Explore Paterson through its natural features and industrial history. Great Falls is a distinctive natural feature; the historic Raceway system represents the energy supply for the factories. These topics raise different questions: How does the waterfall rank in the regional comparison, and how was the elevation drop of the Passaic River used for Paterson’s industry? If you would like to shape your stay around a particular theme, you can distinguish between the landscape, the technical use of the water, and the history of the mills.

Great Falls and the Park Area

By water volume, Great Falls is the second-largest waterfall east of the Mississippi. The ranking specifies a concrete measure: volume compared with waterfalls east of the Mississippi. For travelers who choose Paterson in part for its scenery, Great Falls is a striking focal point. The Great Falls Hydropower Project is located partly within Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park.

The Raceway System and Energy Supply

The historic Raceway system next to the Great Falls Hydropower Project was built to harness the Passaic River’s 77-foot elevation drop and supply energy to Paterson’s industrial factories. The two water-related topics use different measures: Great Falls is ranked by water volume, while the elevation drop was key to the Raceway’s energy supply. For trip planning, this makes a clear distinction between a natural comparison and the technical use of water. Those interested in Paterson’s industrial history can understand the system through its purpose: it harnessed the drop to supply the city’s factories with energy.

A Walk Between the System and the Mills

A walk through Upper Raceway Park takes visitors along the beginning of the Raceway system and past some of the many mills that benefited from it. If you would like to consider the industrial context not only in terms of its purpose but also its beneficiaries, this walk is a tangible option. Its focus differs from that of Great Falls: rather than a natural comparison, it centers on the beginning of the system and the mills it benefited.

Mills as Part of the City’s History

The Great Falls National Historic Landmark District still includes many mills that symbolize the city’s contributions to America’s development and growth. This statement gives the city’s history a different scope from the factories’ specific energy supply: it places Paterson’s symbolic significance in a broader American context. The historic district thus complements the view of the Raceway system’s technical function with the significance of the mills in the city’s history.

Paterson Museum

The Paterson Museum is located in the Thomas Rogers Building at 2 Market Street in Paterson. It offers tours for school and community groups by appointment. If you are planning a group tour, arrange the date in advance.

The options are easy to distinguish when planning your trip: Great Falls offers a natural comparison, the walk through Upper Raceway Park focuses on the historic system and the mills that benefited from it, and the museum offers a group tour by appointment. You can choose your focus based on whether you are primarily planning for nature, technical history, or a group visit. The historic district adds another option if you would like to place Paterson’s contributions to America’s development and growth in a broader context.

Discover more destinations: Clifton, Totowa, Ringwood, Wanaque, Woodland Park, Little Falls Township, West Milford, Wayne

For the overview of the wider area: Passaic.