Press Releases
Pascrell Commemorates Hinchliffe Stadium at National Historic Landmark CeremonyHundreds of volunteers lend hand to clean and paint historic Paterson landmark
Washington, DC,
April 16, 2014
Today, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) joined the National Park Service (NPS) and the Paterson Board of Education in hosting the Hinchliffe Stadium National Historic Landmark Ceremony, where the official plaque from the Department of Interior was unveiled in recognition of the prestigious distinction. Following the ceremony, hundreds of community volunteers signed up to paint the outside of the stadium and cleanup the surrounding grounds in an effort organized by the The National Trust for Historic Preservation to restore the historic landmark. "Although we’ve made strides towards getting Hinchliffe the recognition it deserves, there is still more work to be done to ensure this pillar of our community stands strong for generations to come," said Rep. Pascrell. "This is why I introduced the Hinchliffe Stadium Heritage Act in order to grant this historic landmark the distinction of being included within the boundaries of the Great Falls National Historical Park. The hundreds of volunteers who have signed up today to lend a hand prove our ongoing commitment to Hinchliffe Stadium, and I thank them all for their invaluable service to our community." Rep. Pascrell introduced the Hinchliffe Stadium Heritage Act (H.R. 2430), legislation that would make Paterson’s Hinchliffe Stadium a part of the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park. Just last week, the bill passed by unanimous consent out of the House Committee on Natural Resources, with an amendment that would prevent the NPS from being required to purchase the property. This allows the Paterson Board of Education to maintain ownership of the building. The amendment also allows NPS to accept a preservation easement that would provide legal means to enforce future preservation of the stadium. In 2009, Rep. Pascrell introduced the “Great Falls National Historical Park Act,” which was signed into law by the President as a part of the “Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009.” The measure designated the Great Falls in Paterson as a National Historical Park and commissioned a study to assess Hinchliffe's potential to be named a National Historic Landmark. Last year the U.S. Department of Interior completed the study, and designated Hinchliffe as a National Historic Landmark, prompting today's cermony. In 2010, the National Trust for Historic Preservation designated Hinchliffe as one of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. Eleven current members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame played on Hinchliffe's grounds, including Larry Doby, Josh Gibson, William Julius “Judy” Johnson, Oscar Charleston, and Leroy “Satchel” Paige. In addition to hosting Negro League baseball, Hinchliffe Stadium was also home to three professional football teams, many auto racing events, and professional boxing. Located within Paterson's National Landmark Historic District, the stadium is directly above the Great Falls National Historical Park. The Hinchliffe Stadium Heritage Act has the support of the New Jersey Community Development Corporation, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Friends of Hinchliffe Stadium, the Hamilton Partnership for Paterson, the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and former Paterson Mayor and current Chair of the Great Falls Advisory Commission, Pat Kramer. The Paterson School Board, the current owner of the stadium, also adopted a resolution in support of the bill. ### |