Run This Town

Of course Princeton, New Jersey is attractive. Its long-standing wealth is immediately apparent in the design and upkeep of buildings private and public. When I was photographing this post I considered titling it ‘The Comforting Proximity of Millionaires’ (from Gatsby, but without Nick Carraway’s sarcasm). But the baronial interests me less, and is usually more derivative, than clever solutions to odd lots, and if you’re architecturally inclined what makes Princeton a joy to run in is the juxtaposition of disparate eras and aesthetics; the houses that have outlived the vogue for their style; a truly urban density and range of people, buildings and intentions.

Gentle hills have allowed the borough to develop along uninterrupted but varied street grids, so numerous running routes are possible, past houses from the early 1700s to the present; along a former canal tow path; and of course across the University campus. Traffic mostly sticks to a few main thoroughfares so you’re largely spared the diesel fumes that can ruin urban runs. The Princeton Running Club lists their favorite routes. Here’s the one I photographed.

Maple Street