N.J. Governor to move to Princeton mansion with ties to the U.

Governor of New Jersey Mikie Sherrill will be moving to Drumthwacket Mansion in Princeton, the official residence of the Governor of New Jersey that has not been inhabited for 22 years. The move puts Sherrill on Stockton Street — only one mile away from the University — potentially deepening her connection with both the University and the town. 

Sherrill currently serves as an ex officio member of the University’s Board of Trustees, a position she holds as the governor of New Jersey. Earlier this year, she succeeded former governor Phil Murphy, who resided in Middletown Township. Her secretary of state and lieutenant governor, Dale Caldwell, is an alumnus of the Princeton Class of 1982. 

Of the 11 governors that have been in office since Drumthwacket’s official naming as the New Jersey Governor’s residence, Sherrill will be the third to have opted to live in it. 

In a press release on Friday morning, Sherrill and her husband, Jason Hedberg, officially announced the move, writing that the family move will take place this summer. 

“From Day One this administration has committed to getting to work in Trenton to deliver on our commitments. We’re thrilled to further strengthen that commitment by living full time in the Governor’s official residence and being much closer to the Capital City and the State House,” the press release read.  

Sherrill currently lives in Montclair, N.J., where she is registered as a voter. A move to Princeton would mean a change in voter registration under New Jersey law, which prohibits registered voters from having multiple domiciles — a citizen’s permanent home where they have “the intention of returning.” She would then become an active participant in the contested N.J.-12 Congressional election, whose primaries will be held on June 2. 

Sherrill has not publicly endorsed any of the election candidates. 

In a statement to The Daily Princetonian, Amy Cradic, chair of the Drumthwacket Foundation, which preserves the Drumthwacket Mansion, affirmed the foundation’s excitement surrounding the governor’s arrival. 

“As stewards of the Official Residence of New Jersey’s Governor, the Foundation offers a warm welcome to the First Family,” Cradic wrote to the ‘Prince.’ “We are excited they are making this important residence their home and taking part in the property’s rich history.” 

In 1893, Moses Taylor Pyne, Class of 1877, who is widely regarded as one of the University’s most influential trustees, purchased Drumthwacket from Phebe Ann Smith, the widow of former New Jersey Governor Charles Smith Olden. Olden, who served from 1860 to 1863, had ordered Drumthwacket’s construction in 1835 on land owned by his grandfather, Thomas Olden.

Architect Raleigh Colston Gildersleeve was later brought on by Pyne to add the east and west halls to the estate, aiding with the Pynes’ 20-year expansion of the estate. Gildersleeve, a graduate of the Class of 1849, also designed McCosh Hall, the Upper and Lower Pyne dormitories on Nassau Street, Cap and Gown Club, Campus Club, and Elm Club. He also designed multiple in-town residences.  

Princetoniana Museum writes that Pyne had opened Drumthwacket’s doors for many Princeton visitors — both from the town and the University — where they could enjoy the natural beauty of the estate’s grounds.

Pyne then bequeathed the house to his granddaughter, Agnes Pyne Davis, when he died in 1921. Twenty years later, she sold the house to Russian immigrant Abram Spanel, who remained the owner until 1966, when the state of New Jersey purchased the mansion. 

After fifteen years of gathering funds for renovations, it became the official residence of the Governor of New Jersey in 1981. However, James Florio, who was elected in 1990, was the first governor to live in the house since it gained this title. Florio would live in it until he lost his reelection in 1994. Since then, only one other governor besides Sherrill has opted to live in the house — Jim McGreevey, who served from 2002 to 2004. 

“Drumthwacket is the people’s house, and we look forward to continuing to bring it to life for New Jersey residents and highlight all the incredible history it offers,” Sherrill and Hedberg’s press release read. “Our family looks forward to this exciting next chapter, and we thank the dedicated New Jersey state staff and the team at the Drumthwacket Foundation for all their work to truly make the residence a home.”

Luke Grippo is a head News editor for the ‘Prince.’ He is from South Jersey, and typically covers high-profile interviews and University and town politics. He can be reached at luke.grippo[at]dailyprincetonian.com.

Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.