capcha: Sesquicentennial + 10 = ______ (or how many years ago did Hoboken first elect a Mayor?)

One hundred sixty years ago on March 28, 1855, Hoboken was incorporated as a City. A short time later the first election was held and Cornelius V. Clickener was elected as the first Mayor (along with the first City Council, George Brampton and James K. Brush.) This commemorative lithograph was created on the occasion of Mayor Clickener’s first address to the Council on May 7th.

A wonderfully detailed black-and-white lithograph, this copy was a gift of Gregg Hammerdorfer, it is not just early Hoboken leaders that make it interesting. It was a Hoboken artist that created it. Immigrant artist Otto Knirsch (then 24 years old) briefly lived in Hoboken and signed this work at the lower right (detail shown above); he was later highly regarded for his engraved work seen on the covers of 19th C. sheet music and music albums. Learn more in our online catalog, enter keyword: 2014.052.0001