By Danielle Ray
Landmark correspondent
PRINCETON — The Princeton Historical Society is launching the Rediscover Princeton speaker series this year, a four-event program in collaboration with and supported by a grant from the Princeton Cultural Council.
The goal of the free, public series is to not only provide fascinating historical educational opportunities, PHS said, but also to shine a light on programs and initiatives that make Princeton a great place to live. PHS members invite the community to send program ideas to princetonmahistory@gmail.com.
The new series is just one of many ways the all-volunteer, nonprofit organization works to share and preserve the rich history of the town and region, including through visits to schools, archives and more. PHS Board of Directors co-chair and webmaster Bud Brooks said the series will be helpful in trying “to keep the PHS in the public eye.”
“When the pandemic hit, we … moved to Zoom programs, which we recorded and posted on YouTube and then linked to our website,” he said.
As a result of the pandemic limitations, they started two initiatives, the first of which was “Then and Now, “a monthly email to members and friends.
“We document with text and images a specific event, person, or place in the town of Princeton that has significant historical significance,” Brooks said.
The second initiative is “Can You Find It?” a mobile device scavenger hunt in which searchers use clues to find locations that play a significant role in Princeton’s history. The game card is available at the Princeton Public Library and on princetonmahistory.org.
PHS adds to the game each summer, and eight new locations are now available.
“This is an outdoor activity for a family, small group, or an individual,” he said. “When and if they find a location with a 6-by-9-inch sign posted, they scan the QR code and a PDF is downloaded to their mobile device describing the location’s historical significance and providing pictures of that location 100-plus years ago.
“There is a game card for each year and when they read the PDF, there is a read keyword at the end. If they find all eight locations each year, they turn in their game card and receive a PHS key ring. Thus far, we have 24 and are aiming for a total of 32 locations by 2024.”
