PRINCETON, WV (LOOTPRESS)– The Princeton Railroad Museum decided to create a new version of Monopoly that showcases the city and Mercer County.
Central Press manufactures it, and the new Princetonopoly features older businesses no longer around, such as Lloyd’s Bakery and GC Murphy. Princeton Railroad Museum Tour Guide, Cathy Douglas, says that they hope this version will be as successful as the others.
“It’s been really popular. We were featured in the Princeton Times, and that made people realize that we had the game,” said Douglas.
According to Douglas, historian Patricia Smith came up with the idea to start Princetonopoly.
“It originally started out as fundraising for the museum, and I saw Rockville, Indiana do it. So I contacted the company that manufactured their game, and they helped me every step of the way,” said Smith.
Smith created the 2018 and 2019 versions of the game that had sold out at the museum and on her Facebook page. The theme for the 2019 Princetonopoly version featured car game pieces as a 56′ Thunderbird. The new game pieces Smith will create are trolley cars that were in Princeton and Bluefield up until 1947.
According to Smith, a local Walmart began to sell another version of Princetonopoly, but she says it’s not as authentic.
“I’ve been doing this for two years, and mine is $10 more, but mine has areas and merchants that are involved in it. Mine is the true advertising,” said Smith.
The cost of the game is $30, and Smith says she wants to do something different with the money.
“There’s a vacant lot across from the Railroad Museum, and I want to take that money and build a train-themed playground for the children,” said Smith.
Smith and the museum are currently looking for sponsors to buy their place on the board. She is looking for patrons whose businesses are on Mercer Street. The cost to buy a board space is $250, and it includes an old picture and name of the company and the current business’s name, address, and phone number.
For anyone interested in sponsoring the game, contact the Princeton Railroad Museum at 304-487-5060. Smith asks to make sure to leave a name and a phone number so she can return the call.