The Great Falls of Passaic River is the centerpiece of the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park in New Jersey. This 77-foot waterfall provided incredible hydropower for early America manufacturing, motivating Alexander Hamilton to establish the nation’s first planned industrial city here. A series of gravity-fed canals were designed to distribute water at grade to various industrial buildings located nearby to take advantage of this natural power source. While the neighborhood has fallen into a bit of blight, it’s a fascinating area to visit.
