Col. John Stevens died in Hoboken in 1838. He was a lawyer, engineer and inventor of steamboats and railroads. He served in the Revolutionary War and after his duties, he purchased land in Hoboken and spent most of his time building a home and developing the property.
In 1804 Stevens donated a piece of land overlooking Manhattan to the city for park use. But it wasn’t until 1873 that the city of Hoboken began to develop the park, which they named Stevens Park, according to Hoboken Historical Museum director Bob Foster.
"This is definitely one of the earliest parks in the city," Foster said.
During World War I, soldiers would use the park as a rest stop and recreation area, Foster said. Stevens has been renovated a few times since its construction. It’s 138,000 square-feet and it includes a little league baseball field, a dog run, shaded walkways, various benches and a monument honoring Civil War veterans.
Hoboken resident Dave Kim was recently walking his dog at the park. He stopped by the dog run where he met up with neighbors.
"I like the location of this park," Kim said. "It’s downtown, but there’s privacy."
Working in New York during the week, Kim enjoys walking his two-year-old boxer "Geronimo" at Stevens.
During the summer, children can be seen playing at the park, and the local little league team hosts clubs from neighboring towns. The baseball field overlooks the skyline, offering players a majestic view while they play the summer pastime.
"It’s our great little field of dreams," Foster said.
Stevens Park is located on Hudson Street between Fourth and Fifth streets, across the street from the DeBaun Auditorium.
The Current will be visiting a different Hudson County park each week throughout the summer. Do you have a favorite park in Hudson County? Let us know by writing to current@hudsonreporter.com. q