Lackawanna Station
In 1811, the first steam-powered ferries began service in Hoboken by John Stevens, an inventor who was also the founder of Hoboken. Lackawanna Station was formed in 1851, though the terminal was built in 1907 making it one of the Northeast’s earliest railroads.
Pier A Park
Pier A, similar to other Hoboken piers, used to be a shipping dock for the larger ship. It is located right next to the Hoboken Terminal. The pier was converted into a park in 1999. If you go to the edge of the pier, there is a very clear view of New York City.
Sinatra Amphitheater
The Sinatra Park Amphitheater was built in 1988 in the style of a Roman amphitheater. It faces Manhattan, allowing nice views of the city skyline. The Hoboken Divison of Cultural Affairs typically organizes plays and musical events, and in 2004, CNN broadcast live episodes of "Inside Politics" and "Crossfire" from the amphitheater.For the next stop at the Little League Field, cross the street at the crosswalk nearest to the amphitheater. From there, make a left and follow the path around the field, until you can walk into the park at the next right.
Little League Park
June 19, 1846, was the first recorded baseball match hosted by Hoboken’s Elysian fields. It was the first game played with recognizably modern rules, and many baseball historians link this event to be the birth of modern baseball. During that time, “baseball” clubs started to pop up in places like Manhattan, but quickly chased away real estate development because their players would often break windows of nearby buildings while playing. Conveniently, a fifteen minute ferry ride across the Hudson river was just enough for those clubs to enjoy some games in Hoboken. However, John Stevens invited sports clubs of all kinds to his Elysian Fields, later renamed into Little League Field.This park is also the set for many scenes in the classic 1954 movie, "On the Waterfront" starring Marlon Brando. This movie details Hoboken's history of packing and shipping companies on the waterfront docks while providing a great storyline.On your way to Castle Point, enjoy the scenery in Hoboken's resident college, Steven's Institute of Technology.
Castle Point
Castle Point is the highest point in Hoboken, its name a corruption of "Castille Point", because it was likened to the Castilian Coast of Spain. The land was bought by Colonel John Stevens, who turned it into an estate. Later, it was acquired by Stevens Institute, and remains part of campus. It overlooks Sybil's Cave, on Sinatra Drive. Sybil's Cave also has an interesting story - the gate marks the spot of an old spring, dried up since the 19th century. However, it's most famous for it's air of mystery. It first became widely known as the site of an unsolved murder in 1841.Once you reach the brick road one block away from Elysian Park, you are also standing surrounded by history. On this road are bircks from ships from all over the world, who used them as extra weight. Since they were excess, they were used to pave roads - all over Hoboken, there are roads made of bricks - though most of them are under layers of asphalt now.
WWI Memorial, Elysian Park
This is small park is where you can take your kids and dogs to play and could even be a place to admire the clear city view. This part of land was once owned by the Steven's family in 1784. This part is just a small part of the original plot of the Elysian Field. Some claim Elysian Field was where the first organized baseball game was played in 1846. You can see the city clearly from here and it is a great spot for pictures. There are gates on the edge of the park, protecting you from falling. These gates were also included in a scene from the 'On the Waterfront', produced in 1954, starring Marlon Brando, Karl Malden and Lee J.Cobb. If you go to the center of the park you will find a memorial dedicated during World War I. It shows two soldiers coming home from the war. One of them has a girl by his side, and the other has his hat up in the air and a dog. These statues are standing on top of three feet of white granite. On the side of it there are two art pieces resembling ships from the war.Observe the fences lining the perimeter of the park. If you go near the telephone pole, near the fence on the side overlooking New York City, you will be nearly in the same spot as the actors in a scene from the 1954 movie, "On the Waterfront".
Hoboken Historical Museum
This is the Hoboken Historical Museum, established in 1986. This tour was created in partnership with the HHM to promote education on local history through fun activities. Be sure to have a look around the museum when you have a chance!
Hoboken Tea Building
In 1913, Sir Thomas Lipton (originally an owner of grocery stores in the UK) created Lipton Tea Company, to sell better quality tea from Sri Lanka. He needed a place to easily package and ship the tea received from Sri Lanka, and Hoboken was the perfect place to do so. The waterfront, back then, was drastically different from today’s well-tended parks and nice condos. It had many ports, being right on the Hudson, and was a great option for a company that needed easy access to ship their goods. Another reason Sir Thomas Lipton thought Hoboken was the best option was in part because it was right across the river from New York City, where he planned on expanding his business to. In 1963, Sir Thomas Lipton left Hoboken after the rise of innovation and containerization (easily transferable packaging) antiquated the ports. In the early 1990’s, it was converted to an apartment building, and renamed the Hudson Tea Building.
Weehawken Cove
The name 'Weehawken' comes from the Lenape tribe and can translate as "at the end of" so Weehawken cove means "at the end of the cove." This cove is a good place to go fishing, or kayak. You can also walk around the cove's edge on a pristine walkway that runs from the train station in down town Hoboken to Weehawken cove. It is called The Hudson River Waterfront walkway. It takes you from one side of Hoboken to the other while still providing unobstructed views of New York City.
