Atop Snake Hill

Snake Hill cuts a distinctive profile against the sky as it sits on the edge of Laurel Hill Park.
Rising about 200 feet into the air, according to the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission (NJMC), the sloping mountain was, according to the state agency and local historians, the true inspiration for the Prudential Insurance logo, despite popular mythology to the contrary.
One of the most distinctive landmarks in Secaucus, Snake Hill was once home to the Hudson County’s infectious disease hospital, prison, and insane asylum – three institutions that left permanent marks on the mountainous rock face. An illegal hike through the brush and up the side of the mountain still reveals signs of brick walls from long forgotten buildings.
In the 17th century, the hill and the approximately 150 surrounding acres of land that comprise Laurel Hill Park were part of the Pinehorne Plantation, which served as the centerpiece of the town at that time. The hill has been inextricably linked to Secaucus history ever since and reportedly gives the town its name. Although there are different theories, it is widely believed that Secaucus – an Algonquian word that means “black snake” or where “black snakes hide” – derives its name from the legendary reptiles that once called the hill home.
Last week the Reporter visited Snake Hill to discover new views from this familiar land mass.
E-mail E. Assata Wright at awright@hudsonreporter.com.