Less than a week ago, President Obama used the Antiquities Act to establish the Fort Monroe National Monument and today the Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar designated Paterson Great Falls National Historic Park. Paterson Great Falls National Historic Park marks the 397th National Park in the NPS system. This National Historic Park is located in Paterson, New Jersey and was a center for early industry in the United States. The falls themselves are 77 feet tall and located on the Passaic River. Historically, the falls were used for water-based power during the Industrial Revolution. The Great Falls powered cotton mills, the locomotive industry, and the silk spinning industry (to name just a few).
Paterson Great Falls on the Passaic River, New Jersey
In the coming months, the National Park Service will begin working on the General Management Plan for the Paterson Great Falls National Historic Park. The NPS will work closely with the town of Paterson as well as other stakeholders to ensure that the park is managed in a responsible manner. Public open houses will also be held in Paterson during the month of November to receive public input on the management of this new historic park.
References:
The Average Visitor 