NJ, USA

Nassau Presbyterian Church

Church

Nassau Presbyterian Church, located on Nassau Street adjacent to the Princeton University campus, is the descendant of the congregation that John Witherspoon led during the revolutionary era. The current building dates to 1836, replacing earlier structures, but the congregation's history extends back to the founding of the college and the town.

The church's cemetery, Princeton Cemetery, contains the graves of many revolutionary-era figures.

What Happened Here

The Presbyterian congregation in Princeton was intimately connected to the College of New Jersey from its founding. College presidents served as pastors, and the church functioned as both a religious and intellectual center. During the British occupation of Princeton in 1776, the earlier church building suffered damage. John Witherspoon preached from this pulpit while simultaneously serving in the Continental Congress, embodying the fusion of religious conviction and political activism that characterized Princeton's revolutionary generation.