Editor’s note: This is a guest article shared by former Hoboken resident, Al Ferriulo.
Hoboken is known for a lot of things: brownstones, waterfront views, Frank Sinatra, and a bar scene that’s always been a draw. But what many don’t know about are the underground tunnels tied to Hoboken’s waterfront, its German beer hall days, and the Prohibition-era bootlegging scene. Read on for more about Hoboken’s past through one resident’s recollection.
Firsthand Experience
I had always heard stories about underground tunnels in Hoboken. Then, at one point, I saw one for myself.
Back in the 1970s, Vinnie Logan, who ran the Grand Hotel, took me down into the basement and showed me a tunnel that ran toward the river. It had been cut off after Marine View Plaza was built, but the passage was still there. There were also bowling alleys down there – apparently, the old Germans liked to bowl…