Historic Highlights
Hoboken is Burning
Hoboken is not the only city to struggle with gentrification, but the fires that plagued the city in the 1970s and ’80s displaced thousands of people, killed dozens and scarred the city’s landscape and social fabric. This page brings together some resources for learning more about the period.
Sybil’s Cave Yesterday and Today
Sybil’s Cave is the oldest manmade structure in Hoboken, created in 1832 by the Stevens Family as a folly on their property that contained a natural spring. By the mid-19th century the cave was a recreational destination within walking distance from downtown Hoboken. A restaurant offered outdoor refreshments beside the cave. When the Stevens’ family property became Stevens Institute, the cave became property…
A City in Wartime: Hoboken, 1914-1919
In the summer of 1914, Europe went to war. Although the United States did not enter the Great War until the spring of 1917, the conflict that would later be called World War I had an immediate impact on Hoboken, a port city with large immigrant communities. When America formally entered the war on April 6, 1917, Hoboken’s waterfront became central to the war…
Frank Sinatra, The Voice
Old Blue Eyes. The Voice. Chairman of the Board. Or, in Hoboken, simply “Frankie.” Frank Sinatra is Hoboken’s most famous son. Though the talented singer moved out of town after he achieved fame, his Hoboken upbringing shaped his early…
The Stevens Family
The Stevens family had a strong influence on the development of American yachting. On July 30, 1844, John Cox Stevens hosted the organizational meeting of the New York Yacht Club on his yacht Gimcrack. He would serve as First Commodore of the club until 1854. Despite the name, the club met in Hoboken. A clubhouse was built on Stevens family land just north of Castle Point.
On the Waterfront
The 1954 film On the Waterfront was shaped by its setting in Hoboken. On the Waterfront featured Marlon Brando as Terry Malloy, a tough guy struggling with his conscience and his loyalty to a waterfront gang. While most movies at the time were filmed on studio stages, On the Waterfront was filmed on location, mostly in Hoboken. Many Hoboken residents played extras or even minor characters.
