Home inspection in Princeton.

What we see in Princeton homes.

Princeton was platted in winter 1855 and recorded in April 1856, and it was incorporated on March 3, 1877. It sits where the Rum River meets its West Branch, in Mille Lacs and Sherburne counties, and covers 5.15 square miles. Lumber mills used the river's white pine, and Brickton, two miles northeast, made as many as 20 million bricks a year from 1889 into the late 1920s, which is why the older core is brick. The 2020 census counted 4,819 residents and 2,190 housing units. Newer subdivisions ring the older grid on the Rum River terrace and sandy plain, with U.S. 169 and Highway 95 serving the city.

Brick buildings age in their own ways. In the older core, masonry, mortar joints and chimneys, foundations, original wiring and plumbing, older roofs and additions are what matter. Sandy terrace ground drains well but the river and low spots can bring moisture, so grading, the sump and basement walls matter. On the newer edges, roof flashing, attic ventilation, settled grading and deck attachment are the points to watch. Across all ages, panel capacity and heating equipment matter.

Local facts checked September 2026 against: Wikipedia, Wikipedia, Minnesota Department of Health.