Washington Road Elm Allée, Historic tree-lined avenue in West Windsor Township, United States
Washington Road Elm Allée is a tree-lined avenue in West Windsor Township stretching for about 0.7 miles with elm trees on both sides of the road. These mature trees reach heights of 60 feet and form a continuous natural canopy over the roadway.
The avenue was planted in the mid-1920s when Princeton Nurseries, one of the largest commercial plant nurseries in the United States at that time, planted 136 elm trees here. This project reflected the era's interest in incorporating natural features into road design and suburban development.
The tree-lined avenue reflects early 20th-century ideas about integrating nature into road design and community spaces. Walking here today, you can see how the mature trees create a distinctive sense of place that defines this stretch of the township.
The best way to experience the avenue is on foot or by bicycle, allowing you to appreciate the trees at a natural pace. The terrain is flat and easily accessible, and nearby connections lead to other recreational paths like the Delaware and Raritan Canal jogging path.
The elm trees here are a special variety known as the Princeton Elm, developed by nurserymen specifically to resist Dutch elm disease. Some of the original surviving specimens have trunk diameters reaching 24 to 26 inches, showing their remarkable longevity.
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