Dear Editor:

On Monday, March 28th, Hoboken will celebrate its 150th Anniversary, as an incorporated city. The history of Hoboken goes back long before 1855. Let's go back and 396 years ago to 1609, when Henry Hudson's first mate Robert Juet wrote in the log book of the Half Moon as the ship was anchored off present day Hoboken (this is) "a very gook piece of ground." I'm sure we would all agree with first mate Juet's observation!

Hoboken has gone from Bayard's Farm, to the estate of John Stevens. The "father of modern Hoboken" under Stevens' family ownership, the once pristine Elysian Fields with its shade trees and river walk, would become one of most important seaports in the nation. From the port of Hoboken almost two million Doughboys would leave American soil to fight a war in Europe.

In the last half of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century Hoboken was a major industrial center; among the products manufactured in Hoboken were coffee, tea, puddings, leather products, soap and many more than I can name here. Hoboken has been home to many celebrities, of which more will be written about in the coming months.

Hoboken has certainly had its "ups and downs", however, Hoboken is on an up swing. I'm sure the future of Hoboken will be as bright, as Hoboken's History is great!

Leonard A. Luizzi
Official City Historian