New Jersey Governor Moves Family to Historic Drumthwacket Mansion

Mikie Sherrill's family will be the first full-time residents at the governor's official residence since 2004.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 6:24pm

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A serene, nostalgic painting of the grand, stately exterior of the Drumthwacket mansion in Princeton, New Jersey, with the building bathed in warm, golden sunlight and deep shadows, capturing the timeless elegance of this historic governor's residence.The historic Drumthwacket mansion in Princeton, New Jersey will once again serve as the full-time residence for the state's first family under Governor Mikie Sherrill.Trenton Today

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill is moving her family this summer from their home in Montclair to the historic Drumthwacket mansion in Princeton. The move will cut down Sherrill's daily commute to the state capital in Trenton and marks the first time a governor's family has lived full-time at Drumthwacket since 2004.

Why it matters

Drumthwacket has served as the official governor's residence since the 1830s, but it has been largely vacant in recent decades. Sherrill's decision to move her family there is seen as an effort to revive the historic mansion and strengthen the governor's presence in the state capital.

The details

Governor Sherrill, her husband, and their four children will be leaving their home in Montclair to take up residence at the 16,000 square foot, 6-bedroom, 7-bathroom Drumthwacket estate in Princeton. No governor has lived full-time at Drumthwacket since 2004, when former Governor James McGreevey moved in with his then-wife. More recent governors like Phil Murphy and Chris Christie have only hosted events and occasionally spent the night at the mansion.

  • Sherrill's family will move into Drumthwacket this summer.
  • The last full-time residents at Drumthwacket were former Governor James McGreevey and his wife in 2004.

The players

Mikie Sherrill

The current Governor of New Jersey, who is moving her family to the historic Drumthwacket mansion.

James McGreevey

The last governor to live full-time at Drumthwacket, moving in with his then-wife in 2004.

Phil Murphy

The former Governor of New Jersey who hosted events and occasionally spent the night at Drumthwacket, but did not live there full-time.

Chris Christie

The former Governor of New Jersey who also hosted events and occasionally spent the night at Drumthwacket, but did not live there full-time.

Michah Rasmussen

The director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University, who commented on the governor's move to Drumthwacket.

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What they’re saying

“From Day One this administration has committed to getting to work in Trenton to deliver on our commitments. We're thrilled to further strengthen that commitment by living full time in the Governor's official residence and being much closer to the Capital City and the State House. Drumthwacket is the people's house, and we look also forward to continuing to bring it to life for New Jersey residents and highlight all the incredible history it offers.”

— Mikie Sherrill, Governor of New Jersey

“It does not surprise me. Cutting an hour or more off of your commute every day means that's more time you can focus on the job, which is great. So that part of it makes a lot of sense. The other thing that comes to mind immediately is that the State Police are all set up for executive protection at Drumthwacket. They have built out their capacity to do that over the years.”

— Michah Rasmussen, Director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University

What’s next

The move to Drumthwacket is expected to be completed by the end of the summer, allowing Governor Sherrill and her family to be fully settled in the historic mansion before the start of the new school year.

The takeaway

Governor Sherrill's decision to move her family to Drumthwacket represents an effort to revitalize the historic governor's residence and strengthen the executive branch's presence in the state capital. The move will also provide the governor with a shorter commute and enhanced security, allowing her to focus more on her duties in Trenton.