Palmer Square is what Princeton has instead of an old town centre — a self-consciously colonial-style shopping square built in the 1930s on land donated by Edgar Palmer, a local industrialist. The brick-and-clapboard buildings look older than they are, the seasonal plantings are well kept, and the Nassau Inn at the far end has been welcoming visitors since 1937 (a much older Nassau Inn stood in the same area as far back as 1756).
It is the obvious starting point for any walk around the town: cafes and bookshops on three sides, the campus across Nassau Street, and a small green at the centre that hosts a Christmas tree lighting in December and outdoor concerts in summer. Witherspoon Street, leading north from one corner of the square, has the more interesting independent restaurants and shops.