HOBOKEN, 2014

by Kevin Walsh

In the summer of 2014 I took multiple walks up and down the streets of Hoboken, NJ, hoping to do an epic series of posts capturing its small-town minutiae. I didn’t finish — I have yet to walk the streets west of Clinton Street — and I’m despairing of ever finishing because I’m tied up with two ongoing freelance jobs, as well as planning multiple FNY tours (all this for precious little money!) Over the years I have found Hoboken, and to a lesser degree, Jersey City, as fascinating examples of city design in the NYC metropolitan area, meaning I can afford to visit them with a Metrocard fare.

There’s plenty going on at Willow Avenue and 9th Street, like the old fashioned glass-painted drugstore sign that has survived the years, as well as the enamel “9th Street” sign attached to the building. Stuff like this has been extinguished from the NYC streetscape in an accelerating pace especially in the last few years.

I have hundreds of Hoboken images. Will the project ever happen? I hope so.

7/3/15

2 comments

Tom July 9, 2015 - 6:28 pm

I hope so too Kevin. A lot of cool old signs and buildings in Hoboken. I assume you have a picture of the old Clam Broth House sign from about 1900?

Reply
Kiwiwriter July 21, 2015 - 11:04 am

You’ll find the enamel street signs all over Hoboken. The City pretty much only removes them when the buildings come down for whatever reason.

That drug store has been there since 1921.

Reply

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.