Its official! On November 7, the Secretary of Interior signed an agreement with the city of Paterson that formally established the Paterson Great Falls National Park. In an uplifting ceremony at the Great Falls on a picture-perfect day, Paterson residents gathered to hear remarks by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis, Senators Frank Lautenberg and Bob Menendez, Congressman Bill Pascrell, and Mayor Jeffrey Jones.

Congressman Bill Pascrell exclaimed, "this is our Yellowstone." Now the Great falls is part of the National Park System, protected forever by federal legislation and stewardship in a partnership with the city of Paterson.

The dedication also marked the beginning of the National Park Service’s intensive two-year planning process. With the help of the Paterson National Park Advisory Commission and the active participation of residents of Paterson and the region, the National Park Service will create a detailed plan for the park and its educational dimensions.

Officials expressed gratitude to the congressional delegation and the Paterson community for the unwavering unity sustained throughout the years. That unity was perhaps most pronounced among the Paterson youth present at the ceremony, many of whom were members of the Great Falls Youth Corps, flanking the crowd with signs celebrating the Park’s establishment and thanking their congressional representatives.

This was truly a day to celebrate Paterson’s historic past. We look forward to the work we have ahead of us as we create a national park for the 21st century, one that will help us improve the quality of life today and in the future.

Our friends at the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation posted these wonderful photos of the event.

To watch highlights from the dedication ceremony, click here.