Paterson's Great Falls: A national park with black appeal

From the Grand Canyon in Arizona to Shenandoah in Virginia, there are 58 National Parks in the United States. However, surveys indicate that African-Americans are the least likely ethnic group to visit the National Park system.

Jeffery Jones, Mayor of Paterson, New Jersey, says that he hopes the inauguration of Paterson's Great Falls into the National Park system will help to boost tourism to the urban park and spark a renaissance for the former industrial city.

"We have contributed greatly to this nation's success. And folks didn't know about it.... The possibilities become endless if you have the table set appropriately and I think the national park helps us to set the table."

Paterson's manufacturing history is intertwined with the natural wonder that isThe Great Falls. Known as America's first planned industrial city; Paterson's founder, Alexander Hamilton, saw The Great Falls, which are the countries second largest east of the Mississippi River, as a source of energy that could be harnessed to power surrounding factories.

Two hundred years after Hamilton first laid eyes on the falls, manufacturers that made their name in Paterson like Colt firearms have largely moved on. Faced with a diminished tax base, Paterson has decided that the falls are more than just a natural relic of the city's past. The Great Falls and the surrounding historical area will play a key role in propelling Paterson into the future.

"The incorporation of your history into your future can be relatively seamless and provide people with an opportunity to go back in time historically and at the same time have all the benefits of modern day technology," said Mayor Jones as he conducted a tour of the parkland via an old fashioned trolley.

Paterson made national headlines in September when President Obama visited the city in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene.

When The Great Falls are officially transferred into the federal park system on November 7th, Paterson hopes to step onto a platform which will highlight its historical significance including landmarks which intersect with African-American history. Just above the Great Falls lie the ruins of Hinchliffe Stadium.