Ding-dong, ding-dong, hear the sound of the bells chime! Okay, so they may not exactly chime, but Hoboken’s beautiful 19th century style street clocks along Washington Street do inspire the nostalgia of an era gone by. Yes, back when women still wore petticoats and men would call on you…and no I don’t mean on a cell phone!

These free standing street clocks are part of the design guidelines that were set forth by the city in order to preserve its historical character. In 1981 Washington Street was designated a historic district, and since any new construction or building alterations must abide by these guidelines including our beloved street fixtures from the lamp posts to the benches. Of course, now we wait for buses instead of horse drawn carriages.

In 2010, the American Planning Association (APA) designated Washington Street as one of the 10 Great Streets for that year under the organization’s Great Places in America Program. So the next time you are walking along Washington Street, take a moment to appreciate the little things that make Hoboken so grand.