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Revision as of 18:14, 29 December 2005 by 67.82.175.24 (talk)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Paterson is a city located in Passaic County, New Jersey. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city had a total population of 149,222, though some sources put the population at 173,000 making it New Jersey's third largest city. It is the county seat of Passaic CountyTemplate:GR. The City of Paterson is governed under the Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council) system of municipal government.
History
The Great Falls of the Passaic River in Paterson are the second-highest large-volume falls on the East Coast: only Niagara Falls are higher. Alexander Hamilton and the Society for Useful Manufactures helped encourage the harnessing of the energy of the Great Falls to secure the independence from British manufacturers. In 1791, Hamilton helped found the Society for the Establishment of Useful Manufactures. Paterson, which was founded by the society, became the cradle of the industrial revolution in America. Paterson was named for William Paterson, New Jersey governor, statesman, and signer of the Constitution.
The industries developed in Paterson were powered by the 77-foot high Great Falls of the Passaic, and a system of water raceways that harnessed the power of the falls. The city began growing around the falls and until 1914 the mills were powered by the waterfalls. The district originally included dozens of mill buildings and other manufacturing structures associated with the textile industry and later, the firearms, silk, and railroad locomotive manufacturing industries. In the latter half of the 1800s, silk production became the dominant industry and formed the basis of Paterson's most prosperous period, earning it the nickname "Silk City." In 1835, Samuel Colt began producing firearms in Paterson.
The city was a mecca for immigrant laborers who worked in its factories as well. Paterson was also the site of historic labor unrest that focused on anti-child labor legislation, and the six-month long 1913 Paterson silk strike that demanded the eight-hour day and better working conditions, but was defeated by the employers with workers forced to return under pre-strike conditions. Factory workers labored long hours for low wages under dangerous conditions and lived in crowded tenement buildings around the mills. The factories then moved south where there were no labor unions and later overseas.
World War II helped a little when the nation needed submarines and Paterson was home to this industry. By the end of WWII however there was a decline in urban areas and Paterson was no exception. Since the 1970s the city is plagued with high unemployment rates. By 1980, Paterson was one of the most distressed cities in the United States. The city no longer has a single movie theater or a motor vehicles office, its major department stores have closed, and the social indices of despair--childhood AIDS, unemployment, homelessness, illiteracy and graduation rates-–all moved in the wrong direction during the unrivaled prosperity of the 90’s economic boom. The failing schools are now taken over by the state.
Once a premier shopping and leisure destination of northern New Jersey, competition from the malls in neighboring towns like Wayne and Paramus have forced the big-chain stores out of Paterson’s downtown. The biggest industries are now the small businesses because the factories have moved overseas. However the city still, as always, attracts many immigrants. Many of these immigrants have revived the city's economy especially through small businesses.
Geography
Paterson is located at 40°54'56" North, 74°9'47" West (40.915498, -74.162927)Template:GR in the Piedmont (United States) region between the Appalachian foothills and the Coastal Plain.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 22.6 km² (8.7 mi²). 21.9 km² (8.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.8 km² (0.3 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 3.32% water.
The City
Downtown Paterson. Once a shopping mecca for northern New Jersey, Paterson's downtown has seen better days. Stone gargoyles still peer down from the terra-cotta facades of century-old buildings in downtown Paterson. Elaborate carvings adorn stately institutions built in the Beaux-Arts tradition, evoking a more prosperous past. The view at street level, however, is much different - a mishmash of discount shops with neon signs that hum on the city's traffic-clogged streets. Many historic buildings are in disrepair after years of neglect. Many shopkeepers have slapped cheap tile and tasteless awnings over the once-elaborate facades. Part of the reason the downtown looks like it does is because of disinvestment in the city and the perception of crime. After a devastating fire in 1902, the city rebuilt the downtown with massive Beaux Arts-style buildings, many of which have retained their character. Today it is the poorest neighborhood in Paterson. However there are plans to revive the downtown. A project called the Center City project will replace a parking lot into a commercial center with office space.
Eastside. There has been an influx of middle-class Blacks and some gays moving into the Eastside section as well as others who have taken advantage of the beautiful architecture that can be found in this neighborhood. While some houses are still shabby, many people are still moving in and restoring the homes. The tree shaded streets lined with manicured lawns are populated by large, stately homes. These domiciles were once home to the city’s industrial and political leaders. The jewel of the neighborhood is Eastside Park.
South Paterson. South Paterson is an enclave and home to thousands of Arab Americans mostly from Syria, Palestine, and Jordan. However, South Paterson isn’t solely Arab. Many Hispanics and Turks also call South Paterson home. Unlike the stretch of Main Street that runs through downtown Paterson, the stretch that runs past Madison Avenue is hopping with activity when the sun goes down. People from the neighborhood as well as out-of-towners - people of Middle Eastern descent and others - flock to the shops, cafes and restaurants. People are investing in South Paterson and people from as far away as Philadelphia come here to do their shopping. In South Paterson, Arabic and Turkish are the languages of commerce in many stores. The neighborhood is characterized by halal meat markets and shops that sell Turkish and Arabic newspapers.
Hillcrest as well as Eastside remain the most attractive neighborhoods in Paterson. Hillcrest is the richest neighborhood in the city and is on the outskirts by Totowa. It is a middle class neighborhood and is mainly White and Hispanic.
Twenty-First Avenue. A generation ago this domain of Italian business owners, is now unmistakably Hispanic. The strip crackles with entrepreneurship. Immigrants from countries as varied as Peru, Italy, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, and Ecuador own and run real estate offices, travel agencies, money-wiring firms, pharmacies, beauty salons, bodegas, coffee shops, bakeries, fast-food eateries, and white-tablecloth restaurants that play soft background boleros. Awnings bear the colors of flags from the owners' homelands. Spanish is the main language. The two-way avenue is filled with dilapidated buildings.
Housing varies from single family houses to tenement buildings. Most of the housing is old. Wrigley Park a section in the center of the city that is mostly African-American. This section is poor and crime ridden. Poverty, crime, open air drug market, boarded-up windows and vacant lots is common in this section. There is recent attempts to revive this area through new housing and crime has been cut in recent years.
Northside located north of Downtown. This section is similar to Wrigley Park but to a lesser degree. This section is known for its hills and having sweeping views of New York City. Crime has been common in some parts of this district and poverty as well. Similar to Wrigley Park the city is building new houses and crime has fallen as well.
Riverside a larger section of Paterson as its name states this section is bound by the Passaic River to the north and east. Separating the city from Hawthorne and Fairlawn. River St cuts through the heart of this district. This section is ethnically diverse. With Hispanics living mostly north and along River St. While African-Americans and Caribbean blacks living south of River St. Also this disrict is industrial in some parts and middle class along the Fairlawn border. Crime and poverty is in some areas. But Riverside is mostly a quiet working class neighborhood.
Lakeview. Located in the southern part of the city. Lakeview is a middle class area that is located to the east of South Paterson. Mostly Hispanic and Black this neighborhood also has a sizable White and Asian population, mostly Filipino. Interstate 80 runs north of this district and also light industy is located in Lakewview. Lakeview is known through out the region for the Paterson Farmers Market. Where people from all over Passaic County and North Jersey buy fresh produce.
Great Falls Historic District The most famous area of Paterson where the Great Falls is located. Old fashion lamp posts dot the sidewalks. Old silk mills that were once abandoned and run-down has turned to apartment building. Many young artist and some yuppies live in this section of Paterson. The Great Falls Historic District is planned to get a major redevelopment in a year. The Falls is now a state park and the Falls will be a focus point in the redevelopment in the city along with Center City in Downtown.
Paterson is an ethnically diverse city. Western Market Street is home to many Peruvian and Argentinian businesses. Cianci Street and 21st Avenue still has some Italian cafes, restaurants, and shops. Park Ave and Market Street between Straight Street and Madison is heavily Dominican and Puerto Rican. Broadway or Martin Luther King Jr. Way is predominately Black, as is the Fourth Ward and parts of Eastside and Northside. Paterson's Black community is made up of African Americans of Southern heritage and more recent Caribbean and African immigrants. Main Avenue between the Clifton border and about Montclair Avenue is heavily Turkish and Arab. 21st Avenue in the People's Park section is characterized by Colombian restaurants and shops. Western Ellison Street has a few South Asian shops.
Suburbs
The following towns border Paterson and are considered to be its suburbs:
- Prospect Park
- Haledon
- Totowa
- West Paterson
- Hawthorne
- Elmwood Park (formerly East Paterson)
- Clifton (officially a "city" but has a "suburban" character)
- Fair Lawn
- North Haledon
The area of Paterson and its suburbs is sometimes called Greater Paterson. The nearby township of Wayne is also considered to be a part of Greater Paterson. Two important Wayne institutions — William Paterson University and St. Joseph's Wayne Hospital — have their origins in 19th century Paterson before moving to surburban Wayne in the 20th century.
Paterson is sometimes linked to the two other cities of Passaic County, Passaic and Clifton, as part of the Paterson-Clifton-Passaic metropolitan area in US Census data.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 149,222 people, 44,710 households, and 33,353 families residing in the city. With a population density of 6,826.4/km² (17,675.4/mi²), Paterson is the second most densely populated big city (over 100,000 pop.) in the United States, only after New York City. This may, however, be somewhat misleading, since Newark's population density if airport and seaport lands are excluded is significantly higher than if they are included. These exceptions make Newark's density slightly higher than that of Paterson, which does not have any such facilities. If Paterson dose indeed have a population of 173,000 then Paterson will no doubt be the second most densley populated big city in the United States. There are 47,169 housing units at an average density of 2,157.8/km² (5,587.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 30.77% White, 32.90% African American, 0.60% Native American, 1.90% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 27.60% from other races, and 6.17% from two or more races. 50.11% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 44,710 households out of which 40.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.4% are married couples living together, 26.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% are non-families. 20.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 7.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.25 and the average family size is 3.71.
In the city the population is spread out with 29.8% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 30 years. For every 100 females there are 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 91.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $32,778, and the median income for a family is $35,420. Males have a median income of $27,911 versus $22,733 for females. The per capita income for the city is $13,257. 22.2% of the population and 19.2% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 29.0% of those under the age of 18 and 19.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Government
Local government
The City of Paterson Municipal Council was created as a result of a 1974 decision to change its form of government from a 1907 statute-based form, to a Faulkner Act Plan-D Mayor-Council form.
The 1907 statute-based form consisted of various boards. A Board of Aldermen, Board of Finance, Board of Health, Board of Public Works, Board of Fire and Police Commissioners.
The Mayor-Council plan consisted of a Mayor and nine Council members. Six of the members that sit on the Municipal Council represent the six Wards of the City. The three remaining members are members At-Large. The Municipal Council has the responsibility of reviewing and approving Municipal legislation.
Under the Mayor-Council plan, the Mayor is the chief executive and is responsible for administering the City's activities. The Mayor is elected for a four-year term by the citizens and is responsible for them. His function includes enforcing the charter and the ordinances and laws passed by the City Council. The Mayor appoints all department heads including the business administrator, with the advise and consent of the Council He may also remove and or all department heads after giving them notice and an opportunity to be heard.
With the assistance of the business administrator, the Mayor is responsible for preparation of the municipal budget. The Mayor submits the budget to the Council along with a detailed analysis of expenditures and revenues. The Council may reduce any item or items in the budget by a majority vote, but can only increase an item by a two-thirds vote.
The Mayor of Paterson is José "Joey" Torres.
City Council Members are:
- Kenneth Morris, Jr. - Council President and Councilman At-Large
- Anthony Davis - First Ward
- Aslon Goow, Sr. - Second Ward
- William C. McKoy - Third Ward
- Vera Ames - Fourth Ward
- Juan A. Torres - Fifth Ward
- Thomas C. Rooney, Jr. - Sixth Ward
- Jessie Dixon - Coucilwoman At-Large
- Jerry Luis Rosado - Councilman At-Large
Federal, state and county representation
Paterson is part of New Jersey's 35th Legislative District and is in the Eighth Congressional District.
For the 118th United States Congress, New Jersey's 8th congressional district is represented by Rob Menendez (D, Jersey City). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Democrats Cory Booker (Newark, term ends 2027) and Andy Kim (Moorestown, term ends 2031).
For the 2024-2025 session, the 35th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Nellie Pou (D, North Haledon) and in the General Assembly by Shavonda E. Sumter (D, Paterson) and Benjie Wimberly (D, Paterson). Template:NJ Governor
Template:NJ Passaic County Freeholders
Famous Patersonians
- Adeva, House/R&B vocalist
- Lawrence Barrett, actor, one of the leading American actors of the 19th century
- Just Blaze, hip hop music producer
- Gaetano Bresci, weaver and anarchist, assassinated Italian king Umberto I
- Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, boxer, subject of the Bob Dylan song "Hurricane" and the movie The Hurricane
- Federico Castelluccio, Italian-born actor, most known for portraying Furio Giunta on the HBO series The Sopranos
- Joe Clark, educator and former principal of Eastside High School, depicted by Morgan Freeman in the movie Lean on Me
- Lou Costello, of the comedy duo Abbott and Costello
- Larry Doby, Hall of Fame Major League Baseball player who broke the color barrier in the American League
- Allen Ginsberg, writer and Beat Generation poet
- Talmadge Hayer, one of the men convicted for the assassination of Malcolm X
- Garret A. Hobart, twenty-fourth Vice President of the United States
- Frank Lautenberg, politician, currently represents New Jersey in the United States Senate
- Maxine Jones, singer, member of En Vogue
- Frederick Reines, awarded the 1995 Nobel Prize in Physics for detection of the neutrino
- J. Michael Straczynski, science-fiction writer, creator and writer for Babylon 5
- Tim Thomas, pro basketball player, currently on the Chicago Bulls
- Patrick Warburton, actor, performs in movies and on television, famous for his roles in Seinfeld and Family Guy
- Bernie Wayne, songwriter, wrote "There She Is, Miss America"
- Elizabeth Vargas, ABC news anchor
External links
- Directory of Representatives: New Jersey, United States House of Representatives. Accessed January 3, 2019.
- Biography, Congressman Albio Sires. Accessed January 3, 2019. "Congressman Sires resides in West New York with his wife, Adrienne."
- U.S. Sen. Cory Booker cruises past Republican challenger Rik Mehta in New Jersey, PhillyVoice. Accessed April 30, 2021. "He now owns a home and lives in Newark's Central Ward community."
- https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/andy-kim-new-jersey-senate/
- Legislative Roster for District 35, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 20, 2024.