The first photo I took visiting Stevens was of the iconic New York skyline outside of Howe, and in the foreground was another campus icon, our beloved cannon. This old cannon is not just some hunk of metal and wood, but an artifact full of rich history. Many people may not know that before our cannon was symbolically protecting us next to the flagpole, it served its purpose as a revolutionary war cannon given to the United States by France.
Then, in 1888, the Stevens family decided to demolish a local Hoboken hotel, and from underneath it they excavated the century old marvel we know and love today. To symbolize its rich history, the cannon has been proudly located on Castle Point… until disaster struck. As many of you may have noticed, our relic of the revolution has gone missing without a trace.
For anybody curious, it turns out that after nearly a hundred years of wear, wood and metal break down. This local inanimate celebrity could not handle the students constantly posing for pictures and sitting on it. Our friend could not take the pressure, and one day tragically broke down to pieces after a severe thunderstorm over the summer. Coming back to Stevens in the fall was full of many new surprises, but the last one I was expecting was to not see our beloved icon missing!
One tour guide was quoted as saying “Hopefully it’ll be restored and back in business by the Spring because it’s such a staple of our school.” I don’t think I could’ve said it better myself. After speaking to Captain Maggi, that hope may come to fruition, as we can expect the cannon to be back on its rightful pedestal by the end of this academic year.
