Portapotty Capers

Location, location, location. 

This porta potty, rented by the Princeton recreation department, leads a humble but much appreciated existence at the bottom of the Herrontown Woods parking lot, ready whenever nature calls.

We almost lost it yesterday, though. While I was pulling stiltgrass, over across the creek from the Barden, I heard a big truck lumber into the parking lot to service the portapotty. No big deal. This happens every week. 

But then a half hour later, another big truck showed up. As I pulled bunches of stiltgrass here and there and stuffed them into a bag, in an effort to prevent the uber-invasive from releasing thousands of seeds that would make our work harder next year, I started to wonder what that second truck was doing. 

It slowly sank in that the truck was about to take the portapotty away. I broke into a run, headed the truck off at the pass, waved down the driver and, when he stopped, asked him what was going on. He said he had an order to remove the portapotty. I told him that we had in years past twice had the portapotty mysteriously disappear. Each time, after telling us that the portapotty had evidently been stolen and that we owed them $1000, the company eventually figured out that through some internal miscommunication, they themselves had been the thieves. 

This time, I caught them in the act. The driver said he'd look into it, then drove away. Bye, bye portapotty.

But in less time than it takes to say "Why do weird things like this happen to us?", the truck came lumbering back to the parking lot and put the portapotty back where it belonged. Mistakes had been made, and were now being corrected.

It's a classic Hollywood storyline: Preserve gets portapotty, preserve loses portapotty, preserve gets portapotty back again. Why did it happen? These days, so much is happening that doesn't make sense. I could have asked, but part of me really doesn't want to know. The portapotty's back. That's what matters.

The Case of the Disappearing Portapotty

Portapotty 15750, where are you?

Yes, our portapotty at Herrontown Woods has gone missing. Is portapotty theft a thing? Apparently yes, according to United Site Services, from whom we rent. Turns out that, as renters, we may have to bear responsibility for the replacement cost of the humble structure, plus delivery fee for a new one. 

Rumor has it that the half-marathon that's been going on in our part of town also had a portapotty disappear. We strain to understand the logic. Is there a black market in portapotties? Is it really that hard to find relief these days? Did someone fall in love with portapotty #15750 and decide to elope? Without regular servicing, that romance is not going to last.

Hopefully this mystery will be solved soon. The apparent theft has a potential silver lining, however. After meeting with a police officer on-site to file a report, I was about to head home when I saw a hiker emerging from one of the trails. I went over and started a conversation, thinking he might have been there earlier in the week and noticed something. He hadn't, but having first visited the preserve 25 years ago, he gave a testimonial about how neglected the preserve had been before we formed the Friends of Herrontown Woods in 2013. Then he said that he has worked at a number of historic houses, and is currently a docent and researcher at the Frelinghuysen-Morris House in Massachusetts. 

My jaw dropped a bit, because the Whiton-Stuarts--the wealthy family that first owned what we now call Veblen House--lived for some time in Morristown, and had had a parcel of property near the Frelinghuysen Arboretum there. The Veblen House is a prefab that was originally moved by the Whiton-Stuarts to Princeton from Morristown. He also said that the Frelinghuysen family had a Princeton connection. We exchanged contact info, and will talk more. It would be quite the irony if a missing portapotty led me to someone who can help solve the riddle of the Veblen House's origins and why it was moved to Princeton.

The Return of Portapotty

Much to our individual and collective relief, the portapotty is back. Gray has been replaced by green and brown, and our fear of being liable for a $750 replacement fee has been replaced by a better understanding that mistakes can happen. 

The mystery of the disappearing portapotty, first noticed missing the day before Thanksgiving, continued through the weekend. Were we now living in a world where not even portapotties are safe from theft? 

There had been some detective work. We inspected the spot where it had last been seen. The nearby leaves were undisturbed, suggesting a clean removal. Turned out that the portapotty had not been stolen after all. Rather, one of the company's drivers had mistakenly hauled it away. 

If it had in fact been stolen, we might then have thought twice about getting another one. That in turn would get us thinking more about investing in a composting toilet, which comes up now and then as an alternative. Reportedly, there's one at Rosedale Park. Time for some field research.

Accomplishments in 2021

It's some indication of how busy we've been in 2022 that a compilation of achievements in the year prior isn't getting posted until September. Our battle cry is "Incrementalism!" Listing accomplishments is one way to see how far you can get through persistent effort.

NATURE PRESERVE STEWARDSHIP

• FOHW volunteers continue to care for 220 acres of public land at Herrontown Woods and Autumn Hill Reservation, removing downed trees and adding stones and boardwalks. Lots of help from arborist Victorino Pineda.
• A beautiful new map of Herrontown Woods trails, thanks to graphic artist Alison Carver, who also developed maps of the Barden and Veblen House grounds.
• Updated trail maps on regional and national trail websites.
• Additional trail markers -- With help from a girlscout troop 
• Red Trail Rerouted--after installing many rocks and boardwalks, the red trail is now fully navigable for the first time in its history
• Orange trail to Veblen House created 
• Invasive species control -- collaborated with town contractors to catch invasions early
• Concept of cultural and natural zones developed, with the Barden, cottage and house comprising the cultural zone of Herrontown Woods
• Began working with town on better public access to the preserve
• Met with town's new open space manager

REPAIR OF VEBLEN HOUSE BEGINS IN EARNEST

• FOHW hired a highly skilled carpenter, Robb Geores, to repair the house's framing, inside and out, assisted by volunteers. 
• Electricity -- Veblen House now has electricity, helped along by the initiative of board member Peter Thompson.
• Existing conditions drawings--board member Ahmed Azmy prepared detailed drawings of Veblen House and Cottage
• Recontouring keeps Veblen House and Cottage dry -- Berms, swales and raingardens now keep the structures dry, even after  heavy rains.
• The basement was cleared of old ductwork, furnace and water heater
• More accurate measurements and additional analysis of the Veblen House's systems
• Research on asbestos removal
• Some initial repairs of cottage with help from volunteer Robert Chong
• A scope of work for the Veblen Cottage prepared by architect Max Hayden

HOSTING EVENTS ON THE VEBLEN HOUSE GROUNDS

• The tranquil setting next to Veblen House has proved ideal for hosting community events. To that end, we have created a stage and expanded parking in the driveway.
• Yoga on Saturdays -- Began hosting classes by Gratitude Yoga during warmer weather
• Among Trees -- Collaborated with professional actors and the Princeton Public Library to host a reading of locally sourced nature writings. \
• Treepedia -- Collaborated with Princeton Public Library to host a talk by author Joan Maloof about preserving old growth forest.
• Other events hosted -- a "flying pig" dedication of the Barden's gazebo, a fourth annual Veblen Birthday BBQ Bash, and a volunteer appreciation party

THE PRINCETON BOTANICAL ART GARDEN (BARDEN)

• During the pandemic, the newly nicknamed Barden has become a popular place to safely gather, learn, explore, and socialize, with its gazebo, native plants, fairy garden and other delights
• The Veblen Circle -- Girlscouts helped create attractive labels on wildflowers encircling the gazebo, along with bird houses.
• May's Barden Cafe becomes a thing -- A new tradition began this year at the Barden, with coffee and delicious pastries now served on the first Sunday morning of each month. 
• Ongoing Sunday morning workdays -- this productive and social tradition continues, led by Keena Lipsitz and Andrew Thornton.
• Solar-powered lighting installed in the gazebo--thanks to Forrest Meggers
• Portapotty installed

HISTORICAL WORK

• Paintings traced to renowned artists -- Research traced the remarkable origins of paintings that once hung in Veblen House
• Many connections revealed -- Research revealed the Veblen House's connections to a historic mansion in Jersey City, an artist who lived among the Hopi Indians in Arizona, a prominent ceramist, a movie starring Michael Douglas, the Dogwood Garden Club, and early 20th century Princeton horse culture. 
• Interviews with relatives -- With help from Alison Carver, we were able to contact and interview a granddaughter and grandson of the Whiton-Stuarts
• Barden's gazebo's history learned
• Einstein's Begonias -- We found and are now growing begonias descended from those Einstein had in his Princeton home.

EDUCATION AND OUTREACH:

• Articles about Herrontown Woods- In Tap Into Princeton, Princeton Family Living, and the ECHO
• Fall nature walks -- FOHW collaborated with the Princeton Public Library to host multiple nature walks at Herrontown Woods. 
• Veblen Circle of Wildflowers completed -- Board member Inge Regan collaborated with Girlscout Troop 71837 to create interpretive signage for the Veblen Circle of 30 native wildflowers around the gazebo
• Ongoing research and website posts about nature, FOHW's activities, and the fascinating history of Veblen House at VeblenHouse.org, FOHW.org, and PrincetonNatureNotes.org
• Opened instagram account--thanks to board member Adrian Colarusso
• Many students participated in workdays at the botanical garden
• Seasonal displays on kiosk about plants in the preserve
• Progress on developing a new website, working with Pilar Castro-Kiltz of MoreCanvas.

MAKING USE OF FOUND MATERIALS

• Continue to acquire donated stepping stones, centuries old wood, a pottery wheel, chairs for event seating, and many other items

BOARD

• New board members and many new volunteers.
• Progress on developing a master plan

FUNDRAISING

• All donations go to paying for the skilled labor and materials needed to repair the Veblen House and Cottage, and maintain the Barden and Veblen grounds.