The Rutgers–Princeton Cannon War refers to a series of incidents involving two Revolutionary War cannons and a rivalry between the College of New Jersey in Princeton, New Jersey – now Princeton University – and Rutgers College – now Rutgers University – in New Brunswick, New Jersey .
56-614: Rutgers and Princeton are both located in Central New Jersey , about 17 miles from each other. Princeton was founded in Elizabeth, New Jersey in 1746 and then relocated to Princeton 10 years later; Rutgers was founded in New Brunswick in 1766. In 1864, Rutgers educators George Cook and David Murray led a successful campaign to designate Rutgers as New Jersey's designated land-grant university , overcoming competition from other colleges in
112-465: A cannon." In the depths of 2 feet (0.6 m) of snow, students not only painted the cannon and its surrounding concrete, but used spray paint to "tag" Princeton classroom buildings, dormitories, and libraries. Many Rutgers bumper stickers reading "Rutgers, Jersey Roots Global Reach" were placed all over campus. In November 2011, a group of Rutgers students who went to paint the cannon in Princeton brought
168-567: A hole had simply been dug next to cannon and the dirt from the hole used to bury it. Reports appeared in both the Rutgers Targum as well as the New Jersey and Princeton papers. On January 31, 1976, five Rutgers students and an elderly woman (the grandmother of one of the students) executed their year-long plan in an attempt to recover the cannon. The group opted to create a fictitious New Jersey Citizens Bicentennial Committee (NJCBC) and infiltrate
224-506: A joint committee settled the matter, and "Little Cannon" was returned to Princeton, escorted by the New Brunswick Police Chief. In October 1946, a contingent of Rutgers men slipped onto the Princeton campus and again tried to steal the famed cannon. This attempt was even more disastrous than the first. They attached one end of a heavy chain to the cannon and the other to their Ford automobile . Surprised by Princeton students and
280-739: A large influx of Chinese immigrants, including many Taiwanese immigrants. Many Chinese American families send their children to Mandarin language schools in Edison. Some of these private schools include Edison Chinese School, located at John Adams Middle School, or Tzu Chi , located at Woodrow Wilson Middle School, both of which teach in Traditional Chinese , in addition to Huaxia Chinese School , which teaches in Simplified Chinese . The Taiwanese airline China Airlines provides private bus service to John F. Kennedy International Airport from
336-657: A video camera with them and made a documentary about the tradition. The footage became part of a larger project about the history of the Cannon War and its perception in the minds of current students today. The film "Knights, Tigers, and Cannons. Oh My!" by Zack Morrison premiered at the New Jersey Film Festival in September 2012, and won the award for Best Student Film. Notes Bibliography Central New Jersey Central Jersey , or Central New Jersey ,
392-523: A vote of 36-1 on June 20, 2023. On August 24, 2023, Gov. Murphy signed legislation officially designating Central Jersey including, at a minimum, the counties of Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, and Somerset. Trenton , the seat of Mercer County and the state capital of New Jersey, is located in Central Jersey. New Jersey's geographic center is in Hamilton , Mercer County. In 2011, the population center of
448-475: Is a film society established in 1982 and based at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey . The Rutgers Film Co-op/NJMAC presents year-round programming, including two festivals, which screen classic, independent, international, and experimental films and videos and often include discussions with filmmakers, performers, screenwriters and production crews. Festivals are organised in conjunction with
504-562: Is a South Asian-focused commercial strip in Middlesex County, the U.S. county with the highest concentration of Asian Indians, at nearly 20% as of 2020. The Oak Tree Road strip runs for about one-and-a-half miles through Edison and neighboring Iselin in Woodbridge Township , near the area's sprawling Chinatown and Koreatown , running along New Jersey Route 27 . It is the largest and most diverse South Asian cultural hub in
560-575: Is in Union County. Popular tourist attractions in Central New Jersey include Six Flags Great Adventure , Gateway National Recreation Area , Monmouth Park Racetrack , Freehold Raceway , and the many boardwalks along the northern Jersey Shore , in Monmouth County and northern Ocean County. The New Brunswick music scene has produced many successful indie bands. The city also is home to
616-579: Is known as the Hub City, and at one time was a regional transportation hub for streetcars which converged in the city. The Monmouth Ocean Middlesex Line has been proposed for the region. The Garden State Parkway , New Jersey Turnpike ( I-95 ), I-287 , US 1 , US 9 , Route 18 , and Route 18 are major automobile routes through Central Jersey that pass over the Raritan River at Perth Amboy and New Brunswick . I-195 travels through Central Jersey (hence
SECTION 10
#1732855320331672-449: Is less clear in Central Jersey. Central Jersey Riptide was a short-lived professional soccer club. The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) operates three divisions in the state: North, South, and Central, which encompasses Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Somerset counties and portions of Warren County . (Routes 22, 122, 173, 78 and including south of Route 57). Apart from Mercer County, which comes under
728-452: Is located in Plainsboro . The campuses of the major pharmaceutical corporations Bristol-Myers Squibb Company , Johnson & Johnson , Merck and Sanofi-Aventis are located in the region, as are major operations of Dr. Reddy's Laboratories and Aurobindo Pharma . Princeton University 's Frist Campus Center is used for the aerial views of Princeton‑Plainsboro Teaching Hospital seen in
784-546: Is often claimed. Big Cannon is located behind Nassau Hall in the center of the quadrangle there, called Cannon Green, and Little Cannon is situated between Whig and Clio Halls. For the War of 1812 , "Big Cannon" was transported to New Brunswick to help defend the city against potential attack by the British, remaining on the Rutgers campus – where it was used for training during and after
840-583: Is one of eight Ivy League universities and the nation, one of the world's most prominent research universities , and consistently ranked as one of the best universities in the world; in the 2023-24 issue of U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Ranking , Princeton University is ranked the best university in the nation. Rutgers-New Brunswick is the flagship university campus of the state New Jersey. Monmouth University , Rider University , and The College of New Jersey are located in Central Jersey as well. Each county maintains its own county college , with
896-629: Is one of the largest national historic sites in the United States. Depending on the location, different parts of Central Jersey fall into overlapping spheres of influence from New York media market and Philadelphia media market . Mercer County is located in the Philadelphia television market, while the rest of the region belongs wholly to the New York City market. The Star-Ledger , based in Newark ,
952-530: Is the largest circulated newspaper in New Jersey . Four Central Jersey newspapers, Asbury Park Press , Home News Tribune , and two Trenton dailies, The Trentonian and The Times and several local papers are published in Central Jersey. New Jersey On-Line , MyCentralJersey.com and CentralJersey.com are online news services. During statewide political events like Gubernatorial or Senatorial election debates often held in Trenton, partner stations from both
1008-674: Is the longest running Super 8mm festival in the US. The founder, executive director, and curator of the Rutgers Film Co-op/New Jersey Media Arts Center is Albert Gabriel Nigrin, a filmmaker and cinema studies lecturer at Rutgers. He was born (circa 1959) in Charlottesville, Virginia . He received a Bachelor of Arts from Binghamton University , a Master of Fine Arts in Visual Arts/Film and Video, and
1064-411: Is the middle region of the U.S. state of New Jersey . The designation Central Jersey is a distinct administrative toponym . While New Jersey is often divided into North Jersey and South Jersey , many residents recognize Central Jersey as a distinct third entity. As of the 2020 census , Central Jersey has a population of 3,580,999. All descriptions of Central Jersey include Middlesex County ,
1120-541: Is the only airport in Central New Jersey providing long-distance commercial service. Monmouth Executive Airport , formerly known as Allaire Airport, is a public-use airport located near Allaire State Park . Central Jersey Regional Airport is a privately owned, public airport in Somerset County . Linden Airport is a small general aviation airport located along U.S. Route 1&9 in Union County . The Route 9 BBS,
1176-640: The Assunpink Trail . Raritan Landing , across from New Brunswick in today's Piscataway , became an important inland port and commercial hub for the region. Two of the nine Colonial Colleges , founded before the American Revolution , were the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University ), and Queens College (now Rutgers University ). 2017 2010 Type (805 km ) (1,222 km ) (585 km ) (790 km ) (1,114 km ) All of
SECTION 20
#17328553203311232-511: The Civil War by Rutgers cadets – until it was taken back to Princeton in 1836 by the "Princeton Blues", a local militia. Unfortunately, the wagon it was being transported in broke down on the outskirts of Princeton, and the cannon did not reach the Princeton campus until 1838 when Leonard Jerome – who would become the maternal grandfather of Winston Churchill – led a large group of students who brought it to Nassau Hall. The cannon
1288-532: The Dayton section of South Brunswick , Middlesex County, and has implemented a multimillion-dollar expansion of these Central New Jersey operations. In March 2023, Bengaluru -based technology services and consulting company Wipro opened its American international headquarters in East Brunswick , Middlesex, County. Starting in the 2000s, highly educated suburbs in northern and central New Jersey, have received
1344-816: The Kam Man Food location in Edison to feed its flight to Taipei , Taiwan . Central Jersey is also home to a large Korean American population. In 2010, an H Mart opened in Edison. The area is also home to several Korean churches , including Praise Presbyterian Church (찬양교회) in Somerset , Bountiful United Methodist Church (가득한교회) in Martinsville , and Sebit Presbyterian Church (세빛교회) in Warren . 40°26′10″N 74°52′30″W / 40.4361°N 74.875°W / 40.4361; -74.875 New Jersey Film Festival The Rutgers Film Co-op/New Jersey Media Arts Center
1400-839: The New Jersey Folk Festival . In an early era, the Stone Pony and Asbury Park Convention Hall were important venues on the rock scene. Major music and theater venues in the region include PNC Bank Arts Center , the Trenton War Memorial , CURE Insurance Arena , the McCarter Theater , the Count Basie Theater , the George Street Playhouse and the Starland Ballroom . East Jersey Olde Towne Village ,
1456-634: The New Jersey Legislature to establish distinct geographic areas for tourism in the state. Bill A4711 was sponsored by Assemblymembers Roy Freiman , Sadaf Jaffer , and Anthony Verrelli in the New Jersey General Assembly . This included an official designation of the region of Central Jersey, which the legislation defines more broadly as the seven counties of Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Somerset, and Union. The New Jersey Senate version of this legislation passed by
1512-1125: The New York Combined Metropolitan Statistical Area as defined by the United States Census Bureau. Some but not all regions of Hunterdon County associate themselves with the Delaware Valley and the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The Raritan Valley is the region along the middle reaches of the Raritan River and its North Branch and South Branch . The Raritan Valley includes the communities of Branchburg , Bridgewater , Somerville , Raritan , Hillsborough , Franklin Township , Green Brook , North Plainfield , Bound Brook , and South Bound Brook , all in Somerset County; Dunellen , Middlesex , Piscataway , South Plainfield , Highland Park , New Brunswick , East Brunswick , Edison , and Metuchen , all in
1568-699: The North Jersey Coast were once part of the PRR, as was Amtrak which serves the commuter hub at Metropark , New Brunswick, and the Trenton Transit Center . The Central Railroad of New Jersey once connected Jersey City (with connecting ferries to Manhattan) and many Central Jersey towns . Much of that system is now included in New Jersey Transit rail operations to the Raritan Valley . New Brunswick
1624-646: The North River and the Upper New York Bay by boat and then transfer to stagecoaches to travel overland through what is now Central Jersey. One route from Elizabethtown to Lambertville was known as Old York Road . Another route, from Perth Amboy through Kingston to Burlington , ran along a portion of the Kings Highway , These roads followed Lenape paths known respectively as the Naritcong Trail and
1680-537: The Road Up Raritan Historic District as well as those in Trenton , Lawrence , and Princeton recall the colonial era. The region saw a lot of action during the American Revolution due to the region's strategic importance between Philadelphia and New York City . As such, many important battles took place here. These battle sites have been converted into state parks, offering historic preservation of
1736-409: The 2000s, manufacturing began to leave Central Jersey, and many facilities had closed and moved overseas. The Bell Labs Holmdel Complex has been the site of many innovations in telecommunications and is experiencing a renaissance as a business incubator for high-tech startup companies . Today Verizon Wireless , AT&T Communications , Vonage , Avaya , and Bell Labs are located in
Rutgers–Princeton Cannon War - Misplaced Pages Continue
1792-652: The Cinema Studies program at Rutgers. Events have taken place at College Avenue Campus at the Voorhees Hall, Scott Hall , Zimmerli Art Museum , as well as the State Theatre and Crossroads Theatre . The New Jersey Film Festival , founded in 1982, is juried film competition and ongoing public film series devoted to "experimental, offbeat and influential cinema". The United States Super 8mm Film + Digital Video Festival , established in 1988, takes place annually
1848-604: The New Brunswick BRT, and the Central Jersey Route 1 Corridor are projects in the region intended to expand the use of bus rapid transit in New Jersey . Central New Jersey, particularly Edison and surrounding Middlesex County, is prominently known for its significant concentration of Asian Indians . The world's largest Hindu temple was inaugurated in Robbinsville in 2014, a BAPS temple. The growing Little India
1904-487: The New York and Philadelphia markets pool resources together to co-host the events and bring them to New Jersey homes. Identification with sports teams is also affected by the region's location, and it is not uncommon to find fans of major sports teams of either city. For example, while residents of northern New Jersey root for New York teams, those in the southern part of the state root for Philadelphia teams. The distinction
1960-442: The United States. Monroe Township (nicknamed Edison South ), in Middlesex County, has experienced a particularly rapid growth rate in its Indian American population, with an estimated 5,943 (13.6%) as of 2017, which was 23 times the 256 (0.9%) counted as of the 2000 Census; and Diwali is celebrated by the township as a Hindu holiday. Carteret 's Punjabi Sikh community, variously estimated at upwards of 3,000, constitutes
2016-646: The auspices of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission , all counties in the region are part of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority , a government partner which approves transportation projects for the state. The United New Jersey Railroad and Canal Company traversed the region in 1830, eventually becoming the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR). NJT's Northeast Corridor Line and
2072-547: The campus with a phony story. They found a contact in Princeton and managed to obtain a security pass. That pass, along with the matron who posed as the Chairman of the NJCBC made things look legitimate enough to get their trucks and heavy equipment through security and onto Princeton grounds. A cover letter, which they gave to the security guards read that their committee had secured permission from appropriate university officials to remove
2128-412: The cannon to be taken on a statewide bicentennial tour. But within minutes of digging, a Princeton University Detective approached the group and foiled their plans, declaring "all right you guys, we know you're from Rutgers." The group later found out why the plan failed. As fate would have it, the detective's wife's friend was secretary of the real New Jersey State Bicentennial Commission. A phone call by
2184-565: The communities of Sayreville , Woodbridge , Perth Amboy , South Amboy , and Old Bridge , all in northeastern Middlesex County; Aberdeen , Matawan , Keyport , Union Beach , Hazlet , Keansburg , Holmdel , Middletown , Atlantic Highlands , and Highlands , all in northern Monmouth County. The telephone area codes 732 and 848 includes Middlesex, Monmouth, Somerset, Union, and northern Ocean counties. While area codes 609 and 640 includes southern Ocean, Hunterdon, and Somerset counties, as well as Mercer County. Between 1674 and 1702, in
2240-479: The detectives quickly blew the "cannon-nappers'" cover. The six were initially accused of malicious mischief, but after pleading "it was only a lark" by the grandmother, all charges were dropped. The cannon at Princeton is routinely painted red by Rutgers students, particularly in the week leading to Rutgers commencement as well as on other notable Rutgers dates. In February 2010, the war between loyal Rutgers and Princeton students became more than just "the painting of
2296-555: The early part of New Jersey's colonial period , the border between West Jersey and East Jersey ran diagonally across the middle part of the state. The Keith Line , as the demarcation is known, ran through the center of what is now Mercer County. This border remained important in determining ownership and political boundaries until 1745. Remnants of that division are seen today, notably as the Hunterdon-Somerset, Ocean-Burlington, and Monmouth-Burlington county lines. The division of
Rutgers–Princeton Cannon War - Misplaced Pages Continue
2352-610: The exception of Hunterdon County - whose residents may attend either Raritan Valley Community College (located in Somerset County) or Mercer County Community College (located in Mercer County) at no additional cost. Monmouth County's residents have the choice of attending Brookdale Community College which was recently listed as one of the top three community colleges in the state. Thomas Edison State College in Trenton provides extensive on-line and adult education. Kean University
2408-553: The geographic heart of the Northeast megalopolis and is wholly in the New York metropolitan area , the nation's largest metropolitan area. The Delaware Valley is another area that is associated with some parts of Central Jersey, specifically Mercer County. Yet despite the County’s close geographic proximity to Philadelphia's combined statistical area , Mercer County is considered part of
2464-460: The important structures contingent to their respected battles. State parks include Washington Crossing State Park , Princeton Battlefield State Park , and Monmouth Battlefield State Park . The Middlebrook encampment in Bridgewater was where the first official flag of the United States was unfurled, after a law to adopt a national flag had been passed by Congress on June 14, 1777. Ocean Grove
2520-713: The largest concentration of Sikhs in the state. In Middlesex County, election ballots are printed in English, Spanish , Gujarati , Hindi , and Punjabi . Indian pharmaceutical and technology companies are coming to Central New Jersey to gain a foothold in the United States. Dr. Reddy's Laboratories , based in Hyderabad , set up its U.S. headquarters in Princeton , Mercer County . Pharmaceutical company Aurobindo , also headquartered in Hyderabad, has established its U.S. headquarters in
2576-580: The name "Central Jersey Expressway") from the Trenton area towards Belmar . From the Raritan Bayshore, SeaStreak catamarans travel to Pier 11 at Wall Street and East 34th Street Ferry Landing . NY Waterway ferries travel to Paulus Hook Ferry Terminal in Jersey City , Battery Park City Ferry Terminal , and West Midtown Ferry Terminal . As of 2018, there are plans to create ferry service from Carteret in Middlesex County. Trenton-Mercer Airport
2632-570: The northern and central portions of Middlesex County; and Plainfield in southwestern Union County. The Raritan Bayshore is used to describe the region in Middlesex and Monmouth Counties, located along the coastline of the Raritan Bay , from the mouth of the Raritan River in the west to the barrier island of Sandy Hook bordering the Atlantic Ocean in the east. The Raritan Bayshore includes
2688-472: The police, they gunned the engine of the car so hard that the car was torn in half. The Rutgers students managed to escape, but with neither the car nor the cannon. On the eve of the annual Rutgers-Princeton game in the fall of 1971 the cannon was apparently stolen again. A 4' x 5' hole some 5 feet deep was found where the cannon sat. Campus police were baffled that the cannon had been taken given its extreme weight. After crime photos were taken, it appears that
2744-406: The population center of New Jersey, and most include much of nearby Monmouth , Mercer , Somerset , and Hunterdon counties. The inclusion of adjacent areas of Union and Ocean are a source of debate. In 2015, New Jersey Business magazine defined Central Jersey more narrowly as the five counties of Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth and Somerset. In 2022, legislation was proposed in
2800-681: The region's counties are ranked among the highest income counties in the United States , as measured by median household income . It has been called the state's "wealth belt". For decades, Central Jersey was a hub for manufacturing in the eastern United States. Many industrial companies had major production facilities in and around the area, including Edison Assembly , Ford Motor Company 's production plant for Rangers, Mustangs, Pintos, Mercurys, and Lincolns. Other notable companies include General Motors in Linden, Frigidaire 's air-conditioner plant in Edison, Hess Corporation in Woodbridge, Siemens in Edison, and ExxonMobil Chemical . Starting in
2856-450: The region. Central New Jersey is a global leader in the pharmaceuticals industry. New Brunswick is known as "the Healthcare City", due to the concentration of medical facilities in Central Jersey, including Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and Saint Peter's University Hospital , as well as the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School . University Medical Center of Princeton
SECTION 50
#17328553203312912-403: The state was in the western portion of East Brunswick , in Middlesex County. The two busiest highways in New Jersey, the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway , intersect in Woodbridge , Middlesex County. Princeton University and Rutgers University , the two most prominent institutions of higher education in the state, are situated in Central Jersey. The region lies roughly at
2968-405: The state, notably Princeton. On November 6, 1869, Rutgers defeated Princeton in New Brunswick at the first intercollegiate football game on a field where Rutgers' College Ave Gymnasium now stands, adding to the rivalry between the two schools. Two Revolutionary War cannons were left on the Princeton campus at the end of the war, although neither of them were used in the Battle of Princeton , as
3024-419: The television series House . Major shopping centers include the Freehold Raceway Mall , Woodbridge Center , Menlo Park Mall , Bridgewater Commons , The Grove at Shrewsbury , Monmouth Mall , Brunswick Square Mall , Forrestal Village , Quaker Bridge Mall , Princeton Market Fair , Ocean County Mall , Jackson Premium Outlets , and Jersey Shore Premium Outlets . Princeton University in Princeton
3080-399: The two provinces was cultural as well as geographical. New Jersey's position between the major cities of New York and Philadelphia led Benjamin Franklin to call the state "a barrel tapped at both ends". Travel between the two cities originally included a ferry crossing. Due to the obstacles created by the Meadowlands and the Hudson Palisades , passengers from New York would cross
3136-451: Was then planted muzzle down in its current location in 1840. On the night of April 25, 1875 ten members of the Rutgers Class of 1877 set out to steal back "Big Cannon" from Princeton However, they were unable to move it, so instead they returned to New Brunswick with "Little Cannon." Princeton responded with a raid on Rutgers, stealing some muskets , and the heads of the two colleges exchanged polite but demanding correspondence. Eventually,
#330669