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Discover the Delights of Passaic County: Top 7 Fun and Fascinating Facts You Never Knew!

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Embark on a fascinating journey through Passaic County, where a treasure trove of entertaining and amusing tidbits awaits your curious eyes!

1. Haunted Asylum Attraction

If you've ever wondered what it's like to combine a thrilling game of "Where's Waldo?" with a haunted house-style experience in the Garden State, look no further: Passaic County is home to Brighton Asylum, a once abandoned asylum turned spine-tingling walk-through dark attraction. This chilling adventure boasts live actors, Hollywood quality special effects, and three bloodcurdling attractions, all serving to ensure that visitors tread the thin line between sanity and sheer terror.
Source => brightonasylum.com

2. Montclair's Ice Paradise

Whoever said cold hearts never prosper clearly never visited Montclair State University's ice arena: Home to nationally ranked men's and women's ice hockey clubs, this frosty paradise welcomes over 750,000 visitors yearly for "learn to skate" sessions, hockey games, figure skating events, and more. Located on campus in Little Falls, New Jersey, the university recently warmed up to its chilly side by taking ownership from Floyd Hall Enterprises, making it a one-stop rink for the Montclair Hockey Club, various high schools, and the North Jersey Figure Skating Club.
Source => montclair.edu

3. Birdwatcher Haven at Garrett Mountain

Birds of a feather flock to Garrett: Garrett Mountain Reservation in Passaic County boasts the Garret Mountain Yellow and White Loop Trail, a 2.9-mile path with a 367-foot elevation gain and a 4.2-star rating, specifically designed for bird watching enthusiasts to spot a plethora of fine feathered friends.
Source => alltrails.com

4. Poetic Bromance in Passaic

What do Allen Ginsberg and William Carlos Williams have in common, besides some killer monikers? A mutual admiration and a one-sided bromance in Passaic County, of course: These literary legends bonded over their poetic prowess, with Williams serving as a mentor to the Beat cohort, even writing introductions for Ginsberg's legendary work, "Howl." Though the county itself didn't make it into Williams' famous "Paterson" poem, it certainly played a pivotal role – and some poetic whispers – in both their creative lives.
Source => beatdom.com

Hinchliffe Stadium Revival

5. Hinchliffe Stadium Revival

Batter up, history buffs! Time to take a swing at some American baseball nostalgia that hits home runs across social and racial divides: Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, Passaic County, proudly stands as one of just two remaining ballparks where the segregated Negro Leagues played in the mid-20th century, and it's now getting a major league makeover with a $94 million reconstruction project, complete with a 75-unit apartment building, parking garage, and a restaurant-museum combo to celebrate its unique history.
Source => northjersey.com

6. Ringwood State Park's Iron History

Iron out your leisure plans and forge ahead to the birthplace of America's industrial revolution, where a manor once stood tall and firm amidst fiery furnaces: Passaic County's Ringwood State Park is a 19,000-acre wonderland that was once Ringwood Manor and an ironworks during the American Revolution, later gifted to New Jersey in 1938, now enchanting visitors with its hiking trails, fishing spots, and refreshing picnics while whispering tales of its rich history and natural beauty.
Source => nj.gov

7. George Washington's Hide-and-Seek

In the heat of battle, George Washington and his crew decided to take part in the first game of β€œcatch me if you can” – Revolutionary War edition: they crossed the Acquackanonk Bridge in Passaic County on November 21, 1776, destroying it afterwards to slow down those pesky British forces, who had to splash around slightly downstream finding another crossing spot. The Saints Peter and Paul Church now marks this legendary hide-and-seek spot where Washington took refuge in the Blanchard House tavern, with gravesites and monuments dedicated to various VIPs from the war, like Henry Garritse and Lord Stirling, just to remind everyone of the action-packed shenanigans that went down.
Source => revolutionarywarnewjersey.com

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