Paterson, New Jersey (Images of America Series) »

Philip M. Read, the great-grandson of a Paterson silk weaver whose ancestors emigrated from Macclesfield, England, is a graduate of Boston University and is a longtime journalist. He has worked for several New Jersey newspapers, but his first job was at the old Paterson News.

Paterson has been a place of comings and goings for generations. Images of America: Paterson explores the city's past with vintage photographs and interesting history and folklore. Some notables associated with the Silk City include Larry Doby, who broke the color barrier in the American League; shuttle astronaut Kathryn Sullivan; and actress Sue Ann Langdon. An industrial giant envisioned by Alexander Hamilton, Paterson gave birth to the famed Colt revolver, the modern-day submarine, the locomotives that linked America's coasts, and the engine that powered Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis. Also included are historic buildings such as the Fabian, the theater that Lou Costello frequented for premieres, and Paterson's Danforth Library, designed by architect Henry Bacon, creator of the Lincoln Memorial.