ELIZABETH, NJ — After Union County was created in 1857 and Elizabeth was designated as the “county seat,” more and more people started to feel the need for healthcare that went beyond visiting a doctor’s office or, in many cases, getting a doctor to come and make a house call. And, as Elizabeth’s population grew, the sheer number of residents had medical needs that the existing system of care could provide.
Things reached a peak when, in 1877, four doctors in Elizabeth, led by Dr. James S. Green, gathered together to rent a storefront on W. Jersey St. three doors from S. Broad Street, where they opened a free dispensary that was essentially a clinic that people could come to for care that was a) in a central location and b) also accessible to people who could get to the train station a few blocks away.
The idea took off, demand was intense and Green and his fellow physicians, aided by many business people and other concerned citizens, started to raise funds and search for a larger facility to continue their work. A home was secured on Jaques St., near Elizabeth Avenue, and the Elizabeth General Hospital and Dispensary was opened in 1879.
Operating there for 15 years, the same group of citizens, assisted by the general public through the support of fundraising concerts and other entertainments, took the steps to secure enough land to build the hospital complex at E. Jersey and Reid Street, which opened in 1894.
From this location, the hospital evolved to become Elizabeth General Hospital, which morphed again to become Elizabeth General Medical Center. Through the years, “the General” was a leading provider of care in the areas of behavioral health, cancer care and cardiology. And, as always, the prestigious School of Nursing educated thousands of nurses. In 1990, EGMC assumed the operation of Alexian Brothers Hospital and, in 2000, Elizabeth General Medical Center consolidated with St. Elizabeth Hospital to form Trinitas Hospital
Countless thousands of Union County residents were born at “the General,” and a new website has been created at https://www.ElizabethGeneralHospitalHistory.org to tell the stories of the people, places and things that provide historical context and memories for the people of Elizabeth, Union County and beyond.
Historical facts
Fact: The contributions of the general public, along with those of the business community, helped fund the expansion of the hospital and enabled its ability to provide staffing, equipment, programs and services.
Fact: Three of the physicians associated with Elizabeth General Hospital and Dispensary were also elected as Mayors of Elizabeth during the last quarter of the 19th century and the first quarter of the 20th century.
Fact: “The General” had multiple physicians who were elected as president of the Union County Medical Society.
Fact: Many of the physicians, nurses and staff of the General served in wars from the Spanish-American War, to World War I, World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam War.
Fact: The service area of Elizabeth General also encompassed much of Union County and surrounding areas. At its peak, the General’s reach was statewide.
Fact: October, 2029 will mark the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the first hospital of Elizabeth, the Elizabeth General Hospital and Dispensary.
In closing
The website was created from materials that were collected and donated to the Elizabeth Public Library’s Local History Room. For more information on the Local History Room or to make an appointment, visit https://www.elizpl.org/localhistory or call 908-354-6060, ext. 7220.
Article by John Mazurkiewicz.
Photos Courtesy of John Mazurkiewicz
