Molly Ann Brook - History

History

Molly Ann Brook, like its neighboring Passaic River tributaries, played host to General Lafayette’s troops during the American Revolutionary War. Known as Krakeel Val in 1780, the brook passed along the western edge of Lafayette’s Grand Parade, running through the area where General St Clair’s troops were stationed in October and November.

In the late 18th century, the area of Westside Park, at the mouth of the brook in Paterson, was home to Dirck and Molly Van Houten and their children, one of the original pioneer families to settle the area. Adreyean, the ninth child of the family, distinguished himself from other Van Houtens in the area by calling himself Molly’s Yawn (Dutch), or Molly’s son. Living at his parent’s homestead, the brook running through the property came to be known as Molly Yawn’s Brook, which was later corrupted to the current Molly Ann’s Brook.

In the early 20th century, the brook became well known for its intense floods, particularly a massive flood affecting four towns in July, 1945. As a response, overflow tunnels were proposed in the late 1950s. Ultimately, in 1999 the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District completed a flood control project in the lower reaches of the brook to protect against 50-year storm events. The project significantly deepened and widened the brook through the construction of concrete and rock-lined channels.