Drumthwacket facts for kids
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Drumthwacket
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 Location in Mercer County, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Location | 354 Stockton Street Princeton, New Jersey 08540 |
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| Built | 1835 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival Colonial Georgian |
| NRHP reference No. | 75001142 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | June 10, 1975 |
Drumthwacket (/ˈdrʌmˌθwækɪt/ drum-THWAK-it) is the official home for the governor of the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is located at 354 Stockton Street in Princeton, New Jersey, close to the state capital of Trenton.
The large house was built in 1835. It was made even bigger in 1893 and again in 1900. The state of New Jersey bought Drumthwacket and its land in 1966. On June 10, 1975, Drumthwacket was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This was because of its importance in farming, building design, business, garden design, and politics. It officially became the governor's home in 1982.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection manages the estate. It serves as the governor's residence and is also a historic house museum.
Contents
The Story of Drumthwacket: A Historic Home
The land where Drumthwacket stands was once owned by William Penn. He was a Quaker and the founder of Philadelphia. In 1696, William Olden bought the land. He built a small white house there called Olden House.
Building the Mansion: Charles Smith Olden's Vision
Charles Smith Olden was born in the Olden House in 1799. He became wealthy working in business in Philadelphia and New Orleans. Later, he returned to Princeton. In 1835, he began building Drumthwacket. The name likely comes from an old novel by Sir Walter Scott. It might also come from two Scottish Gaelic words meaning "wooded hill."
Olden became involved in politics. He was a farmer and businessman. He served as a state Senator and became governor in 1860. He was the first governor to live at Drumthwacket. The first house had a main hall with two rooms on each side. It also had a large front porch with six tall columns.
Expanding the Estate: Moses Taylor Pyne's Grand Additions
In 1893, Moses Taylor Pyne bought Drumthwacket. He was a rich businessman and helped Princeton University. Pyne made huge changes to the home. He turned it into a grand estate, "surpassing anything previously built in Princeton."
Pyne added two new sections to the house in 1893 and 1900. These included a fancy library. He also added beautiful park-like gardens, greenhouses, and even a dairy farm.
New Owners and New Purposes: From Spanel to State Home
Pyne passed away in 1921. His granddaughter, Agnes Pyne, sold the property in 1941 to Abram Nathaniel Spanel. Spanel was an inventor and businessman who came from Russia as a child. He started the International Latex Corporation. Many of Spanel's staff lived at Drumthwacket. He even came up with many of his inventions in the Music Room.
In 1966, the Spanels sold the estate to New Jersey. They wanted it to be the governor's official home. It was meant to replace Morven, the old governor's mansion. However, it took 15 years for Drumthwacket to be used as the official residence. The New Jersey Historical Society helped raise money in 1981.
Restoring Drumthwacket: The Foundation and First Ladies
In 1982, the Drumthwacket Foundation was created. This group helps preserve and care for the house and its grounds. New Jersey First Lady Deborah Kean started the foundation. She also oversaw the work to turn the mansion into the state's executive residence.
Kean updated many of the public rooms in the mansion. Before her work, Drumthwacket had older, donated furniture. This furniture was not right for a formal home. Debby Kean replaced it with better quality, antique furniture and decorations. Even with her work, Governor Thomas Kean and Deborah Kean chose to live in their own home.
Governor Jim Florio (1990–1994) and First Lady Lucinda Florio were the first governor's family to live at Drumthwacket. Lucinda Florio also managed big renovations. She helped turn it into a modern governor's home. Florio focused on the private living areas, which had not been updated much.
Florio and the Drumthwacket Foundation replaced the old heating system. They also put in new plumbing and drinking water systems. Uneven hardwood floors were repaired. Closets and storage were added to bedrooms, which older homes often lacked. Florio also got curtains and window coverings for many windows.
Starting in 1990, Florio also restored the Italianate gardens. These gardens are on the 11 acres around Drumthwacket. They were first made in 1905 by Moses Taylor Pyne. But they had become run down by the 1990s. Lucinda Florio used private donations to fix them. In 1990, she even hosted a small wedding party for her father at the home.
Governors and Their Use of Drumthwacket
Many governors have used Drumthwacket in different ways:
- Thomas Kean (1982–1990) lived in his private home in Livingston.
- James Florio (1990–1994) lived in the mansion full-time.
- Christine Todd Whitman (1994–2001) lived in the mansion part-time.
- Donald DiFrancesco (2001–2002) lived in the mansion part-time.
- John O. Bennett (2002) lived in the mansion for his short time as Acting Governor.
- James McGreevey (2002–2004) lived in the mansion full-time.
- Richard Codey (2004–2006) lived in the mansion part-time.
- Jon Corzine (2006–2010) lived in the mansion part-time. It became his full-time home while he was recovering from a car accident.
- Chris Christie (2010–2018) used the mansion for Sunday dinners and official events. He lived in his private home in Mendham.
- Phil Murphy (2018–) lives in his private home in Middletown. He uses the mansion for official events and meetings.
Exploring Drumthwacket: Tours and Features
Upstairs, there are 12 private rooms for the governor's family. On the main floor, there are six public rooms. These rooms are used for many official events. An annual holiday display by the Garden Club is a special tradition at the property.
Drumthwacket offers guided tours on most Wednesdays. It is closed in August, the day before Thanksgiving, and on some other dates. The tour includes the six public rooms where the governor holds meetings and receptions. You can also see the solarium, main hall, dining room, parlor, music room, library, and the governor's study.
Volunteer guides lead the tours. Visitors can also walk through the gardens. You can visit the Olden House, which is a restored farmhouse on the property. It has a gift shop and the Drumthwacket Foundation office.
See also
- Governor’s Ocean Residence - Official ocean front NJ Governor's residence at Island Beach State Park, NJ
