Paterson, New Jersey: Visit the Great Falls, Hinchliffe Stadium and more
A 77-foot waterfall, America's first planned industrial city, and a table set for the whole world.
Downtown Paterson, where the old Erie Railroad viaduct runs beneath the skyline.
The Great Falls in winter, with the steel bridge arching over the gorge.
Paterson is twenty miles from Manhattan and a world away from the usual weekend. It is a city of mills, rail lines and river, still busy and still making things.
Come for the Great Falls and the factory history around them. Stay for dinner: Peruvian, Turkish, Bangladeshi, Dominican and Arab kitchens sit within a short walk of each other.
The Great Falls
The Passaic River drops 77 feet through a rock gorge in the middle of the city, one of the tallest waterfalls in the eastern United States. Alexander Hamilton's backers chose this spot because the water could power mills. Today the falls are the centerpiece of Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park.
Cross the footbridge for the gorge view, then walk the raceways and mill ruins that fed the first factories. The falls run strongest after heavy rain or snowmelt.
- Free to visitThe park and overlooks are open to walk through. Check the National Park Service page for current visitor center hours.
- Easy to exploreThe main sights, including the falls, the raceways and the mill buildings, sit within a short walk.
- Great in every seasonSpring flow is dramatic. Fall color frames the gorge. Winter ice makes the falls look like a different place.
Things to do
Hinchliffe Stadium
A restored 1930s stadium and National Historic Landmark where Negro league baseball stars once played. A rare place to stand inside Black baseball history.
Check the stadium's official site for tours and event dates before you go.
History-
Paterson Museum
Housed in a former locomotive works, it holds Paterson-built locomotives, silk-mill machinery and John P. Holland's early submarine, the Fenian Ram.
Museum -
Lambert Castle
A hilltop stone castle built by a silk magnate, now home to the Passaic County Historical Society. The views over the city are worth the climb.
Views -
Garret Mountain
Wooded trails and lookouts just above downtown, with skyline views that reach to Manhattan on a clear day.
Outdoors -
Historic City Hall
Paterson's grand 1890s city hall, designed by architect Cass Gilbert, is worth a look from the street as you walk the downtown core.
Architecture
Built on rails
The Erie viaduct still carries its name in big stenciled letters. Walk downtown and you can read the city's history in its concrete, brick and steel.
Eat your way around the world
Paterson's immigrant communities have turned its commercial streets into one of the most varied food scenes in the region. Walk, point, and order something you have not had before.
Peruvian
Rotisserie chicken, ceviche and lomo saltado at neighborhood spots with big portions.
Turkish
Kebabs, fresh-baked bread, and pastries sweet enough to share.
Bangladeshi
Biryani, fish curries and sweets, often served at a fraction of Manhattan prices.
Dominican
Mofongo, pernil and strong coffee at counters where locals linger.
Middle Eastern
Shawarma, hummus, knafeh and bakeries that open early and sell out.
How it began
Alexander Hamilton helps launch the Society for Establishing Useful Manufactures. It selects the falls on the Passaic to power America's first planned industrial city.
Silk mills fill the riverbanks, and Paterson earns the nickname Silk City. Locomotives built here travel the world.
Thousands of silk workers strike for better conditions in one of the best-known labor actions in American history.
Congress establishes Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, protecting the falls and the mills around them.
Plan your visit
Getting here
- About 20 miles from New York City.
- By car: Routes 80 and 20 and the Garden State Parkway all reach the city.
- By transit: NJ Transit trains and buses serve Paterson. Check the current schedule before you go.
A good first day
- Morning: the Great Falls and the raceway walk.
- Midday: lunch on a food street, then the Paterson Museum.
- Afternoon: Hinchliffe Stadium or Lambert Castle and Garret Mountain.
Good to know
- Wear walking shoes. The falls area has stairs and uneven stone.
- Spring through fall is the easiest season for outdoor sights.
- In winter, wear boots with good grip. Steps and stone near the gorge can be icy.
- Hours change. Confirm each stop before you leave.
Come see it run
The water has been falling here for thousands of years. Pick a weekend and come see where it all started.
Visit the National Park Service page