Dutch Neck Walking Tour
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!
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!
Chapter 1: Introduction
(While listening, stay at World War II memorial)
Below: Dutch Neck in the mid-1900s, drawn by Dutch Neck local Russel B. Post
Chapter 2: Leni Lenape: The Original Residents
(While listening, walk west until you reach Penn-Lyle Road)
Click images below to enlarge & view captions!
Chapter 3: William Penn & David Lyell
(While listening, stay at Penn-Lyle Road)
Below: William Penn (left) & David Lyell (right)
Chapter 4: Windsor Township
(While listening, return to the World War II memorial)
Below: A crude map of Windsor Township
Chapter 5: Governance
(While listening, per instructions, walk to 212-214 South Mill Road, then return to World War II memorial)
Click images below to enlarge & view captions!
Chapter 6: Overseer of the Poor
(While listening, stay at World War II memorial)
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.
Chapter 7: Education
(While listening, walk to 516 Village Road West)
Click images below to enlarge & view captions!
Chapter 8: Cemetery, Church, & Chapel
(While listening, stay at cemetery off Village Road West)
Click images below to enlarge & view captions!
Chapter 9: Dutch Neck General Store
(While listening, stay at entrance to Dutch Neck Presbyterian Church)
Click images below to enlarge & view captions!
Chapter 10: The Armstrong-Sears Murders
(While listening, stay at entrance to Dutch Neck Presbyterian Church)
Below: one of over a hundred newspaper headlines covering the murder over the course of several months.
Chapter 11: West Windsor Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1
(While listening, stand in front of West Windsor Fire Company firehouse)
Below: The earliest members of the West Windsor Volunteer Fire Company and the first truck, c. 1921.
Chapter 12: West Windsor at War
(While listening, stand in front of World War II memorial)
Below: The Princeton Junction First Aid Squad's scrap metal drive during World War II.
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.
Chapter 13: Hiram Cook's Memories
(While listening, walk southeast down Village Road East until you reach Windsor Chapel)
Below: Hiram Cook and his establishment at 413 Village Road East.
Chapter 14: Pompey Updike
(While listening, stand in front of Dutch Neck School)
Below: Pompey Updike's house ("P. Updike") off Southfield Road near to where it crosses the Bear Brook. Now the entrance to Fairway Drive.
Chapter 15: Dutch Neck School
(While listening, stand in front of Dutch Neck School)
Below: Dutch Neck School c. 1923.
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)
Click here to listen to Cantor Stuart Binder's entire Shehecheyanu (Jewish blessing for special & joyous occasions)!
Click images below to enlarge & view captions!
Chapter 17: Finale
(While listening, return to World War II memorial)
Below: Centuries after it was first settled, Dutch Neck remains one of West Windsor's best-preserved historic communities.
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!