and Walloons), they came to New York in 1623 (Michael Pauw, from Ghent and Peter Minuit from Tournai) and founded settlements at Wallabout, Long Island, Staten Island, Hoboken and Pavonia. A consul of the "Low Countries" in London Emanuel van Meteren, born in Antwerp, induced Henry Hudson to go meet with the famed cartographer Petrus Plancius (from Ypres) in Amsterdam and to support the search for a northeastern passage to India. Willem Usselincx, the founding father of the Dutch West India Company and the settlement of New Sweden was also a merchant from Antwerp. In 1617 the descendants of Lord Schetz (of Hoboken) were called baron and were from then on to be known as the House of Ursel, in 1683 they carried the title of count and in 1717 duke d' Ursel. A turning point in the history of Hoboken was the construction of the Cockerill shipyard in 1873. During World War I, Antwerp became the fallback point of the Belgian Army after the defeat at the Battle of Liège. The Siege of Antwerp lasted for 11 days, the city was taken by the German Army after heavy fighting, and the Belgians were forced to retreat westwards. Fort 8, one of the forts defending Antwerp located in the south of Hoboken, was of not much use during WWI, it was built in 1864 and was terribly outdated. Antwerp remained under German control until the Armistice of 11 November 1918. On 1 January 1983, Hoboken became a district of the city of Antwerp. Culture Hoboken boasts an annual 5K beer server race. The tradition started, according to legend, in 1777, with the proclamation of the United States of Belgium ( or Verenigde Belgische Staten, ). The race is held annually on the first Sunday of November and is often amalgamated by the All Hallows' Day celebration. Geography The main neighbourhoods in Hoboken are: East of railway line 52 Hoboken-centre Hertog van Brabantwijk Vogeltjeswijk Zwaantjes West of railway line 52 Moretusburg Hertogvelden Polderstad Demographics 19th century 20th century 21st century References External links Districts of Antwerp Populated places in Antwerp Province