Since taking office in January, Governor Mikie Sherrill has made a habit of doing things a tad differently than the governors before her.
First, it was where she took her oath of office. Now it’s where she and her family will actually be living.
Sherrill announced Friday that she and First Gentleman Jason Hedberg have completed their move into Drumthwacket, becoming the first governor to live full-time in the official residence in more than two decades.
The last governor to reside there was Jim McGreevey, who left in 2004 after resigning from office. Jon Corzine briefly used the mansion to recover after a serious 2007 car crash, but no governor since McGreevey has actually lived there full-time.
“Drumthwacket is more than the Governor’s residence, it is ‘The People’s House,'” Sherrill and Hedberg said in a joint statement. “We’re excited to bring it to life with our family, open its doors to New Jerseyans, and share the rich history and heritage that make this place so special.”
The 20-room Greek Revival mansion sits in Princeton, built in 1835 by Charles Smith Olden, a merchant and banker who went on to become New Jersey’s 19th governor. The property once belonged to William Penn and was the site of a Revolutionary War battle.
A Pattern, Not a One-Off
This isn’t the first time Sherrill has broken with tradition.
Sherrill took her oath of office at NJPAC in Newark, breaking with 235 years of tradition that saw New Jersey governors sworn into office in Trenton. It made her the first elected governor in more than two centuries to take the oath outside the state capital.
At the time, Sherrill framed the move as a reflection of her broader approach to governing. “As governor, I will continue showing up for Newark, Trenton and all of New Jersey’s communities,” she said during her inauguration remarks.
The Drumthwacket move fits into a similar bracket. In the statement announcing the move, Sherrill said living in the residence puts her family “at the heart of our state, closer to the State House, the Capital City, and the important work we came here to do for every New Jerseyan.”
Leaving Montclair Behind
Before Drumthwacket, Sherrill and Hedberg lived in Montclair, where they raised their four children over the past 16 years, and where Sherrill served as a Congresswoman before being elected governor. Two of the couple’s children are now midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy, while two are still in high school—whether they will attend Princeton High School remains to be seen.
“Montclair and Essex County have been a beloved home for us and will always hold a special place in our hearts,” the couple said. “They are where we grew our family and raised our children for the past 16 years, surrounded by a community we will miss deeply.”
Whether it’s the location of her inauguration or her new home address, Sherrill’s moves so far as governor suggest she’s approaching the role with a willingness to depart from the precedent. How this shapes the rest of her term is anyone’s guess.
Tom is a lifelong New Jersey resident, Rutgers and FDU alumni and the publisher of The Digest.
