A native Patersonian who grew up surrounded by working textile mills, DeStefano has been the Director of the Paterson Museum for over thirty years. During his tenure, the Museum acquired the silk machinery that visitors see on display in our silk exhibit. In this presentation, DeStefano shares his extensive knowledge of the silk manufacturing process as he examines the silk industry, which grew to give Paterson the nickname Silk City. The focus of the presentation will be a detailed look at the many stages of the manufacturing process from dyeing and winding to weaving. Historic images of the Paterson silk mill experience, alongside images of the machinery on exhibit, help bring the process to life.

This lecture was part of the Paterson Museum Foundation's Speakers Series. The program was presented by Paterson Museum Director, Giacomo DeStefano on December 20, 2022, via zoom.

The Paterson Museum Foundation is the non-profit partner of the Paterson Museum, working with the Museum to help further its mission. Programming, such as this, is one of the Foundation’s many projects. To learn more about the Foundation, and to donate, visit www.patersonmuseumfoundation.org