The lecture, Paterson Comes of Age: The Rise of an American City, will be presented by author and public historian, Richard Polton.

This presentation will examine Paterson, America’s first planned industrial city, during the second half of the Nineteenth Century. During this period, Paterson was the fastest growing city in America. With the use of historic photographs from the Paterson Museum’s extensive collection, Polton will focus on the nature and quality of architecture found in Victorian Paterson as a reflection of the city’s aspirations, economic power and importance.

A Paterson native and author, Richard has a background in architecture and planning as well as a passion for urban history. Among his accomplishments, Richard is the author of The Life and Times of Fred Wesley Wentworth: The Architect Who Shaped Paterson and Its People. He served as President of the Jewish Historical Society of Northern New Jersey and he is actively involved with the Hamilton Partnership for Paterson.