman Stout, 2 December 1731 (Julian calendar), East Jersey Deed Book K, Page 243, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
15. Deed of Sale from the Proprietors of East New Jersey to Andrew Hamilton, 3 September 1694, East Jersey Deed Book E, Page 366, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
16. Deed of Sale from George Clarke (Executor of Andrew Hamilton) to David Lyell, 8 April 1697, East Jersey Deed Book F, Page 717, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
17. Deed of Sale from Hapohucquona and Tolomhon to David Lyell, 15 January 1702 (Julian calendar), East Jersey Deed Book C, Page 273, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
18. Proprietors of East New Jersey, Survey for James Johnston. 20 May 1690, East Jersey Deed Book O, Page 76, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
19. Tindall, Thomas. Will of Thomas Tindall. 18 July 1713. Probate Records, File 551-555C, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
20. Deed of Sale from John Bainbridge to Peter Groome, 19 November 1696, East Jersey Deed Book C, Page 162, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
21. Craig, Robert W. “Historical Society News - East Windsor at Two Hundred and Twenty - Winter 2016/17,” n.d.
22. Deed of Sale from Thomas Warne to Benjamin Clarke, 8 October 1696, East Jersey Deed Book F, Page 76, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
23. Deed of Sale from John Penn and Thomas Penn and Richard Penn to John Covenhoven and Garret Schenck, 14 May 1737, East Jersey Deed Book F2, Page 380, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
24. Deed of Sale from Josiah Davison to Joseph Skelton, 1 April 1747, East Jersey Deed Book A3, Page 134, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
25. Deed of Sale from John Gordon and Anne Gordon and Henry Smaack and Mary Smaack  on behalf of Tunes Van Devere to Hendrick Hendrickson, 20 April 1747, East Jersey Deed Book AN, Page 402, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
26. Deed of Sale from John Gordon and Anne Gordon and Henry Smaack and Mary Smaack  on behalf of Tunes Van Devere to Hendrick Hendrickson, 20 April 1747, East Jersey Deed Book AN, Page 402, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
27. Deed of Sale from Catherine Lyell (Executrix of David Lyell) and David Lyell Jr. and Catherine Lyell Jr. and Fenwick Lyell and William Lyell and Jean Lyell and Robert Lyell to Herman Stout, 7 January 1733 (Julian calendar), East Jersey Deed Book C3, Page 116, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
28. Deed of Sale from Herman Stout to John Van Horne, 4 March 1734 (Julian calendar), East Jersey Deed Book C3, Page 117, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
29. Deed of Sale from Catherine Lyell and Catherine Lyell Jr. (surviving Executrixes of the Last Will and Testament of David Lyell) to John Brown, 24 August 1743, East Jersey Deed Book H2, Page 189, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
30. Deed of Sale from David Lyell to Joseph Leigh, 12 May 1736, East Jersey Deed Book E2, Page 33, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
31. Deed of Sale from David Lyell and Mary Lyell to Nicholas Stevens, 7 September 1737, East Jersey Deed Book E2, Page 147, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
32. Deed of Sale from Joseph Leigh to William Tindall, 15 June 1738, East Jersey Deed Book E2, Page 227, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
33. Deed of Sale from Fenwick Lyell to Cornelius Voorhies Jr., 8 April 1741, East Jersey Deed Book I2, Page 365, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
34. Deed of Sale from Jochum Gulick to Coert Voorhees, 9 December 1747, East Jersey Deed Book G3, Page 108, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
35. Deed of Sale from Rut Johnson & Ann Johnson to William Updike, 22 August 1747, East Jersey Deed Book G3, Page 49, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
36. Deed of Sale from John Henderson to Joshua Atchley and Benjamin Atchley, 25 March 1748 (Julian calendar), East Jersey Deed Book G3, Page 347, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
37. Deed of Sale from Catherine Lyell to Daniel Robins, 12 August 1748, East Jersey Deed Book K2, Page 346, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
38. Deed of Sale from the Commissioners of the Loan Office of the County of Middlesex to Clement Hooper, 14 June 1748, East Jersey Deed Book G2, Page 96, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
39. Map of the Division of David Lyell’s Lands Amongst his Heirs, Map. New Jersey, ca. 1731.
40. Deed of Sale from John Bainbridge to Peter Groome, 19 November 1696, East Jersey Deed Book C, Page 162, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
41. Deed of Sale from Peter Groom Sr. to Peter Groom Jr., 28 April 1755, East Jersey Deed Book A3, Page 385, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
42. Deed of Sale from William Hutchinson and Jonathan Hutchinson to John Rogers Jr. and Robert Rogers, 1 May 1746, East Jersey Deed Book G3, Page 40, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
43. Deed of Sale from John Burnet and William Burnet to Robert Rogers and John Rogers and Matthew Rogers, 20 May 1747, East Jersey Deed Book G3, Page 5, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey. 
44. Deed of Sale from Jane Lyell to Robert James, 1 May 1745, Middlesex County Deed Book 6, Page 544, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey.
45. Deed of Sale from John Moore to Robert James, 7 May 1767, Middlesex County Deed Book 6, Page 545, New Jersey State Archives, Trenton, New Jersey.
46. Nelson, William, ed. “An Abstract of the Return Made by Joseph Skelton, Esq.; Assessor of the Township of Windsor, in the County of Middlesex. Which Was Laid before the House with the Foregoing Message.” Essay. In Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey 18, 18:324–25. Paterson, NJ: The Call Printing and Publishing Co., 1916.
47. “Schedule of the Whole Number of Persons within the Several Districts of the United States, Taken According to ‘An Act Providing for the Enumeration of the Inhabitants of the United States;” Passed March the 1st, 1790.” Windsor, 1790.
48. “Early Sony Brook.” Green Oval Tour: A Snapshot of 18th Century Princeton. Historical Society of Princeton. Accessed March 26, 2022. https://princetonhistory.org/green-oval-tour/early-stony-brook.html.
49. Symmes, Joseph Gaston Historical Sketch of the First Presbyterian Church of Cranbury, N.J., 1867: Delivered on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1867. Trenton, NJ: Murphy & Bechtel, 1869. https://archive.org/details/historicalsketch00symm/page/12/mode/2up. 
50. Sesquicentennial History: 1816-1966. West Windsor, New Jersey: First Presbyterian Church of Dutch Neck, 1966.
51. William’s Burrough Baptist Church Book. West Windsor, New Jersey : Princeton Baptist Church, 1812. Record book of the Princeton Baptist Church, 1812-1852.
52. "An Act for Dividing the Township of Windsor in the County of Middlesex into Two Separate Townships.” New Jersey State Archives, 1797. February 9, 1797. This split Windsor Township into West Windsor and East Windsor.
53. United States Census, 1830 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1830.
54. United States Census, 1840 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1840.
55. United States Census, 1850 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1850.
56. United States Census, 1860 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1860.
57. United States Census, 1870 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1870.
58. United States Census, 1880 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1880.
59. United States Census, 1890 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1890.
60. United States Census, 1900 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1900.
61. “Supplement to An Act to Erect Parts of the Counties of Hunterdon, Burlington, and Middlesex into a New County, to Be Called the County of Mercer.,” 1838. Annexed a chunk of West Windsor to the newly-created Princeton Township.
62. “An Act to Annex a Part of the Township of West Windsor, in the County of Mercer, to the Township of Princeton, in the Said County.,” March 9, 1853. Annexed all land remaining in West Windsor west of the Delaware & Raritan Canal to Princeton Township.
63. United States Census, 1830 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1830.
64. United States Census, 1840 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1840.
65. United States Census, 1850 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1850.
66. United States Census, 1860 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1860.
67. United States Census, 1870 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1870.
68. United States Census, 1880 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1880.
69. United States Census, 1890 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1890.
70. United States Census, 1900 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1900.
71. Ibid.
72. United States Census, 1950 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1950.
73. United States Census, 1900 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1900.
74. United States Census, 1910 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1910.
75. United States Census, 1920 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1920.
76. United States Census, 1930 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1930.
77. United States Census, 1940 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1940.
78. United States Census, 1950 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1950.
79. ​Sincerbeaux, C. S. “Map Showing Plan of Lots for Scott Berrien Esq.” Map. West Windsor, New Jersey, 1916.
80. Wildermuth, Julius. “Varsity View.” Map. Mercer County Clerk’s Office Map Collection. Princeton, New Jersey: Sincerbeaux & Moore, Civil Engineers, 1926. Map No. 517 in the Mercer County Clerk's Office map collection.
81. Walters, Fred T. “Princeton Manor.” Map. Mercer County Clerk’s Office Map Collection. Princeton, New Jersey: Sincerbeaux & Moore, Civil Engineers, 1927. Map No. 522 in the Mercer County Clerk's Office map collection.
82. Wright, Giles R. Afro-Americans in New Jersey. Trenton, New Jersey: New Jersey Historical Commission, Department of State, 1988. 
83. White, Carey C. “Broadside,” 1987. "Broadside" was a newsletter published by the Historical Society of West Windsor from 1983 to 2003.
84. Ruggles, Steven. “Multigenerational Families in Nineteenth-Century America.” Continuity and Change 18, no. 1 (2003): 139–65. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0268416003004466.
85. United States Census, 1950 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1950.
86. “New Jersey 1980 Census Counts of Population by Race and Spanish Origin.” Trenton: Department of Labor and Industry, Division of Planning and Research, Office of Demographic and Economic Analysis, March 1981. Produced by the State Data Center for the State of New Jersey Department of Labor and Industry, Division of Planning and Research, Office of Demographic and Economic Analysis. A PDF copy of this file is available in the digital archives of the Historical Society of West Windsor.
87. “West Windsor Aerial Photography Composite Map, 1959.” Map. Historical Society of West Windsor - Map Archives. West Windsor, NJ, 1959.
88. “West Windsor Aerial Photography Composite Map, 1980.” Map. Historical Society of West Windsor - Map Archives. West Windsor, NJ, 1980.
89. West Windsor Township: People - Purpose - Progress. West Windsor, New Jersey: West Windsor Township, 1964.
90. “West Windsor Farmland Preservation Plan Element.” West Windsor Township, August 18, 2010.
91. "'Open Occupancy."' Town Topics. December 8, 1957.
92. Diane, Ciccone, director. An Act of Faith. Diane Ciccone, 2011. 20 min., 11 sec. https://vimeo.com/71330530?share=copy.
93. Ligeti, Paul, Nilah Montgomery, Cecelia Hodges, Diane Ciccone, Helen Duncan, Ruth Moore, Sandra Rabinowitz, and Fred Peck. Glen Acres History Panel. Personal, February 15, 2022. 
94. United States Census, 1950 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1950.
95. “New Jersey 1980 Census Counts of Population by Race and Spanish Origin.” Trenton: Department of Labor and Industry, Division of Planning and Research, Office of Demographic and Economic Analysis, March 1981. Produced by the State Data Center for the State of New Jersey Department of Labor and Industry, Division of Planning and Research, Office of Demographic and Economic Analysis. A PDF copy of this file is available in the digital archives of the Historical Society of West Windsor.
96. "Dutch Neck," Trenton Evening Times, February 19, 1945.
97. "West Windsor Opening Door to Development," Trenton Times, April 24, 1979.
98. Fryer, H L. “Tax Maps of West Windsor Township.” Map. Trenton, New Jersey: H. L. Fryer, C.S., 1964. Revised by C. Robert Jones, 1964.
99. “West Windsor Aerial Photography Composite Map, 1980.” Map. Historical Society of West Windsor - Map Archives. West Windsor, NJ, 1980.
100. “West Windsor Aerial Photography Composite Map, 1985.” Map. Historical Society of West Windsor - Map Archives. West Windsor, NJ, 1985.
101. Indenture from Charles P. Zulker and Virginia L. Zulker to Pia Chu Tan and Pi-Change Tan (Alice W. Tan), 16 December 1960, Mercer County Deed Book 1563, Page 563, Mercer County Clerk's Office, Trenton, New Jersey. 
102. "West Windsor Schools Set for Opening," Hightstown Gazette, August 25, 1955.
103. "School Merger Backed.” Town Topics. April 24, 1969.
104. Peking Express. (1974, May 10). The New Peking Express Restaurant. Daily Princetonian. Princeton. 
105. Good Friends. (1983, November 11). Grand Opening. Daily Princetonian. Princeton. 
106. Personal observations of this article's author - Paul Ligeti.
107. United States Census, 1950 - West Windsor Township.” West Windsor Township, 1950.
108. “New Jersey 1980 Census Counts of Population by Race and Spanish Origin.” Trenton: Department of Labor and Industry, Division of Planning and Research, Office of Demographic and Economic Analysis, March 1981. Produced by the State Data Center for the State of New Jersey Department of Labor and Industry, Division of Planning and Research, Office of Demographic and Economic Analysis. A PDF copy of this file is available in the digital archives of the Historical Society of West Windsor.
109. "To Hold First Service," Town Topics, September 22, 1966.
110. “History.” Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, April 18, 2020. https://popnj.org/history/. 
111. "Club Organizing," Town Topics, May 25, 1972.
112. “Parish History - St. David the King Parish., St. David the King Parish, November 15, 2024. https://stdavidtheking.com/parish-history/. 
113. "Ground Breaking Set," Town Topics, November 13, 1975.
114. “Our History.” Windsor Chapel, December 3, 2025. https://windsorchapel.org/history/. 
115. "Barn Now House of Worship," Trenton Times, February 19, 1980.
116. "Dedication Procession," The Evening Times (Trenton), August 23, 1976.
117. "Bulletin Notes," Town Topics, November 11, 1971.
118. Ligeti, Paul, and Adena Blum. Voices of West Windsor Interview #10: Rabbi Adena Blum. Personal, October 7, 2020. 
119. “A History of the Mount Laurel Doctrine.” Fair Share Housing Center, October 28, 2022. https://www.fairsharehousing.org/a-history-of-the-mount-laurel-doctrine/. 
120. “Master Plan Element Section IV - Housing Element & Fair Share Plan.” West Windsor
     Township, February 27, 2019. Produced by Burgis Associates
121. “West Windsor Aerial Photography Composite Map, 1980.” Map. Historical Society of West Windsor - Map Archives. West Windsor, NJ, 1980.
122. “West Windsor Aerial Photography Composite Map, 2002.” Map. Historical Society of West Windsor - Map Archives. West Windsor, NJ, 2002.
123. “New Jersey 1980 Census Counts of Population by Race and Spanish Origin.” Trenton: Department of Labor and Industry, Division of Planning and Research, Office of Demographic and Economic Analysis, March 1981. Produced by the State Data Center for the State of New Jersey Department of Labor and Industry, Division of Planning and Research, Office of Demographic and Economic Analysis. A PDF copy of this file is available in the digital archives of the Historical Society of West Windsor.
124. “Census 2000, Summary File 1 General Profile 1: PERSONS BY RACE, AGE, & SEX; HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES BY RACE AND BY TYPE.” Trenton: New Jersey Department of Labor, Division of Labor Market and Demographic Research., August 2000. Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census: Census 2000 Summary File 1 [machine-readable data file], 2001 (www.census.gov) 20AUG01: Area 14, Page 170-182. Prepared by the New Jersey Department of Labor, Division of Labor Market and Demographic Research (www.state.nj.us/labor/lra)
125. “New Jersey 1980 Census Counts of Population by Race and Spanish Origin.” Trenton: Department of Labor and Industry, Division of Planning and Research, Office of Demographic and Economic Analysis, March 1981. Produced by the State Data Center for the State of New Jersey Department of Labor and Industry, Division of Planning and Research, Office of Demographic and Economic Analysis. A PDF copy of this file is available in the digital archives of the Historical Society of West Windsor.
126. “1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - New Jersey - Section 2 of 2,” April 1992. Produced by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration.
127. “Census 2000, Summary File 1 General Profile 1: PERSONS BY RACE, AGE, & SEX; HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES BY RACE AND BY TYPE.” Trenton: New Jersey Department of Labor, Division of Labor Market and Demographic Research., August 2000. Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census: Census 2000 Summary File 1 [machine-readable data file], 2001 (www.census.gov) 20AUG01: Area 14, Page 170-182. Prepared by the New Jersey Department of Labor, Division of Labor Market and Demographic Research (www.state.nj.us/labor/lra)
128. Personal conversations between the author of this article (Paul Ligeti) and hundreds of other West Windsor residents from 2018 to 2026.
129. "West Windsor Township Meeting Minutes, 1797-2012.,” n.d. Original Township Committee meeting minute database located in the Municipal Center. Minutes collectively tell of the roles of various township officers as well as town development. Several thousand pages.
130. “Human Relations Council.” Township of West Windsor, NJ. Accessed March 12, 2026. https://www.westwindsortwp.gov/government/boards_committees/human_relations_council/index.php. 
131. "Vendors and Volunteers Needed for Cultural Fair," Town Topics, June 5, 1990.
132. “About AAPSG.” African American Parent Support Group of West Windsor-Plainsboro. Accessed March 12, 2026. https://wwpaapsg.weebly.com/about-aapsg.html. 
133. "Obituaries," Town Topics, Augustu 5, 1987.
134. "West Windsor Township Meeting Minutes, 1797-2012.,” n.d. Original Township Committee meeting minute database located in the Municipal Center. Minutes collectively tell of the roles of various township officers as well as town development. Several thousand pages.
135. Ibid.
136. Montgomery, Nilah, and Samuel Dyson. Samuel Dyson - Interview. Other. YouTube. Historical Society of West Windsor, February 21, 2022. 
137. "West Windsor Township Meeting Minutes, 1797-2012.,” n.d. Original Township Committee meeting minute database located in the Municipal Center. Minutes collectively tell of the roles of various township officers as well as town development. Several thousand pages.
138. “N.J. Mayor Born in Taiwan Is the Epitome of the American Dream | Editorial - Nj.Com.” NJ.Com, February 27, 2017. https://www.nj.com/opinion/2017/02/nj_mayor_born_in_taiwan_is_the_epitome_of_the_amer.html. 
139. “Fellowship Baptist Church., The Trenton Times, October 20, 1984.
140. “Our History.” OCM Canaan Church of Princeton. Accessed March 12, 2026. https://ocmccp.net/en/our-history/. 
141. “Ground Breaking Held for Church Building," Town Topics, October 14, 1987.
142. “Westminster Symphony Choir Brings ‘Carmina Burana’ to Princeton Church,” Town Topics, April 13, 2011.
143. “Church to Conduct Grand Opening Service at West Windsor Location - Nj.Com.” NJ.Com, October 27, 2021. https://www.nj.com/mercer/2021/10/church-to-conduct-grand-opening-service-at-west-windsor-location.html. 
144. “History of the Church.” Princeton Korean Community Church, February 12, 2017. https://www.pkcchurch.org/intro/history/
145. Know Your Township. West Windsor, New Jersey: League of Women Voters, 1994.
146. “Census 2000, Summary File 1 General Profile 1: PERSONS BY RACE, AGE, & SEX; HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES BY RACE AND BY TYPE.” Trenton: New Jersey Department of Labor, Division of Labor Market and Demographic Research., August 2000. Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census: Census 2000 Summary File 1 [machine-readable data file], 2001 (www.census.gov) 20AUG01: Area 14, Page 170-182. Prepared by the New Jersey Department of Labor, Division of Labor Market and Demographic Research (www.state.nj.us/labor/lra)
147. “QuickFacts: West Windsor Township, Mercer County, New Jersey.” United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 12, 2026. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/westwindsortownshipmercercountynewjersey,princetonnewjersey/INC110220. 
148. “West Windsor Aerial Photography Composite Map, 2002.” Map. Historical Society of West Windsor - Map Archives. West Windsor, NJ, 2002.
149. “West Windsor Aerial Photography Composite Map, 2020.” Map. Historical Society of West Windsor - Map Archives. West Windsor, NJ, 2020.
150. Burgis, Joseph H, and David Novak. “Master Plan Element Section III - Land Use Plan Element of the Master Plan.” West Windsor Township, February 12, 2020. Accessed digitally at: https://www.westwindsortwp.gov/Documents/Departments%20And%20Divisions/Planning%20and%20Zoning/Master%20Plan/3442.22-Master-Plan-Element-Section-III-Land-Use-Plan-021220-Adopted.pdf?t=202601051120400
151. “QuickFacts: West Windsor Township, Mercer County, New Jersey.” United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 12, 2026. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/westwindsortownshipmercercountynewjersey,princetonnewjersey/INC110220. 
152. Burgis, Joseph H, and David Novak. “Master Plan Element Section III - Land Use Plan Element of the Master Plan.” West Windsor Township, February 12, 2020. Accessed digitally at: https://www.westwindsortwp.gov/Documents/Departments%20And%20Divisions/Planning%20and%20Zoning/Master%20Plan/3442.22-Master-Plan-Element-Section-III-Land-Use-Plan-021220-Adopted.pdf?t=202601051120400
153. Ibid.
154. West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District (21-5715).” NJ School Performance Report - Demographics. New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 12, 2022. https://rc.doe.state.nj.us/2020-2021/district/detail/21/5715/overview.
155. Manchanda, Sana, and Vidhi Kapoor. “Lights! Camera! SAASA!” The Pirate’s Eye, April 10, 2025. https://thepirateseye.org/5332/culture/lights-camera-saasa/. 
156. “Clubs & Activities.” West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District. West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District. Accessed June 12, 2022. https://www.west-windsor-plainsboro.k12.nj.us/schools/high_school_south/clubs___activities#:~:text=Club%20%E2%80%93%20A%20Division%20of%20Pirate,WW%2DP%20Computer%20Engineering%20Club.
157. Personal observations of this article's author - Paul Ligeti.
158. “1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - New Jersey - Section 2 of 2,” April 1992. Produced by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration.
159. Burgis, Joseph H, and David Novak. “Master Plan Element Section III - Land Use Plan Element of the Master Plan.” West Windsor Township, February 12, 2020. Accessed digitally at: https://www.westwindsortwp.gov/Documents/Departments%20And%20Divisions/Planning%20and%20Zoning/Master%20Plan/3442.22-Master-Plan-Element-Section-III-Land-Use-Plan-021220-Adopted.pdf?t=202601051120400
160. Sanservino, Bill, and Community News. “Retiring West Windsor Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh Looks Back.” Community News, December 16, 2017. https://www.communitynews.org/towns/west-windsor-plainsboro-news/retiring-west-windsor-mayor-shing-fu-hsueh-looks-back/article_18348847-56c1-5749-b55e-721d1558389c.html. 
161. "West Windsor Township Meeting Minutes, 1797-2012.,” n.d. Original Township Committee meeting minute database located in the Municipal Center. Minutes collectively tell of the roles of various township officers as well as town development. Several thousand pages.
162. Ibid.
163. Ibid.
164. “Muslim Center Sees Strong Growth during First Year," West Windsor and Plainsboro News, May 17, 2019.
165. Personal observations of this article's author - Paul Ligeti.
166. Ibid.
167. Ligeti, Paul, Adena Blum, Peter Ely, and Jenny Lee. Religious Leaders of West Windsor meeting - Paul Ligeti invited to speak about Historical Society and Year 225 to them, and ended up talking about history of their group. Personal, June 8, 2022.
168. Burgis, Joseph H, and David Novak. “Master Plan Element Section III - Land Use Plan Element of the Master Plan.” West Windsor Township, February 12, 2020. Accessed digitally at: https://www.westwindsortwp.gov/Documents/Departments%20And%20Divisions/Planning%20and%20Zoning/Master%20Plan/3442.22-Master-Plan-Element-Section-III-Land-Use-Plan-021220-Adopted.pdf?t=202601051120400