Hudson County Facts

Loews Theatre, Journal Square
After seeing Bing Crosby perform here during the summer of 1935, Frank Sinatra realized that, “After seeing him that night, I knew I had to be a singer.”

Frank Sinatra might have been born in Hoboken, but as soon as he was old enought to know better, he moved to Jersey City!

Among the highlights of Sinatra’s life in Jersey City are:

• The singer and Nancy Barbato of Jersey City were married in Our Lady of Sorrows Church.
• The newlyweds resided in an apartment at 137 Bergen Avenue.
• Their first two children – Nancy and Frank Jr. – were born at Margaret Sinatra’s first stint as a radio singer was on the local station (WAAT) in Late 1936, a 15-minute show for which he earned 75 cents.

Sinatra reportedly decided on a career as a singer after seeing Bing Crosby in a movie at the Loew’s Theater here. Not long after that he won a singing contest at the recently-demolished State Theater. It was from Jersey City that Sinatra commuted to the Rustic Cabin in Englewood. The rest is history.

Our Lady of Sorrows
Frank Sinatra married Nancy Barbato in this church on February 4th, 1939. Their daughter Nancy was born in Jersey City (at Margaret Hague Maternity Hospital, of course) on June 8th, 1940.

Frank Sinatra might have been born in Hoboken, but as soon as he was old enough to know better, he moved to Jersey City!