Paterson Great Falls

Paterson Great Falls
Author: Marcia Dente
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
Total Pages: 173
Release: 2012-09-04
Genre: History
ISBN: 1614236712

The story of Paterson is the story of its Great Falls. European settlers were awed by the natural wonder that the Lenni-Lenape called Acquackanonk. Fulfilling Alexander Hamilton's vision, the Falls fueled Paterson's development into the leader of the nation's Industrial Revolution, powering mills and factories into the twentieth century. In 1967, the Great Falls became a National Natural Landmark and then a National Historic Landmark District in 1976. Finally, in 2011, the Falls was designated a National Historic Park. Join Patersonian Marcia Dente as she explores the beauty and industry of Paterson's Great Falls.

In the Shadow of Hamilton

In the Shadow of Hamilton
Author: Melissa Archer
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2010
Genre: Multiculturalism
ISBN:

In March of 2009 Congress authorized the creation of the Great Falls National Historical Park and the National Park Service (NPS) will shortly begin creating the new park's management and interpretive plans. Paterson has a strong industrial legacy as America's first systematically planned industrial site, but it also possesses a rich ethnic history that is still evident today. The city has a complex, layered, and diverse history that has been overshadowed by the more nationally recognized themes of Alexander Hamilton and the city's industrial success. This thesis explores underrepresented histories within the Great Falls and analyzes the extent to which the NPS's interpretive policies support or hinder the inclusion of minority narratives. A paradox exists within the Park Service management policy; on one hand they want to expand the scope of park interpretation to engage a broader audience, but on the other, their policies limit interpretive opportunities in Paterson by using an outdated, traditional definition of national significance. This thesis recommends initiatives that the NPS can take to make the park more relevant to a diverse population, many of which may feel little or no connection to resources within the Park System. The NPS has made a commitment to begin representing the heritage of more Americans, and Paterson is an ideal site to realize this goal.

Great Falls of Paterson

Great Falls of Paterson
Author: Marcia A. Dente
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
Total Pages: 132
Release: 2010-08-30
Genre: Photography
ISBN: 1439623856

In 1778, the Great Falls became the Paterson area's natural energy source. The innovative hydraulic "Raceway" used an intricate network of canals to channel millions of gallons of water to power local mills and factories. In 1791, Alexander Hamilton helped to organize the Society for the Establishment of Useful Manufactures, which aimed to develop a planned industrial city in the United States. Hamilton believed that the country needed to reduce its dependence on foreign goods and develop its own industries, and the falls were chosen as the site for the planned city. The industries in Paterson were powered by the 77-foot Great Falls, and the city became known as "The Cradle of American Industry." Today the falls are not only a national historic landmark and a state park, but on March 30, 2009, Pres. Barack Obama signed a bill creating Great Falls National Historical Park.