Friends of Princeton Nursery Lands

Friends Of Princeton Nursery Lands Newsletter

October 2008 Vol 3 No. 2

Nursery News

Its official! As of July 22, 2008, the Princeton Nurseries Kingston Site is listed on the NJ Register of Historic Places. Many thanks to the South Brunswick Township Historic Preservation Commission for championing this effort. Preparation of the nomination papers was supported by a project grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission; additional funds were provided by South Brunswick Township. FPNL assisted the process by helping to write the grant application and preparing a slide show and brochure to support the nomination. Those who attended FPNL’s Annual Meeting in June were treated to the début of the slide presentation.

The borders of the historic district are outlined in red in the map below. The District includes land (once the seedbeds of Princeton Nurseries) that borders the D&R Canal, key Nursery buildings such as the Headquarters building, Propagation House/Greenhouse complex and Cold Storage Buildings. Also included are sections of historic Mapleton and Ridge Roads and private residences that were once used by the Nursery to house Nursery workers and owners.

Hopefully, by the time our next newsletter has issued, the district will also be listed on the National Register, a key goal for Friends of Princeton Nursery Lands!

FPNL submits its first grant application: Now that the IRS has granted tax exempt 501(c)(3) status to the Friends of Princeton Nursery Lands, we can apply for grants to help enhance Mapleton Preserve. The goal of FPNL’s first grant application (if funded) will be the design and installation of interpretive signs for the Mapleton Preserve. The application was submitted to the New Jersey Historical Commission, which had previously funded preparation the NJ State and National Register Nomination.
If the grant is funded, Friends of Princeton Nursery Lands will be working with the Mapleton Preserve Commission to design signs to help visitors to better understand what they are seeing at the site. Cross your fingers!
While preparing the application, several old photos from the Flemer family were loaned to us by Bill Flemer IV, including this wonderful family portrait (circa 1925) that shows three generations of the family that founded the Nursery. Below, is William Flemer, Sr., his son William Flemer, Jr. who was sent to Kingston at the age of 18 to run the new operation, and his son William Flemer, III, who grew up to be one of the most celebrated horticulturalists in the world.

Photo courtesy of Wm. Flemer, IV

Preservation Plan preparation in progress: Watson & Henry Associates, a highly respected architectural firm, is preparing a Preservation Plan for the Propagation House and attached greenhouses.

Photo by Anne Zeman

The firm specializes in the documentation, analysis and preservation of historic structures, so is well qualified for the project.

FPNL is grateful to Middlesex County, which is funding the project through a grant to South Brunswick Township.

The Preservation Plan will identify the issues, needs and priorities related to adapting the Propagation House for future interpretive and educational use in a way that preserves its architectural integrity. Stabilization plans for the small and large tree storage warehouses are also being prepared.

Key pieces of Nursery history saved: Earlier this year, Princeton Nurseries, now headquartered in Allentown, NJ, announced plans to cease operations by Spring of 2010, ending an almost 100-year history for this proud operation. As part of the closing, they held a day-long auction of Nursery equipment on June 7th of this year.

FPNL president Karen Linder and Trustee Robert von Zumbusch previewed the auction items with Bill Flemer IV prior to the auction to identify key equipment that would be useful for future exhibits.

Bidding was fierce, but Karen is now the proud owner of three historic tractors and a truck from the Princeton Nurseries Kingston operation. These pieces will ultimately be on display in the future interpretive center, when restorations are completed. That will take several years, but in the meantime, the pieces have been saved. Pictures of two of the new babies are shown below.

Photos by Robert von Zumbusch

International Harvester Hydro70 – used by Princeton Nurseries for harvesting bare-root trees.
1942 F600 Ford truck – customized by the nursery to carry irrigation pipe.

Tree inventory in process… The Princeton Nurseries Kingston Site contains some very unusual trees. Many of them have interesting stories and histories – but some have become overgrown during the years that the Nursery was abandoned. FPNL trustees are working with Bill Flemer IV to identify and map important trees at Mapleton Preserve.

This effort is part of a larger project, which is to acquire examples of each of the close to 60 varieties introduced by William Flemer III and his father, William Flemer, Jr. For over forty years, Princeton Nurseries had an active program of breeding and introducing superior new shade trees, flowering trees, shrubs, and vines. These efforts produced many successful varieties that had desirable properties including disease resistance, winter hardiness, or exceptional blooms.

How can you help? Join us on a mapping day and/or attend our “Vine and Cheese Party” on Nov. 22 (rain date Nov. 23) to help clear vines from around the trees (see p. 4 for details). Call 609-683-0483 for more information on the event or the larger mapping/inventory project.

Events at Mapleton Preserve this Fall

Saturday, October 11: Project Learning Tree Workshop For Teachers and Scout Leaders: The park naturalist will be hosting a Project Learning Tree workshop at the Kingston office of the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park. This award-winning professional development workshop uses forestry and the outdoors as tools for teaching a variety of subjects including science, art and English. Scout leaders will find the curriculum useful for creating unique and rewarding experiences for their troops. Participants will leave with a curriculum guide that includes over 90 lesson plans and teachers can receive 5 CEU's. This full day workshop will be held from 9:30 to 3:00 at Mapleton Preserve/D&R Canal State Park, 145 Mapleton Road, Kingston. Advance registration is required. Space is limited so call (609-924-5705) to reserve your spot.

Saturday October 18, 10 a.m. -- Kingston Loop Trail: Join the naturalist and historian of Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park in a walk along a newly created trail system in Kingston, NJ. The trail leads through the historic D & R Canal State Park, Mapleton Preserve (former site of Princeton Nurseries), Cook Natural Area and Middlesex County Open Space Park, Heathcote Meadow Preserve and is approximately 3.5 miles along mostly dirt/gravel pathways and is along flat terrain. The program will start at 10:00 am. Meet at the D&R Canal State Park’s Kingston Office located at 145 Mapleton Road. All ages are welcome. Pre-registration is required (609-924-5705). Weather permitting.

Sunday, October 19, 2-4 p.m. – Fall Foliage Walk at the Mapleton Preserve: Join the Kingston Greenways Association at Mapleton Preserve, to celebrate the colors of fall. Bill Flemer, IV will lead this walk through the autumn landscape. The walk will be held rain or shine at Mapleton Preserve/D&R Canal State Park, 145 Mapleton Road, Kingston. It is free and open to the public. Come see the wide variety of beautiful trees on the site in their autumn splendor. No preregistration is required. For more information, call 609-683-0483.

Saturday, Nov. 8th, 10:00 a.m. -- History Walk ~ From Nursery to Canal: Enjoy a round-trip walk with the D & R's historian leading from the main office at Kingston to the canal towpath and the Kingston Canal House. Participants will meet at the Kingston office located at 145 Mapleton Road at 10:00 am for a leisurely 2-mile round trip walk. The group will walk from the headquarters through a portion of the Mapleton Preserve (the former Princeton Nursery site) towards the canal towpath and the Kingston Canal House before turning back. Come enjoy a fall morning outdoors while learning a bit about the historic resources of the D & R Canal State Park! Pre-registration (609-924-5705) is required. Weather permitting.

Saturday November 22, 2:00 p.m. – FPNL “Vine and Cheese” Party: Help FPLN trustees to “liberate” key trees at the Mapleton Preserve from a shroud of vines and overgrowth. Afterwards, join us at a nearby home for cider, wine and cheese to celebrate a job well done! For more information, call 609-683-0483. Pre-registration appreciated. Rain date is Sunday, November 23rd.

Sunday, December 14th, 7:30 a.m. – Kingston segment of the Audubon Christmas Bird Count: If you want to join us for the 2008 count, call Karen for more information at 609-683-0483. It is a great way to hone your birding skills and to get to see corners of the Nursery property you might not have visited! The results will be used to create a winter bird list for the Mapleton Preserve.