Vintage Princeton: Paul Tulane

By Jordan Hillier

One of Princeton’s most treasured attributes is its University, home to some of the top academics and students in the country, and the world. However, in 1882, this prestigious school, then the College of New Jersey, was close to becoming known as Tulane University, when Princeton resident, Paul Tulane, offered the college a large sum of money in exchange for his name on the front gates.

Paul Tulane (1801-1887) was born just outside of Princeton on May 10. He was the son of French immigrants, Louis and Maria Tulane, and attended a series of private schools, but never truly found an academic calling. As a result, he dropped out of school at 15. He did not attend the college he would later try to rename after himself.

With the absence of a school schedule to abide by, Tulane traveled the southern half of the United States, which led to a keen interest in business and New Orleans. At the age of 21, he established Paul Tulane and Co., a retail and wholesale dry goods and clothing store, which first opened in New Orleans. His business became very popular, and made him a wealthy man by the age of 27.

When Tulane retired in 1857, after operating his business for close to 40 years, he bought the Walter Lowrie House at 83 Stockton Street in Princeton, where he then lived for 20 years until his death. This property is now the official residence of the President of Princeton University. In 1882, Tulane offered the University an enormous sum of money, close to $360,000,000 if translated into today’s value, if it would change its name to Tulane University. Tulane’s offer was rejected by the University’s trustees.

When faced with this rejection Tulane looked to his other favorite city, New Orleans, and gave his money to the Medical College of Louisiana in New Orleans instead. The College accepted Tulane’s offer, and, in 1884, the school became known as Tulane University in Louisiana.

Paul Tulane was not pleased by Princeton University’s rejection. Legend has it that he declared that he wanted to be buried in Princeton, facing away from the University. Tulane was buried in the Princeton Cemetery on Witherspoon Street, and while most of the headstones in this cemetery face to the east, the statue of Tulane above his grave faces north, with its back to Nassau Hall.