Celebrating 400 Years of History

Original "Hudson Light" 12 x 28 oil painting by Will Kefauver, available at River Winds Gallery , Beacon.

"The land was of the finest kind for tillage and as beautiful as the foot of man ever trod upon." So noted the very first tourist to the region, Henry Hudson, in 1609.

The Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial celebrates the 400th anniversary of the voyages of discovery made by Henry Hudson and Samuel de Champlain, as well as the 200th anniversary of Robert Fulton's steamship voyage along the Hudson River. These voyages were some of the most significant events in European exploration and led to the settlement of Dutchess County.  Numerous local and statewide events will commemorate the historic journey, during which New York State's distinctiveness as America's Gateway and its first frontier was established.

The Dutch influence throughout the Hudson Valley, initially coined “New Netherland”, dates back to the settlement of Henry Hudson and his crew on the new land.

The Dutch East India Company hired English explorer Henry Hudson to oversee the task of finding a quicker route to Asia. His first two voyages had been unsuccessful and even though he had still found no passage, he set out for a third voyage. He set sail out of Amsterdam, on a small, 80-ton, triple-masted vessel, called Half Moon (translated Halve Maen in Dutch). Hudson’s crew consisted of 16 men, half Dutch and half English. On September 12, 1609, the Half Moon began a three week journey into land never before seen by European eyes, what we now call the Hudson River and traveled north up the river as far as Albany.  First mate Robert Jute described the area as “pleasant land” and excitedly investigated all the new opportunities the land had to offer.

The Quadricentennial celebration will feature the Half Moon, replicaship which will travel the length of the Hudson, beginning in New York harbor and arriving in Albany on the exact day that Hudson first found port. Other riverside events will include the unveiling of the Walkway Over the Hudson, the Newburgh International Waterfront Festival, and various opportunities to travel along the Hudson River by boat, kayak or ferry!
When Hudson returned to Europe, he did not bring with him silk and spices from Asia, as was expected. He instead spoke of a place where, “the land is the finest for cultivation that I ever in my life set foot upon.” He also told of his new found relationships with the Native Americans and returned with goods that had traded with them. The Lenape, the Mohegan, the Mohawk, Abenaki and the Wendat (Huron) are the main Native American tribes that were settled in the area during that time. Europeans were mesmerized by the never before seen beaver furs and enticed as Hudson spoke of the region’s natural abundance, commercial advantages and overall beauty. 

The Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial the 400th anniversary celebration will be a great time to look back at the history of the region and look forward to the innovations and endeavors of the future throughout Dutchess County, the Hudson Valley and New York State.

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