By: Emily Craighead
WEST WINDSOR One of the four bike rides at Saturday’s West Windsor Bikefest will lead cyclists on a tour through the township’s history.
The 10-mile route circles past 19 historic sites, starting with Ladyfair, a house on Clarksville Road built in the late 17th century, and ending at the 1750 Christopher and Kimberly Casarona house, which was used as a safe house on the underground railroad.
With the help of Kay Reed and Mary Schenck of the West Windsor Historical Society, ride organizer Arnold Kelly researched and planned the ride.
"In addition to providing an opportunity to have some fun biking around the township, we have attempted to provide an inkling of its rich and vibrant history," Mr. Kelly said.
Along the route, cyclists will see well-known locations, like the former site of the water tower a local resident mistook for a spaceship during the "War of the Worlds" broadcast in 1938.
Just before the 5-mile marker, bike riders can rest at the Schenck farmstead on Southfield Road before heading to what Mr. Kelly dubbed the "Great West Windsor Divide." This geological feature runs parallel to Village Road. To the south of this divide, rainwater drains into the Delaware River Basin. To the north, water flows to the Raritan River Basin.
Moving on, cyclists will pass Dutch Neck School and another schoolhouse that has since been transformed into a private residence at 516 Village Road West.
"We welcome your participation in this exploration, and to our continuing effort not only to flesh out the lives and events that have contributed to our mutual history, but also to make this tour something we can look forward to with pleasant anticipation in the coming years," Mr. Kelly said in a description of the tour.
The West Windsor Bikefest will take place at Community Park. The 10-mile historical ride takes off at 10 a.m. Registration is required and costs $20 for adults and $10 for children.
In case of inclement weather, call (609) 799-6141 to find out if the event has been postponed to Sunday.

