Historic Highlights

The Stevens Family The Family The grandfather of Hoboken’s founder, also named John Stevens, emigrated from England to New York City in 1699 at the age of seventeen. He served a seven year indenture as a clerk to a crown official in New York, then pursued interests in land and mining. He came to the Jerseys after hearing about copper mining in Rocky Hill, near Princeton. He soon found the…

On the Waterfront On the Waterfront: A Classic Film Created in Hoboken 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…

Sybil's Cave Sybil's Cave Today and Yesterday 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…

Francis Albert Sinatra (1915 – 1998) For a virtual version of the Museum's Sinatra Walking Tour map, click here. 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 career and imparted a cocky but relatable image, which helped make him…