123111196546837179317647850

THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WEST WINDSOR
  • About
    • Our Mission
    • West Windsor History Museum
    • Our Origins
    • Our Team
  • WW History
    • West Windsor History Overview
    • Historic Sites and Villages
    • Special Historic Topics
  • History Book
  • Programs/Events
    • Events Calendar
    • Self-Guided History Tours
  • Join/Donate/Contact

Dutch Neck Walking Tour

Picture
Explore hundreds of years of West Windsor heritage and the story of Dutch Neck - one of our town's most historic communities - via this free, self-guided, self-paced audio-based history tour! Walk by several dozen centuries-old sites and see just how much history manifests today. All you need is a smartphone and your own two feet. 

There are two lengths: "Short" (~1.5 hours/2.5 miles) and "Long" (~2 hours/4 miles). Start at the World War II memorial at 501 Village Road West. Ignore the wooden kiosk - that's for our Historic Bike Tour. LOOK AT THE MAP BELOW TO KNOW WHERE & HOW FAR TO WALK DURING EACH CHAPTER. With data on, scroll down this page and play each audio chapter in sequence - which explain the history of local historic sites as you walk by them. Enjoy!
MAP
NARRATORS
Chapter 1: Introduction
(While listening, stay at World War II memorial)
Download audio file for this specific chapter
Below: Dutch Neck in the mid-1900s, drawn by Dutch Neck local Russel B. Post
Picture
Chapter 2: Leni Lenape: The Original Residents
(While listening, walk west until you reach Penn-Lyle Road)
Download audio file for this specific chapter
Click images below to enlarge & view captions!
Chapter 3: William Penn & David Lyell
(While listening, stay at Penn-Lyle Road)
Download audio file for this specific chapter
Below: William Penn (left) & David Lyell (right)
William Penn
David Lyell
Chapter 4: Windsor Township
(While listening, return to the World War II memorial)
Download audio file for this specific chapter
Below: A crude map of Windsor Township
Picture
Chapter 5: Governance
(While listening, per instructions, walk to 212-214 South Mill Road, then return to World War II memorial)
Download audio file for this specific chapter
Click images below to enlarge & view captions!
Chapter 6: Overseer of the Poor
(While listening, stay at World War II memorial)
Download audio file for this specific chapter
Below: Dutch Neck in 1875. The cross under "Jacob R. Wycoff" marks the Overseer's burial ground, now Dutch Neck School's eastern parking lot. 
Picture
Chapter 7: Education
(While listening, walk to 516 Village Road West)
Download audio file for this specific chapter
Click images below to enlarge & view captions!
Chapter 8: Cemetery, Church, & Chapel
(While listening, stay at cemetery off Village Road West)
Download audio file for this specific chapter
Click images below to enlarge & view captions!
Chapter 9: Dutch Neck General Store
(While listening, stay at entrance to Dutch Neck Presbyterian Church)
Download audio file for this specific chapter
Click images below to enlarge & view captions!
Chapter 10: The Armstrong-Sears Murders
(While listening, stay at entrance to Dutch Neck Presbyterian Church)
Download audio file for this specific chapter
Below: one of over a hundred newspaper headlines covering the murder over the course of several months.
Picture
Chapter 11: West Windsor Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1
(While listening, stand in front of West Windsor Fire Company firehouse)
Download audio file for this specific chapter
Below: The earliest members of the West Windsor Volunteer Fire Company and the first truck, c. 1921.
Picture
Chapter 12: West Windsor at War
(While listening, stand in front of World War II memorial)
Download audio file for this specific chapter
Below: The Princeton Junction First Aid Squad's scrap metal drive during World War II.
Picture
his tour was produced by the Historical Society of West Windsor and Send Hunger Packing WW-P (SHuP). Please consider donating to fight local food insecurity - see button below. For additional donations to the Historical Society, see our Donate/Contact page.
DONATE TO SHUP
Chapter 13: Hiram Cook's Memories
(While listening, walk southeast down Village Road East until you reach Windsor Chapel)
Download audio file for this specific chapter
Below: Hiram Cook and his establishment at 413 Village Road East.
Picture
Chapter 14: Pompey Updike
(While listening, stand in front of Dutch Neck School)
Download audio file for this specific chapter
Below: Pompey Updike's house ("P. Updike") off Southfield Road near to where it crosses the Bear Brook. Now the entrance to Fairway Drive.
Picture
Chapter 15: Dutch Neck School
(While listening, stand in front of Dutch Neck School)
Download audio file for this specific chapter
Below: Dutch Neck School c. 1923.
Picture
Chapter 16: A walk to Beth Chaim & Grover Farm
(While listening, walk to Grover Farm at 348 Village Road East, and then to Beth Chaim - per audible instructions)
Download audio file for this specific chapter
Click here to listen to Cantor Stuart Binder's entire Shehecheyanu (Jewish blessing for special & joyous occasions)!
Click images below to enlarge & view captions!
DONATE TO SHUP
Chapter 17: Finale
(While listening, return to World War II memorial)
Download audio file for this specific chapter
Below:  Centuries after it was first settled, Dutch Neck remains one of West Windsor's best-preserved historic communities.
Picture
We hope you enjoyed the tour! Make sure to contact the Historical Society of West Windsor if you have any questions/comments by clicking the button below! Also, once again, consider donating to Send Hunger Packing WWP to help fight local food insecurity if you have not already done so!
CONTACT US!
DONATE TO SHUP
Audio Credits
Contact Info
Museum Address​ (DO NOT send mail here): 50 Southfield Road, West Windsor, NJ 08550
Send ALL Mail To: 220 Meadow Brook Road, West Windsor, NJ 08550
Email: westwindsorhistory@gmail.com 
Phone: 609-903-9013
To Join/Donate: CLICK HERE.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram,

 Black pin on map shows museum location:
  • About
    • Our Mission
    • West Windsor History Museum
    • Our Origins
    • Our Team
  • WW History
    • West Windsor History Overview
    • Historic Sites and Villages
    • Special Historic Topics
  • History Book
  • Programs/Events
    • Events Calendar
    • Self-Guided History Tours
  • Join/Donate/Contact