Riverside Section

The Riverside Section occupies the northeastern portion of Paterson, bordered by the Passaic River on the north and east. Across the river lie the communities of Hawthorne and Fair Lawn. The neighborhood developed primarily during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries as Paterson expanded beyond its original industrial center. Today, Riverside is a predominantly residential neighborhood with commercial and industrial corridors along Madison Avenue, River Street, and Route 20.

Early History

Before European settlement, the Riverside area was occupied by the Lenape Indians, who relied on the Passaic River for fishing, transportation, and seasonal camps. The fertile floodplain and abundant natural resources made the riverbank an attractive place to live for centuries.

During the colonial era, the land became part of large Dutch and English farms that stretched northward from the Great Falls. Much of the Riverside area remained agricultural until the rapid industrial growth of Paterson during the nineteenth century.

Growth of a Residential Neighborhood

Unlike downtown Paterson, Riverside was never dominated by large textile mills. Instead, it developed largely as a working-class residential community for employees of the city’s silk mills, locomotive works, foundries, and machine shops.

Beginning in the 1880s and continuing through the 1920s, developers laid out a grid of streets that included:

• Madison Avenue
• River Street
• East 18th Street
• East 24th Street
• East 33rd Street
• 10th Avenue
• 12th Avenue

Streetcars provided easy transportation to downtown factories, making Riverside an attractive neighborhood for industrial workers and their families.

Immigration

Like much of Paterson, Riverside was shaped by successive waves of immigration.

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, many residents were:

• Irish
• Italian
• Polish
• Slovak
• Hungarian
• Syrian and Lebanese

These communities built churches, neighborhood stores, and social organizations that became the center of community life.

Beginning in the late twentieth century, Riverside became home to growing Hispanic, Albanian, and other immigrant communities. Today the neighborhood reflects Paterson’s remarkable ethnic diversity while retaining many of its older residential streets and commercial buildings.

Industry Along the River

Although Riverside itself was primarily residential, industries were located along the Passaic River and near River Street. Warehouses, machine shops, trucking companies, and small manufacturing businesses took advantage of nearby railroad lines and later Route 20.

The nearby Bunker Hill industrial district provided employment for many Riverside residents throughout the twentieth century.

Transportation

Transportation has always played an important role in Riverside’s development.

The neighborhood benefited from:

• Electric streetcar lines along Madison Avenue.
• The construction of New Jersey Route 20, which improved access to Interstate 80 and New York City.
• Bridges crossing the Passaic River that connected Paterson with Hawthorne and Fair Lawn.

These transportation improvements encouraged both residential growth and commercial development.

Community Landmarks

Important landmarks within or bordering the Riverside neighborhood include:

• River View Terrace, one of the neighborhood’s best-known residential developments.
• Madison Avenue commercial district.
• River Street industrial corridor.
• Several neighborhood parks and schools serving the Third and Fourth Wards.

The Passaic River remains Riverside’s defining natural feature, providing scenic views while also presenting periodic flooding challenges during major storms.

Riverside Today

Today, Riverside remains a stable working-class neighborhood characterized by:

• Tree-lined residential streets
• Two- and three-family homes dating from 1890–1930
• Diverse ethnic communities
• Local businesses serving neighborhood residents
• Convenient transportation access via Route 20

Its location along the Passaic River continues to define both its identity and its history. While Paterson’s great textile mills have disappeared, Riverside remains a reminder of the city’s industrial heritage and the generations of workers who made Paterson known as America’s Silk City.

Timeline