Paterson

Paterson brings together an extraordinary waterfall and the history of industrial power generation. By water volume, Great Falls is the second-largest waterfall east of the Mississippi. The historic Raceway system also tells the story of how water was used: it was built to harness the Passaic River’s change in elevation to supply power to Paterson’s industrial mills. Nature and technology give your stay two distinct themes.

Great Falls and the City’s Water

The description of Great Falls is specifically based on water volume. If you include the waterfall as a nature-focused stop on your trip, you can keep this distinction in mind and avoid confusing it with a measurement of its height. The Great Falls Hydropower Project adds another dimension: part of the project is located within Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park. The waterfall and the project are therefore among the notable features that make Paterson interesting to visitors drawn to culture and nature.

The Raceway, Elevation Change, and Mills

The historic Raceway system is located beside the Great Falls Hydropower Project. It harnessed the Passaic River’s 77-foot elevation change to supply power to the city’s industrial mills. The system’s specific purpose was therefore closely tied to Paterson’s industrial development. If you are especially interested in the connection between the river and the city’s history, you can include a walk through Upper Raceway Park in your stay. It follows the beginning of the Raceway system and passes some of the many mills that benefited from it. Alongside views of Great Falls, this offers a route that puts the Raceway and mills at the center as distinct parts of industrial history.

Museum and Tours

The Paterson Museum is located in the Thomas Rogers Building at 2 Market Street in Paterson. The museum offers tours for student and community groups by appointment. If you are traveling with such a group, keep this appointment requirement in mind when planning. The museum offers a different way to explore Paterson than a walk along the Raceway: here, the focus is a visit to the museum in the Thomas Rogers Building, while the walk through Upper Raceway Park follows the beginning of the system.

Mills as Part of the City’s History

The Great Falls National Historic Landmark District still contains many mills. They symbolize the city’s contributions to America’s development and growth. This offers an additional way to explore Paterson for visitors who want to learn not only about the waterfall, but also about the city’s history.

Which Focus Suits Your Stay?

When looking for a vacation rental in Paterson, you can start by considering which of these experiences matter most to you. Great Falls offers a nature-focused experience; Upper Raceway Park provides the walk described above, along the beginning of the system and past some mills. The museum and the Great Falls National Historic Landmark District bring the city’s industrial history to the fore. These distinctions can help you choose Paterson as a destination based on your interests, without suggesting that the individual experiences form a set route.

Discover More Places

If you’d like to explore more places in this selection: Wanaque, Ringwood, Totowa, Little Falls Township, Clifton, West Milford, Woodland Park, Wayne.

For the broader travel overview: Passaic.