Pay Phone Hidden Inside a Jersey City Business

Val Vashon writes again with this payphone discovery in Jersey City, New Jersey.

While walking to the laundromat in Jersey City during my recent visit for the Super Bowl, I noticed this sign above Henderson Lumber Mills:

Jersey City Payphone
Jersey City Payphone

I had assumed that this was above a long missing phone booth. But the roll up door was open, and what was inside?:

Jersey City, Hidden Payphone
Jersey City, Hidden Payphone
Jersey City, Hidden Payphone
Jersey City, Hidden Payphone
Jersey City, Hidden Payphone
Jersey City, Hidden Payphone

I looked at the pay phone number listings when they were up and could find no record of a pay phone at 187-197 First Street in Jersey City. I suppose that this could be the phone for the business number listed on the building. I chickened out on trying the number on the building and also running up to the phone to see if there was a number on it. Having a pay phone inside of a roll up door like this is certainly curious. Later in the afternoon when I walked by again the roll up door was closed, leading me to the conclusion that the phone isn’t really “public”.

Henderson Lumber Mills. Home of a Hidden Payphone.
Henderson Lumber Mills. Home of a Hidden Payphone.

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