An attorney for a Princeton Historical Society says the recent land sale could lead more people to help expand the park
PRINCETON - A nearly finalized sale of land will expand the Princeton Battlefield State Park for a second time this year.
The land, which Princeton Historical Society attorney Bruce Afran said is, "several acres," sits on Stockton road and belongs to a local Princeton couple. However, Afran said, the couple decided to sell the land for an undisclosed amount of money in order to expand the reach of the park.
The society and historical group, the Civil War Trust, are both involved in the deal, which Afran said should be completed within the next few weeks. It will mark the second time in months that private residents have sold land to the battlefield for preservation.
"(The land) borders the present park area," Afran said Friday, adding that the increase in land will give park-goers a more accurate view of the historical size of the battleground. "It allows us to round out the historical setting," he said.
But for Afran, the sale brings another possibility - he hopes that it may inspire others to sell battleground land in a similar effort to preserve the history of the area.
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Specifically, he thinks the sale may have an impact on the Institute for Advanced Study, which owns a section of battleground off Einstein Drive called "Maxwell's Field."
The institute is currently building a 15-unit faculty housing development on that land - something the society has been fighting for years. The society argues that the institute is destroying an historical site and violating the Clean Water Act because wetlands are present in the area. The institute has countered that they own the land and all necessary permits to build.
But the recent sale may change their minds, Afran said.
"It shows the potential for expanding this historical setting... We are hoping the institute will look at what it's doing," he said.
Afran added that he doesn't want to fight the institute any longer, but instead work with them to preserve the historic land they own.
"We want to be partners with the institute in bringing that land back."
Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.