About Us

The History of the Nassau Inn

Our History

Over 260 years of tradition in Princeton, NJ

When it comes to describing the Nassau Inn, it could be said that the myth has been modernized.
Our charming stone façade gives way to a spacious, stylish hotel awash in boutique comfort and sophistication. It is a place where visitors can host a cutting-edge sales presentation or gather ‘round the massive stone hearth for cocktails and conversation as Paul Revere and Thomas Paine did at our original 52 Nassau Street location nearly 260 years ago. Some might find that a glass of wine, a good book and an overstuffed couch in the parlor are all the nightlife they need. Others may ask us to reserve them a table in our beloved Yankee Doodle Tap Room Restaurant or help them plan a chic, stylish wedding for 200 family and friends.

A Place To Gather

It is a place where visitors can host a cutting-edge sales presentation or gather 'round the massive stone hearth for cocktails and conversation as Paul Revere and Thomas Paine did at our original 52 Nassau Street location nearly 260 years ago.

Quaint Spaces

The low portion of the earlier period was built on the style beloved of Princeton's founders, with the low-raftered ceiling of oak timber, large stone fireplace in the center, and quaint little staircase

A Timeline Of Our History

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    1756

    The original Nassau Tavern at 52 Nassau Street was built in 1756 by Judge Thomas Leonard, who spent the last years of his life in view of the college he had helped to bring to Princeton.

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    1759

    When Judge Thomas Leonard passed away in 1759, his elegant residence became a hostelry, which was called College Inn by its new owner. The Inn’s first proprietor was Christopher Beekman, whose natural talent as a host soon established the Inn as the center of the town's life.

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    1760s

    Wine and argument flowed freely in Beekman's taproom, or drinking room, where his wife helped tend the punchbowls. Students and townsmen were treated to the news and opinions of honored guests such as Paul Revere, Robert Morris and Thomas Paine, who stayed the night more than once.

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    1775

    In 1775, the Committee of Safety met at College Inn, and a few weeks later, delegates were stopping overnight on their way to the first Continental Congress in Philadelphia.

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    1776

    Signers of the Declaration of Independence, passing through Princeton in 1776, rested at College Inn.

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    1783

    As the war began, military men took the place of travelers. Officers of the Continental Army, as well as the British and Hessians (depending upon which side was in possession of the town), found solace in the taproom offerings. Months later, the Battle of Yorktown and the signing of the Peace Treaty were properly celebrated over College Inn punchbowls. When the Continental Congress met in Princeton in 1783, the national celebrities of the day were guests of the Inn, which was just a few steps from the historic session in Nassau Hall.

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    19'th Century

    At the turn of the 19th century, Christopher Beekman and his wife, Grace Otis Beekman, retired. John Gifford took over the hostelry, changed its name to Nassau Inn and hung a sign picturing Nassau Hall over its entrance.

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    1937

    The 52 Nassau Street establishment closed its doors in 1937, when it had become evident that the town and the University needed a larger, comfortable, and more modern hotel, one that would preserve the traditions of "Old Nass” while providing suitable suites for travelers and college guests. The construction of Nassau Tavern, which was eventually changed to the Nassau Inn, on Palmer Square was the result.

Norman Rockwell mural, Yankee Doodle

History On Canvas

The chief decoration of the Yankee Doodle room is the original and largest mural painted over the great oak bar by Norman Rockwell in 1939, from which the restaurant takes its name. Rockwell captures in a humorous way the historical legend of Yankee Doodle, who came to town upon his pony, amid the mockery from the Hessians and townsfolk, but had the love and admiration of the Innkeeper’s daughter, who is visible in the window on the left side of the painting. Norman Rockwell also painted the Yankee Doodle sign (at the entrance).

Design & Architecture

The charm of Nassau Tavern lies in the fact that it tells a story. The interesting contrast in the exterior design of the different wings is a delightful fancy of its architect, depicting the imaginary progress of a successful inn from the Eighteenth to the Twentieth Century.

Princeton's Founders

The low portion of the earlier period was built on the style beloved of Princeton's founders, with the low-raftered ceiling of oak timber, large stone fireplace in the center, and quaint little staircase. A small stone addition and a substantial brick wing of several stories were added through the years as the proprietors found the need to expand.

Stone Platform Seat

Just inside the robust front door of the Tavern is a stone platform seat, one of the few authentic remnants of the original Nassau Tavern. This platform was used in the cellar to support casks of wines and spirits.

Stay At Nassau Inn

It is our unique blend of historic charm and modern style that makes the Nassau Inn one of the best places to stay in downtown Princeton. Why not come add your name to the legend?