installations

Windlass Creative recently designed a unique public exhibit in Hoboken, New Jersey– the birthplace of a surprising number of “firsts” and groundbreaking accomplishments. The Hoboken Business Alliance commissioned WC’s Creative Director, SallyAnne Santos to conceive, compose and design 20 depictions of Hoboken’s unique history to be displayed on “eyesore” utility boxes. With the installation now complete, downtown Hoboken is alive with colorful, eye-catching designs that combine local history bytes with authentic, archival images.

Click on any design to view full size image and captions.

1st Chrysanthemum 1798: Colonel John Stevens, an avid horticulturalist, was the first to import the CHRYSANTHEMUM from England to America.

Chris O’Shea photo

Chris O’Shea photo

“Every Strike Brings Me Closer To the Next Home Run.” ~ Babe Ruth 1846-1857: The first modern BASEBALL GAME and the first BASEBALL SERIES were played at Hoboken’s Elysian Fields.

“Ah, Your Majesty, There Is No Second.” ~ The response to Queen Victoria’s inquiry while observing the racing yacht America. 1844-1851: Hoboken’s John Cox stevens, was a founder and the first commodore of the New York Ycht Club, then headquartered in Hoboken. The NYYC organized the first American Regatta in 1845 and entred the winning yacht of the first America’s Cup competition in 1851 at the Isle of Wight.

1st Zipper 1913: Gideon Sundback invented the ZIPPER at Hoboken’s Universal Fastener Company.

Chris O’Shea photo

Chris O’Shea photo

“Heaven, Hell or Hoboken!” ~ General John J. Pershing 1917: General John J. Pershing inspired troops for a swift conclusion to WWI and a return home byChristmas with his rallying cry: “Heaven, Hell or Hoboken!”

Chris O’Shea photo

1st Slide Rule 1891: Keuffel & Esser Co. manufactured the first Slide Rule in the U.S. at their factory in Hoboken.

“There Isn’t A Train I Wouldn’t Take.” ~ Edna St. Vincent Millay 1825-1832: Colonel John Stevens, the “Father of the American Railroad” built the first Steam Locomotive in the United States. His son, Robert Stevens invented the Pilot Wheel (cow catcher), Hook-Head Spike, T-Rail and Tie & Ballast Track System– all are still in use to this day.

Chris O’Shea photo

1st Touch-Tone Telephone: 1959 Hoboken resident and Stevens Institute ofTechnology profession Dr. Francis T. Boesch, invented the touch-tone telephone.

Chris O’Shea photo

Good to the Last Drop! ~ Maxwell House Coffee’s tagline since 1917. 1939-1942: Maxwell House Coffee’s blending and roasting plant in Hoboken was the world’s largest. INSTANT COFFEE was invented here and first sent to troops during World War II. photo: Maxwell House Coffee’s 500,000 sq./ft. plant consisted of 7 buildings on the Hoboken waterfront.

Chris O’Shea photo

1st American Club: “As we journey through life, let us live by the way; Congenial souls where’ere they meet, in social terms each other greet.” ~ Hoboken Turtle Club motto 1796: The Hoboken Turtle Club was founded by Colonel John Stevens to wage war on the snapping turtles that were drowning chickens at his waterfront estate. Some of the Club’s first members were George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin, Club members met regularly to feast on turtle soup.

Chris O’Shea photo

“We’re Gonna Need A Bigger Boat.” ~ Roy Scheider as Chief Brody in JAWS 1830-1832: Hoboken’s Colonel John Stevens invented the first River Steamboat, the first Ocean-Voyage Steamship and the first Steam-powered Ferry in the world.

Chris O’Shea photo

1st Woman Around The World 1889: Departing from Hoboken, journalist Elizabeth Cochrane Seaman– popularly nicknamed “Nellie Bly”– was the first woman to travel around the world in less than 80 days. She returned to Jersey City in 72 days, 6 hours and 11 minutes.

Chris O’Shea photo

Just Eight Minutes to Herald Square! 1879-1964: The Hudson River Tubes construction project was the first to employ a compressed-air tunneling method. America’s FIRST SUBWAY began operation in 1908 with its inaugural trip from Manhattan to Hoboken. The PATH claimed another subway first with its addition of air-conditioning in 1964l

Chris O’Shea photo

1st American Subway 1908: The Hudson Rapid Tubes, now known as the PATH system, connected New Jersey with New York City.

Chris O’Shea photo

“Don’t Stop The Presses!” 1942-1946: One hundred eighty million (180,000,000) Ration Books for gasoline, rubber, meat, coffee, sugar and shoes were printed in Hoboken at the U.S. Office of Price Administration.

1st Kindergarten 1861: Hoboken Academy was the first school in America to include KINDERGARTEN within its curriculum.

“The World Looks Mighty Good To Me ‘Cause Tootsie Rolls Are All I See…” ~Tootsie Roll Jingle 1938-1966: Bolstered by a government contract to supply long-lasting treats for G.I. rations, millions of Tootsie Rolls were produced at theSweets Company of America’s Hoboken factory.

Chris O’Shea photo

1st Waffle Cone 1904: While exhibiting at theSt. Louis Worlds’ Fair, Hoboken’s I. Marchiony Ice Cream Wafter Company owner, Italio Marcioni invented the waffle cone when he ran out of wafers and improvised using the waffles of a neighboring exhibitor.

Chris O’Shea photo

1954: Filmed in Hoboken, with an all-star cast featuring Marlon Brando, this iconic classic focused on union violence and corruption on Hoboken’s waterfront. ON THE WATERFRONT won 8 Academy Awards, and in 1997 the American Film Institute ranked it as the eighth-greatest American movie of all time. photo: On the Waterfront rooftop production.

1st Brew House 1641: Aert Teunissen Van Putten established New Jersey’s first “brew house” in Hoboken.

Our involvement started with researching Hoboken’s specific accomplishments followed by sourcing supporting images from the U.S. Library of Congress and the Hoboken Historical Museum. Specific layouts were created to meet box specifications and paired with appropriate locations based on content. Panels installed adjacent to the Hudson Tavern, site Hoboken as the home to America’s 1st Brew House (1641) and the filming location for “On the Waterfront”.

After the designs were finalized, each panel’s anomalies– handles, hinges, doors, vents, dents and more– had to be considered. Working with Manhattan Neon’s expert installers, Windlass Creative fine-tuned each layout to insure that critical content would not be compromised by poor placement.