August 21, 2012. Having visited the Patterson Great Falls, we decided to visit the nearby Patterson Museum.
Patterson is famous for the Rogers Locomotive works. It built more than 6000 locomotives for railroads all over the world. The company's most famous engine was named THE GENERAL, which was one of the engines in the Great Locomotive Race of the American Civil War. The grounds of the former locomotive works is now the Patterson museum.
The nameplate for the partners: Thomas Rogers, Morris Ketchum and Jasper Grosvenor, with other memorabilia of the locomotive works.
Also noteworthy for Patterson was John Philip Holland who designed and built the first submarines. The FENIAN RAM was the first ever submarine and is on display in this museum.
Silk manufacturing was very big in Patterson, it was called "Silk City". In 1855, 600 people were working in silk.
Vintage horse drawn fire pumpers were on display.
The Wright Aeronautical Plant #1 on Lewis Street in Patterson made the engine that Charles Lindberg used in his historic flight across the Atlantic.
The Colt revolving pistol was helped in it's success due to Patterson investors.
The museum had many displays of yesteryear that made the visit interesting.
Outside was large untitled art.
There is much history in the museum and I had not realized how important Patterson, NJ was to our county's early manufacturing.