Keuffel and Esser Manufacturing Complex

The Keuffel and Esser Manufacturing Complex is an industrial site in Hoboken built with Renaissance and Italianate architectural details across multiple acres. The grounds feature a distinctive four-sided clock tower from the early 1900s and have since been converted into residential apartments.

The company was founded in 1867 by German immigrants and specialized in making precision drafting and surveying instruments for engineers. The facility operated for roughly a century before ceasing production and later converting to residential use.

The complex served as a center of craftsmanship where workers produced instruments used in engineering offices and construction sites across the nation. This work shaped the daily practices of professionals and made the site an important part of American industrial life.

The site is located at a major street intersection in Hoboken and is easily accessible to visitors, as it functions partly as residential buildings with some public areas. The architecture and grounds can be viewed from the street, with the distinctive clock tower being particularly visible from outside.

The facility employed a worker who managed a spider breeding operation, harvesting their webs for use as crosshairs in telescopes. This specialized production represented an unusual level of craftsmanship and ended during World War II.

Location: Hoboken

GPS coordinates: 40.74140,-74.03690

Latest update: December 13, 2025 12:20