Lambert Castle sitting atop Garret Mountain in Paterson NJ and overlooking the former "Silk City" below is a site familiar to most who have lived in the area or who travel daily on Interstate Route 80. Members of the Passaic County NJ Historical Society hope that the recent decision by Congress to designate the Great Falls of Paterson a national historic park will help to bring renewed interest in Lambert Castle.
The castle which is made of brownstone, was built by area silk baron, Catholina Lambert in 1893. The Passaic County Historical Society offices and county archives are now housed at the location. The castle is open to the public Wednesday - Sunday afternoons from 1 -4 pm.
In 1791, Alexander Hamilton created the first planned industrial community of the US in Paterson. Hamilton believed that in order for America to survive, we needed to establish an industrial base, and he saw the waters of the Passaic River flowing through Paterson as the perfect power source. The first cotton mill was built in the city in 1794 and the silk mills followed soon thereafter.
Catholina Lambert, born March 28, 1834 in Yorkshire England, was the son of two mill hands. He jumped aboard a ship bound for Boston at the age of 17 and by his early 20's was a partner in a silk mill. At 23, he married into wealth and moved with his bride to NYC. With two partners he opened his own silk mill at Straight and Clay Streets in Paterson and the rest they say...is history. He amassed great wealth and built his castle dubbed "Belle Vista" in part to showcase his huge art collection. Lambert's fortunes crumbled later in life and he was forced to auction off most of his beloved art collection before his death in 1923.
Two years later, Passaic County bought the castle and grounds for a tidy sum of $125,000
Happy 175th Birthday Catholina Lambert!
This local history brought to you by your North Jersey Real Estate Team
Jim Albano and Jean-Marie Vantuno
39 E. Main St.
Little Falls, NJ 07424
973-256-0303 ext 218
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