Hoboken

Lore & Background

Hoboken was first settled by Europeans as part of the Pavonia, New Netherland colony in the 17th century. During the early 19th century, the city was developed by Colonel John Stevens, first as a resort and later as a residential neighborhood. Originally part of Bergen Township and later North Bergen Township, it became a separate township in 1849 and was incorporated as a city in 1855. Hoboken is the location of the first recorded game of baseball and of the Stevens Institute of Technology, one of the oldest technological universities in the United States. It is also known as the birthplace and hometown of the world-famous singer and actor Frank Sinatra (1915–1998); various streets and parks in the city have been named after him. Located on the Hudson Waterfront, the city was an integral part of the Port of New York and New Jersey and was home to major industries for most of the 20th century. The character of the city has changed from an artsy industrial vibe from the days when Maxwell House coffee, Lipton tea, Hostess Cupcakes, and Wonder Bread called Hoboken home, to one of trendy shops and expensive condominiums.

In Their Own Story

The rain fell in sheets, washing blood from the cracked asphalt. Max Payne stood outside his apartment, the yellow tape still fluttering. Inside, the crib was empty, the walls pockmarked with bullets. He remembered the laughter, the warmth—now just echoes in a tomb of wet concrete. Hoboken had become a mausoleum, and he its only mourner. Every shadow held a ghost, every puddle a reflection of a man already dead. He lit a cigarette, the smoke mingling with the steam rising from a manhole. Somewhere in the night, the Valkyrie drug whispered its promise of oblivion. Max had his own promise to keep.

Reader's Guide

Hoboken is a real city in New Jersey, not a neighborhood of New York City. It is not a fictionalized version of a real city; it is a real municipality with actual history, geography, and demographics. The source makes no mention of any video game or Max Payne.

Did You Know?

• Hoboken was ranked 2nd in Niche's '2019 Best Places to Live in Hudson County' list, and 1st in 2022.
• The name Hoboken was chosen by Colonel John Stevens; the Lenape referred to the area as 'land of the tobacco pipe'.
• Hoboken has been nicknamed the Mile Square City, but it actually occupies about 1.25 sq mi (3.2 km2) of land.
• During the late 19th/early 20th century, Hoboken's population and culture were dominated by German language speakers who sometimes called it 'Little Bremen'.