Before the advent of electricity, the biggest source of power was water power from rivers and streams. Almost all had gristmills located on them. However, manufacturing needed a more powerful source. In 1791, the Society for Establishing Useful Manufactures, created by Alexander Hamilton, looked for a place with enough power for a manufacturing hub for the nascent American nation. The society looked at this spot on the Raritan River before deciding on the Great Falls of the Paterson River. In 1840, the New Jersey Legislature chartered the Somerville Water Power…
