7. Napoleon III sent gifts to Our Lady of Grace Church when it opened
Hoboken is often most closely associated with Frank Sinatra, and perhaps even famous photographers Dorothea Lange and Alfred Stieglitz. Even John Jacob Astor, the business magnate and real estate developer, had a mansion in Hoboken, which was constructed in 1828 and commonly hosted Washington Irving. But perhaps most surprisingly, Napoleon III, the nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte, stayed in Hoboken during his exile from France.
He stayed at the corner of Washington and 1st Streets near the Astor home, which would later become the Napoleon Hotel at 100 Washington Street. The hotel preserved his table, bed, and chairs, according to an 1873 article. Napoleon III’s stay preceded his return to France in 1838, ten years before he became President of France in 1848 and Emperor of the French in 1852. According to the Hoboken Historical Museum, Napoleon III sent paintings and ceremonial vessels to Our Lady of Grace Church when it was dedicated, as well as Victor Emmanuel II of Italy. Most of these gifts have been lost, though an organ from 1899 by George Ashdown Audsley still remains.