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‘Jersey Girl’ starts a new chapter at COMMUNITYN Morven Mansion By RebaKaH SCHroeDer
Rhonda DiMascio has less of a mountain to climb and more of a “big hill.” In February, Morven Museum & Garden named the veteran nonprofit leader, who has more than 25 years of experience in historic museums, sites, and gardens, as its new executive director. DiMascio, a resident of Ewing Township, succeeds Jill Barry, who left last September to become CEO of the Houston Botanic Garden in Texas, and takes over from deputy director and curator Elizabeth Allan, who served in an interim capacity during the search process, on March 25. Morven was originally the home of Richard Stockton, one of New Jersey’s five signers of the Declaration of Independence, as well as the former Governor’s Mansion. The National Historic Landmark encompasses five acres at 55 Stockton Street in Princeton that, since opening to the public in 2004, has become known for its permanent and special exhibitions, events, and edu-
cational programming. Stockton, a wealthy lawyer and a graduate of what is now Princeton University, built Morven in the 1750s. His wife was the patriotic poet Annis Boudinot Stockton, dubbed “the elegant muse of Morven” by George Washington, and who named the estate after the Gaelic phrase for “big hill.” After five generations of Stocktons, the property was eventually leased to General Robert Wood Johnson II, the chairman of Johnson & Johnson, before becoming New Jersey’s first Governor’s Mansion until the state’s official relocation down the street to Drumthwacket in 1982. DiMascio steps into the executive director role not only during Morven’s 20th year in operation, but at the height of its preparations for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Semiquincentennial in 2026. When people picture the delegates of the Continental Congress whose names helped ratify the foundational document in See DIMASCIO, Page 6
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Junior Joe Andreas plays the field during a recent Ewing High School Baseball game.
Andreas a key contributor for Blue Devils baseball By JUstin Feil
Joe Andreas has been a solid contributor for the Ewing High School baseball team over the last two and a half years. Now the junior is growing into a better leader too. Andreas, who gained significant time towards the end of his
freshman year, has built on his sophomore year when he hit .343 in his first full season starting for the Blue Devils. Through 19 games, he led Ewing with a .408 batting average and was second on the team in hits, one behind sophomore Sam Simpkins while trying to become a stronger presence overall for
the team. “It started freshman year when I had good leaders in the dugout to teach me things and guide me along,” Andreas said. “I just use things from each year I’ve played with the different type of leaders we had in the dugout and just try to take See ANDREAS, Page 14
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