Hudson River

The Hudson River, called Muh-he-kun-ne-tuk in Mahican, is a river running mainly through New York State but partly forming the boundary between the states of New York and New Jersey. It is named for Henry Hudson, an Englishman sailing for the Netherlands, who explored it in 1609, although the first European to see it (in 1524), was the Italian Giovanni da Verrazano, whose expedition was financed by the citizens of Lyon, France, under the auspices of King François I. Early European settlement of the area clustered around the river.

Transportation

The Hudson River is navigable for a great distance. The original Erie Canal, opened in 1825 to connect the Hudson with Lake Erie, emptied into the Hudson just south of the Federal Dam in Troy. The canal enabled shipping between cities on the Great Lakes and Europe via the Atlantic Ocean. The New York State Barge Canal, the successor to the Erie Canal, runs into the Hudson River north of Troy, and uses natural waterways whenever possible. The first railroad in New York, the Mohawk and Hudson Railroad, opened in 1831 between Albany and Schenectady on the Mohawk River, enabling passengers to bypass the slowest part of the Erie Canal.

Related Topics:
Navigable - Erie Canal - 1825 - Federal Dam - Troy - Great Lakes - Europe - Atlantic Ocean - New York State Barge Canal - Railroad - Mohawk and Hudson Railroad - 1831 - Albany - Schenectady - Mohawk River

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The Delaware and Hudson Canal ended at the Hudson at Kingston, running southwest to the coal fields of northeastern Pennsylvania.

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Delaware and Hudson Canal - Kingston - Coal - Pennsylvania

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In northern Troy, the Champlain Canal split from the Erie Canal and continued north along the west side of the Hudson to Thomson, where it crossed to the east side. At Fort Edward the canal left the Hudson, heading northeast to Lake Champlain. A barge canal now splits from the Hudson at that point, taking roughly the same route (also parallel to the Delaware and Hudson Railway's Saratoga and Whitehall Railroad) to Lake Champlain at Whitehall. From Lake Champlain, boats can continue north into Canada to the St. Lawrence Waterway.

Related Topics:
Champlain Canal - Thomson - Fort Edward - Lake Champlain - Barge canal - Delaware and Hudson Railway - Saratoga and Whitehall Railroad - Whitehall - Canada - St. Lawrence Waterway

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The Hudson Valley also proved attractive for railroads, once technology progressed to the point where it was feasible to construct the required bridges over tributaries. The Troy and Greenbush Railroad was chartered in 1845 and opened that same year, running a short distance on the east side between Troy and Greenbush (east of Albany). The Hudson River Railroad was chartered the next year as a continuation of the Troy and Greenbush south to New York City, and was completed in 1851. In 1866 the Hudson River Bridge opened over the river between Greenbush and Albany, enabling through traffic between the Hudson River Railroad and the New York Central Railroad west to Buffalo.

Related Topics:
Hudson Valley - Railroad - Troy and Greenbush Railroad - 1845 - Troy - Greenbush - Albany - Hudson River Railroad - New York City - 1851 - 1866 - Hudson River Bridge - New York Central Railroad - Buffalo

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The New York, West Shore and Buffalo Railway ran up the west shore of the Hudson as a competitor to the merged New York Central and Hudson River Railroad. Construction was slow, and was finally completed in 1884; the next year the New York Central bought it.

Related Topics:
New York, West Shore and Buffalo Railway - New York Central and Hudson River Railroad - 1884

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The Hudson is crossed at numerous points by bridges and tunnels. The width of the Lower Hudson River required major feats of engineering to cross, the results today visible in the Verrazano Narrows and George Washington Bridges, as well as the Lincoln and Holland Tunnels and the PATH and Pennsylvania Railroad tubes. The Troy-Waterford Bridge at Waterford was the first bridge over the Hudson, opened in 1809. The Rensselaer and Saratoga Railroad was chartered in 1832 and opened in 1835, including the Green Island Bridge, the first bridge over the Hudson south of the Federal Dam. http://railroad.union.rpi.edu/images/Open-house/Self-guided-tour-of-Troy.asp

Related Topics:
Bridge - Tunnel - Verrazano Narrows - George Washington - Lincoln - Holland - PATH - Pennsylvania Railroad - Troy-Waterford Bridge - Waterford - 1809 - Rensselaer and Saratoga Railroad - 1832 - 1835 - Green Island Bridge - Federal Dam

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The Upper Hudson River's valley was also useful for railroads. Sections of the Rensselaer and Saratoga Railroad, Troy and Boston Railroad and Albany Northern Railroad ran next to the Hudson between Troy and Mechanicville. North of Mechanicville the shore was bare until Glens Falls, where the short Glens Falls Railroad ran along the east shore. At Glens Falls the Hudson turns west to Corinth before continuing north; at Corinth the Adirondack Railway begins to run along the Hudson's west bank. The original Adirondack Railway opened by 1871, ending at North Creek along the river. In World War II an extension opened to Tahawus, the site of valuable iron and titanium mines. The extension continued along the Hudson River into Hamilton County, and then continued north where the Hudson makes a turn to the west, crossing the Hudson and running along the west shore of the Boreas River. South of Tahawus the route returned to the east shore of the Hudson the rest of the way to its terminus.

Related Topics:
Rensselaer and Saratoga Railroad - Troy and Boston Railroad - Albany Northern Railroad - Troy - Mechanicville - Glens Falls - Glens Falls Railroad - Corinth - Adirondack Railway - 1871 - North Creek - World War II - Tahawus - Iron - Titanium - Mine - Hamilton County - Boreas River

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