“#WeAreN” – Linden Lane, Princeton, 2014. (click to expand)

One of the things that makes downtown Princeton so walkable is the mixture of houses old and new, gardens, parks and many different things to draw the eye of the walker. Walking is enjoyable, because there are many things to draw your interest. When walkability guru Jeff Bezos talks about the things that make walking appealing, he invariably talks about how walking must be ‘interesting’. (as well as ‘safe’, ‘comfortable’, and ‘useful’. A walk through Princeton’s Tree Streets neighborhood is invariably more interesting than a trek up Bunn Drive, because there is a constantly changing environment. One house in particular caught the eye on a recent stroll…

The house pictured above on Linden Lane is a really beautiful old colonial. It’s hard to walk past without stopping to admire the impeccably-kept home, with hanging baskets, perfect landscaping, an outstanding example of old-time Princeton charm. But what’s that on the wall? Facing the street, somebody has painted a strange symbol – a face? And beside it, on either side, the phrase “#WeAreN”.

A quick Google reveals #WeAreN to be a slogan used in social media to encourage worldwide support for Christians in Iraq. So who painted it on the wall of this beautiful Princeton colonial? A passing tagger, or maybe the owner of the house, who strongly supports the cause? Hard to say. You could walk by tomorrow and it might be gone again. And that’s why walking in downtown Princeton is a pleasure- things are always changing, and always interesting.

Do you know why #WeAreN is painted on the side of this house? Have you noticed this sign? And what other strange sites in downtown Princeton catch your eye when you’re walking? Let us know in the comments box below.