Central Jersey : Mercer

Mer 24:
Autumn Hill Reservation

Summary
Trail Description
Trail Map
History
Flora & Fauna
Print Guide
Print Map

History

Most of the reservation was purchased in 1967 by Princeton Township, with participation by Princeton Borough, Green Acres and Friends of Princeton Open Space. Through the nineteenth century, a number of hardscrabble farms were located here, and old stone walls mark the field and pastures built on this thin, rockstrewn soil. In the early twentieth century, the farmers in this area were referred to as the “Herrontown” or “Herringtown” farmers, because of their practice of driving to the shore and bringing back herring to use as fertilizer for their crops. By the middle of the century, the farms had all been abandoned.

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