Kingston Mill Historic District: A Legacy of Industry and Settlement

Nestled along the banks of the Millstone River, the Kingston Mill Historic District serves as a living chronicle of early American life. Spanning 49 acres across the borders of Princeton, South Brunswick, and Franklin Township in New Jersey, this district is a rare collection of colonial and Federal-era structures. From its origins as a remote wilderness outpost to its role as a bustling industrial hub, the district offers a window into the evolution of transportation, engineering, and settlement in the Mid-Atlantic region.

The district is recognized for its architectural diversity, featuring 16 contributing buildings and two contributing structures. Its significance is formally acknowledged by its inclusion in both the National Register of Historic Places and the New Jersey Register of Historic Places, designated in 1986.

Key Facts

• Total Area: 49 acres (20 ha).
• Earliest Settlement: Established in 1683 by Henry Greenland.
• Architectural Styles: Vernacular, Federal, and Colonial.
• Key Landmark: The 1798 stone arch bridge, the only four-arch stone bridge remaining in Central New Jersey.
• Industrial Evolution: Site of multiple gristmills, sawmills, and a fulling mill (a mill used for cleaning and thickening cloth).

The Dawn of European Settlement

Long before European arrival, the land was traversed by the indigenous Lenape people via a hunting trail. By the 1680s, English colonial authorities widened this trail into a cart road to facilitate travel between New York and Philadelphia. In 1683, Henry Greenland, a tavern keeper from Piscataway, established a home and tavern at the intersection of this road and the Millstone River.

Greenland's residence marks the first known European settlement in the wilderness between East and West Jersey and the first house built in what is now Princeton. The site quickly became a point of political importance; in 1687, representatives from East and West Jersey met at Greenland's tavern to negotiate the survey for the border between the two colonies.

Industrial Growth and the Revolutionary War

As the area grew, the property transitioned from a simple tavern to an industrial site. In the 1740s, Barefoot Brinson—grandson of Henry Greenland and sheriff of Middlesex and Somerset Counties—constructed the area's first gristmill (a mill for grinding grain into flour) and housing for tenants.

By 1755, the site had become a commercial center. Jacob Skillman later expanded the operations by adding a second gristmill and a sawmill around 1763. However, the American Revolutionary War brought destruction. In December 1776, British forces burned Skillman's mill. Shortly after the Battle of Princeton in 1777, American troops under Captain Thomas Rodney dismantled the existing wooden bridge to hinder the British retreat.

The Gulick Era and 19th-Century Expansion

The district entered a new phase of prosperity in 1797 when Major John Gulick Jr., a stagecoach owner and war veteran, purchased the property. Gulick rebuilt the mill and invested heavily in the surrounding infrastructure, transforming the Old Post Road into the Kingston and Princeton Branch Turnpike to support his stagecoach line.

Under the Gulicks, the mill became a multi-purpose facility incorporating a gristmill, sawmill, and fulling mill. The property also saw significant architectural upgrades, including the addition of Federal-style wings to existing homes. Despite its success, the mill faced repeated setbacks, including a devastating fire in February 1888.

Following the 1888 fire, Nelson Thompson constructed the mill building that stands today. The mill remained operational until the 1940s, after which it was converted into a private residence.

District Summary and Contributing Properties

The district is defined by its blend of industrial utility and residential elegance. The following table summarizes the primary contributing structures that define the historic character of the area.

Property Name	Year Built	Style	Significance
Greenland-Brinson-Gulick House	c. 1683	Vernacular/Colonial/Federal	First European structure in Princeton.
Skillman-Forman-Gulick House	c. 1763	Vernacular/Colonial/Federal	Known as "New Market"; original stone dwelling.
Doctor Hendrickson House	1745	Vernacular/Colonial/Federal	Early tenant housing likely built by Barefoot Brinson.
Kingston Mill	c. 1888	N/A	Current structure replacing mills from 1755 and 1797.
Kingston Bridge	1798	Stone Arch	Unique four-arch bridge replacing a Revolutionary War structure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was the first European settler in the district?

Henry Greenland, a tavern keeper from Piscataway, established the first European settlement in the area in 1683, building a tavern and home on the west bank of the Millstone River.

Why is the Kingston Bridge historically significant?

The bridge is significant because it is the only remaining stone bridge in Central New Jersey featuring four arches. It was built in 1798 to replace a wooden bridge that was dismantled by American troops in 1777 to delay British forces.

What happened to the mill during the Revolutionary War?

The mill owned by Jacob Skillman was burned by the British military in December 1776 during their New Jersey campaign.

What types of milling took place at Kingston Mill?

Over its history, the site hosted a gristmill for grinding grain, a sawmill for processing timber, and a fulling mill for treating wool cloth.

When was the district added to the National Register of Historic Places?

The Kingston Mill Historic District was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 10, 1986.