Moving On

 From Rustic West Amwell Cabin to Bordentown Row House

Statue of Thomas Paine, Bordentown, NJ

[Update – 9/29/16 – Almost 4 years to the day, next week we’re “Movin’ Out” – more to follow!]

My apologies for going so long without a post.

After living for 17 years in an old cabin on a West Amwell farm adjacent to the Alexauken Creek Wildlife Management Area, I moved this weekend to an old row house in the historic Delaware River town of Bordentown.

Dramatic change: from the rural and agricultural to the dense urban and historic.

I raised both my kids in the West Amwell place and loved the quiet and secluded magnificence of rambling in the forests and fields.

But, it was well past time to go – the kids are both out of college and on their own and the place was literally falling down around me.

I’m looking forward to the next phase of my life here in Bordentown – it has a really good vibe, the neighbors are friendly, and there are lots of funky and historic homes nearby.

It is amazing how density creates opportunities for people to be extremely creative in the design and use of space. The pride people take in their homes and community is heartening.

As soon as I find some time, I plan on doing a photo essay of all the beauty that surrounds me, which I am discovering around ever little bend in the sidewalk as I walk the town’s streets and neighborhoods.

And one of my political hero’s, Tom Paine, once made his home here!

My new home was built in 1900, an attached group of what are now 8 row houses.

The place is located just down the street from the Oliver Street Park and a couple of hundred feet from Lime Kiln Park, along Black Creek, a tributary to the Delaware River.

I am a quarter mile walk to the light rail River Line (a 6 minute commute to Trenton) and downtown shops. I’ve already taken the train to Camden and the ferry to Philly.

I’ve already biked the 6 mile D&R Canal trail spur to Trenton (35 minute commute).

The neighborhood is built on a bluff above the Delaware, so I get to enjoy a riverfront location without the risks of flooding.

I can’t wait to explore and discover my new historic, architectural, and natural surroundings (and find a good local pub!).

It’s like living in the kind of ideal small town I learned about as a planner: diverse, compact, high quality design, pedestrian and bicycle friendly, public transit accessible, with a strong sense of place, history, and community!

(coming full circle, a lot like the historic Hudson River town I grew up in).

So, we won’t be posting for the next few days as I move in and get adjusted.