“Old Blue Eyes” was born in Hoboken, New Jersey, but he performed in Trenton on several occasions and was a familiar face at his favorite restaurants in the Chambersburg section of the city. Trenton was also where he fulfilled a less pleasant obligation: testifying before the New Jersey State Investigative Commission on his alleged ties to organized crime – allegations that he hotly disputed throughout his career.
A May, 1998 Trenton Times article by Randy Alexander notes two Sinatra performances with the Tommy Dorsey band between 1940 and 1942: at the Trenton Arena and at the Trenton Armory. The Arena, on Stockton Street, was later destroyed by a fire. There was also a 1951 solo concert at the War Memorial.