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     New Jersey and Princeton References in the Episodes

Thursday, January 05, 2006

Season 1 - Episode 4 - "Maternity"

In this episode, we have some new references, and a number of old ones.

There is a spoken reference to "Princeton General Hospital". It doesn't exist.

In the scene where the female clinic patient brings in her husband and they confront House by his office, you'll see above the double doors, behind House's head "Carnegie Wing." This is undoubtedly a reference to Lake Carnegie and Andrew Carnegie.

There's an interesting story here ... Princeton University students had long complained of the lack of a satisfactory rowing venue. In the 1870s, the crew team tried rowing on the Delaware and Raritan Canal, but it was too narrow and heavily traveled. One day Howard Russell Butler (Class of '76 ... 1876, that is) happened to run into Andrew Carnegie, the Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist and founder of Carnegie Steel Company (later to become U.S. Steel) while both were traveling on the train affectionately known as the Dinky (still runs between the Princeton campus and Princeton Junction and is usually only one car, hence the name). Butler aired his complaints to Carnegie who had built a number of lakes in his native Scotland. He was intrigued and asked Butler to research what it would cost to fulfill Butler and his friends' dream to create a lake by flooding the wetlands south of campus. Butler sent Carnegie a letter dated July 16, 1902 stating it was feasible and should cost just over $100,000.00. Carnegie agreed to fund the project.

Four years later, the 300-acre marsh and surrounding land was purchased, the vegetation removed and mud dredged out by horse-drawn wagons. An area of Stony Brook and the Millstone River between Kingston and Princeton was dammed, flooding the area to a depth of 12 feet. Princeton now had its lake ... three miles long and up to 800 feet wide. Lake Carnegie was dedicated on December 5, 1906.

About the only one not happy with the lake was Princeton's 13th President at the time, Woodrow Wilson (yes, *that* Woodrow Wilson ... he didn't become U.S. President until seven years later). Both he and President James McCosh before him had tried many times to get Carnegie to make a donation to the University without success. Instead Carnegie gave the University a lake. It is said Wilson remarked, "We asked for bread, and he gave us cake."

As the husband, wife and House go *around the corner from his office*, we see "McCormick Wing." Keep that in mind, it's important.

Later, we see "Mathey Wing" behind Cuddy and Wilson.

When House is next by his office, where the double doors had said "Carnegie Wing", we see that now it says "McCormick Wing!" I did a double take.
Either the "Continuity Fairy" was asleep on the job or I'm seeing things! I rewatched the two scenes three times. I was seeing correctly. Apparently, someone goofed! :-D

Later when House is watching the elderly woman volunteer, we see "Mathey Wing" behind him. and that's it for this episode.

Happy New Year, Everyone!
Jersey Girl



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