America 250 at Princeton University: Cannon Green

Added: 2026-05-07

[00:00:00]Hi, my name is Alex saying. I'm a senior in electrical and computer engineering and this is all you need to know about Cannon Green. The cannon itself is one of the oldest publicly displayed cannons in the United States. [music] It dates back to the 1670s. It was used in the American Revolution by the British, abandoned here after the Battle of Princeton and then taken to New Brunswick for use in the War of 1812 before being returned here by a group of militia and being buried right here in this spot in 1840. Since then it's been a central site for Princeton University.

[00:00:28]It's seen some of the first intercollegiate football games and has been the home of many of our central traditions including our bonfires after beating [music] Yale and Harvard as well as the smashing of clay pipes at the end of class day, a tradition that went into the 1980s. Although the cannon has sunk from its original [music] 6 ft down to just 2, it remains a constant reminder of Princeton's historic past and our deep connection to the birth of our nation. This is America 250 at Princeton University.