Is Hoboken forgetting Frank Sinatra?
I share an article written by Lee Vowell for Audiophix.com:
“Frank Sinatra didn’t leave Hoboken, New Jersey, until he was 20. One might assume that, based on the fact that Ol’Blue Eyes is one of the most iconic artists in music history, the city could dedicate a neighborhood to him That’s not the case, so maybe the city also left Sinatra behind when he left.
Sure, there’s a random blight on the site where Sinatra grew up at 415 Monroe Street, and one can walk around the very walkable city of Hoboken and see the buildings where Sinatra once stood, or at least where some of the buildings used to be. but if one did not already know that Sinatra was from Hoboken, one may accidentally become aware of that fact if one stays in the city.
Hoboken is certainly a nice place. Washington Street has several local and national establishments. There are enough nice restaurants and bars to have a good time. Just don’t expect much of a Sinatra feel.
Frank Sinatra Apparently Forgot Hoboken and Hoboken Almost Forgot Ol’ Blue Eyes. The city named a riverside amphitheater after him, and there is also a small park named after Sinatra, but the amphitheater is simply a row of steps, so it simply looks like a walkway to the river. There is also a statue of Sintra. He is leaning against a lamppost. It is by far the best of the few items placed somewhere in the city to honor its most famous son.
Let’s be real here. There is only one easy way to walk to the statue, but it is not near a main street nor is it easy to find. You have to take an urban walk to see it, almost as if the city was saying, “Okay, we can’t not say something about Frank Sinatra, but let’s not make a big deal out of it.”
Because? Maybe it’s just the way of life. Hoboken, like many cities, renews itself with some frequency, and the past is (sometimes literally) paved over and for the most part forgotten. Sinatra may not have retired to the city, but he certainly trained there. The city owes him more than a random statue and a small part of the Hoboken Historical Museum.
Or maybe it’s not like that. Sinatra was more Las Vegas and New York than Hoboken. It just so happened that he was born accidentally in New Jersey. He wouldn’t have chosen it. And, in return, the city has chosen to keep Frank Sinatra out of its affairs.”
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