View source for First River

{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2017}}
{{Infobox river
| name               = First River
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<!---------------------- LOCATION -->
| subdivision_type1  = Country
| subdivision_name1  = [[United States]]
| subdivision_type2  = State
| subdivision_name2  = [[New Jersey]]
| subdivision_type3  = [[County (United States)|Counties]]
| subdivision_name3  = [[Essex County, New Jersey|Essex]]
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| source1            = 
| source1_location   = [[Essex County, New Jersey|Essex County]], [[New Jersey]], [[United States]]
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| mouth              = [[Passaic River]]
| mouth_location     = [[Newark, New Jersey|Newark]], [[Essex County, New Jersey|Essex]], [[New Jersey]], [[United States]]
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The '''First River''', in the state of [[New Jersey]] in the [[United States]], is a [[subterranean river]] and the first main [[tributary]] of the [[Passaic River]] encountered while travelling upstream from its mouth at [[Newark Bay]].

Beginning at the confluence of Mill Brook and Branch Brook<ref>[http://www.essexcountyparks.org/parks/branch-brook-park/faqs Essex County Department of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs: Branch Brook Park]</ref> (near the present Skating Center in [[Branch Brook Park]]), the First River flowed parallel to Seventh Avenue and Clay Street, discharging into the Passaic River in the vicinity of the Clay Street bridge.

The First River was also known as '''Mill Brook''', having supported several [[watermill|mill]]s, including [[Gristmills|grist mills]] for the earliest settlers of Newark in the 17th century.

From 1863 to 1890 the brook was [[culvert]]ised and now flows underground through two culverts, each {{convert|6|ft|9|in|cm|spell=in}} high by {{convert|9|ft|3|in|cm|spell=in}} wide until discharging into the Passaic.<ref>[http://www.virtualnewarknj.com/histories/sewersystem.php The History of the Newark Sewer System]</ref>  The brook once flowed through, and now flows under, what is now [[Branch Brook Park]] in the city of [[Newark, New Jersey|Newark]].<ref>[http://www.newarkhistory.com/branchbrookcherries.html Newarkology: Branch Brook Park]</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of rivers of New Jersey]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Coord|39.597905|-74.641703|format=dms|display=title}}
{{Passaic River}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Geography of Newark, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Tributaries of the Passaic River]]
[[Category:Rivers of New Jersey]]
[[Category:Rivers of Essex County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Subterranean rivers of the United States]]


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