Great Falls Marks 15 Years as National Park

Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park celebrated its 15th anniversary of national park designation on Nov. 6 with a new mural unveiling.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in National Parks

Great Falls Marks 15 Years as National Park

Live Poll

Should New Jersey taxpayers help fund Paterson's $23.5 million Alexander Hamilton Center?

Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park marked the 15th anniversary of its national park designation on Nov. 6. A history-themed mural titled America Untold was unveiled at the park's overlook section.

Why it matters

The anniversary marks a milestone in the decade-plus effort to turn the falls into a federally recognized destination for Paterson residents and visitors. Recent reopenings and planned repairs signal continued investment in the park's infrastructure.

The Alexander Hamilton Center carries an estimated cost of $23.5 million, of which the Hamilton Partnership for Paterson reported raising $10 million last year. A planned $4 million footbridge repair project along Upper Raceway Park is expected to begin next year, though the extraction does not confirm final funding for the center.

The players

Leonard Zax

Paterson-born lawyer who left a D.C. law firm to launch a nonprofit in Paterson pursuing the national park designation.

Bill Pascrell Jr.

Former New Jersey congressman who discussed pursuing national park designation for the Great Falls with Zax.

The details

The anniversary ceremony was held Nov. 6 and coincided with the unveiling of the America Untold mural on the wall facing the waterfall in the overlook section. The pedestrian bridge spanning the falls reopened this year after a three-year closure, and Grand Vista Park held its ribbon-cutting four months later.

2005: Doubts over state park plans prompted the national park effort to begin.
2011: Water flow through the park was turned off after Hurricane Irene.
2026: The pedestrian bridge spanning the falls reopened after a three-year closure.
Nov. 6, 2026: The 15th anniversary ceremony of the national park designation was held.

Seasonal Patterns

The 15th anniversary of the 2011 national park designation places Great Falls in a decade-and-a-half-long arc from state park planning to federal recognition. The park's recent infrastructure work, including the reopened footbridge, continues a trajectory that began with that designation.

Visitors can now cross the falls on the reopened pedestrian bridge after a three-year closure, making the overlook area accessible again. Those planning a trip should expect ongoing footbridge work along Upper Raceway Park beginning next year.

The takeaway

The reopened bridge and new mural show the park continuing to build on its federal designation, a reminder that national recognition often unfolds over many years of investment. Residents and visitors can watch for the upcoming footbridge repairs as the next visible sign of that work.

What happens next

A $4 million construction project to repair the footbridges along Upper Raceway Park is expected to begin next year, with restoration of the 180-year-old raceway gatehouse expected to proceed alongside it.