The Hidden Politics of Jersey City
From the Jersey City Reporter
A sledgehammer smashed through a sheetrock wall, revealing a hidden office in the old Jersey City Medical Center.
"As Jersey City's longest-serving mayor and an influential politician on the national level, Hague and his reign have become the stuff of local lore. For years, tales have been told of an office maintained by Hague at the medical center, where clandestine meetings took place with visitors arriving through a "hidden" doorway leading to a "secret" stairwell. Even reputable historical sources sometimes preface their descriptions of the office and stairway as if they're not sure whether it really existed, lending the room an aura of myth. So it's natural that certain parts of the story seem to have been embellished over time. There is, indeed, a back door there, but it may have just seemed hidden because it blends in with the wood-paneled walls. But other parts of the story seem to have been confirmed by discoveries made during the restoration. Across the hall from the Hague office, demolition crews discovered a small, walled-off space that once contained a stairwell. To access it, they had to break through a solid brick wall. It is not clear whether the hidden stairwell is the one spoken of in local legend, since many alterations were made to the medical center in the 60 years since Hague was mayor. Zakalak said many aspects of the building were changed over the years. "Rooms had been rearranged," she said, "corridors had been rearranged, staircases had been closed off. And as we started going through the buildings, we found interesting spaces. There are interesting spaces throughout the entire hospital complex." "
"As Jersey City's longest-serving mayor and an influential politician on the national level, Hague and his reign have become the stuff of local lore. For years, tales have been told of an office maintained by Hague at the medical center, where clandestine meetings took place with visitors arriving through a "hidden" doorway leading to a "secret" stairwell. Even reputable historical sources sometimes preface their descriptions of the office and stairway as if they're not sure whether it really existed, lending the room an aura of myth. So it's natural that certain parts of the story seem to have been embellished over time. There is, indeed, a back door there, but it may have just seemed hidden because it blends in with the wood-paneled walls. But other parts of the story seem to have been confirmed by discoveries made during the restoration. Across the hall from the Hague office, demolition crews discovered a small, walled-off space that once contained a stairwell. To access it, they had to break through a solid brick wall. It is not clear whether the hidden stairwell is the one spoken of in local legend, since many alterations were made to the medical center in the 60 years since Hague was mayor. Zakalak said many aspects of the building were changed over the years. "Rooms had been rearranged," she said, "corridors had been rearranged, staircases had been closed off. And as we started going through the buildings, we found interesting spaces. There are interesting spaces throughout the entire hospital complex." "
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