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(Only those chapters dealing with the early settlement and maritime history of the
Hudson River have been reproduced on these web pages.)

The Hudson

by Carl Carmer (1893 - 1976)
Illustrated by Stow Wengenroth
Rivers of America Series

Published: New York, Farrar & Rinehart, 1939
Title Page

Table of Contents

Preface

Chapter

  1. TO MAKE A RIVER - Geologic history of the Hudson River

  2. OLD MOON INTO STARS - Indian culture and prehistory along the Hudson River before European contact

  3. "A PLEASANT LAND TO SEE" - European discovery of the Hudson River, Henry Hudson's exploration of the Hudson River in 1609

  4. THE HARD BLOND TRADERS - Early white settlers along the Hudson River

  5. THE REGENERATION OF JOCHEM WESSELS

  6. BY THE GRACE OF GOD-THE ENGLISH - 1663: The English take control of the Hudson Valley

  7. THE TARMAKERS
  8. "BOTH YOUR HOUSES"
  9. "WITHOUT INDECORUM OF BEHAVIOR"
  10. "NEVER TO BECOME SLAVES"

  11. THE LONG FIGHT - The American Revolution along the Hudson River: The battles for New York City and White Plains, Burgoyne's surrender at Saratoga, the burning of Kingston, the capture of Stony Point, and betrayal by Benedict Arnold. [1776-1783]

  12. TO GO-OR NOT TO GO! - Removal of the Hudson River Toryes to Nova Scotia

  13. REFUGEE FAMILY

  14. FIREFLIES IN THE RIGGING - Hudson River sloops; the fantastic voyage of the Experiment

  15. ROLLING TO HYORKY FROM THE CATSKILL SHORE - Whale fleets of the Hudson River; voyages to foreign shores.

  16. RIVER OF LOST DREAMS
  17. THE PEOPLE’S WARRIOR

  18. UPRIVER IN A TEAKETTLE - Robert Fulton and the Hudson River steamboat Clermont;

    Odgen vs Gibbons Supreme Court decision ending the Livingston steamboat monopoly.

  19. NEVER WAS MOUNTAIN MORE TRULY PORTRAYED

  20. THE MARRIAGE OF THE WATERS - Celebrations at the opening of the Erie Canal

  21. HUDSON RIVER AESTHETE

  22. PALACES AFLOAT - Hudson River Steamboats

  23. "HEAR ME, HEAVEN-SENT STRANGER!"
  24. EIGHT SIDES TO A HOME

  25. THE FATAL HUDSON RIVER STEAMBOAT RACE - Hudson River Steamboat Races

  26. TIN-HORN REBELLION
  27. "LIKE A PALACE BUILT FOR ANGELS"
  28. GHOST TOWNS AND GHOST TRADES

  29. THEY LOVED THE MARY POWELL - The Mary Powell Hudson River Steamboat

  30. IN A MOUNTAIN’S SHADOW

  31. THE SILVERBACKS ARE RUNNING - Fishing for Shad

  32. "THE DUTCH COMPANEE IS THE BEST COMPANEE"
  33. COME ALL YE GALLANT SHANTY-BOYS
  34. WITCHES MAKE STAR TRACKS
  35. FLOW ON
ACKNOWLEDGMENT

BIBLIOGRAPHY

INDEX

 

Preface

In this book I have tried to tell the story of the people who have lived in the Hudson Valley. I have tried to be objective and unprejudiced, but my friends who are historians say that a pure objectivity cannot be obtained, and I believe them. I confess, therefore, that whatever prejudices I may have favor my subject. There is more in this volume about large groups and the leaders that represent them than there is about individuals who became uniquely distinguished--more about tenants than landlords, more about privates than generals, more about workers than employers.

Since a work of this sort might go on indefinitely and into many volumes, I have sought other limitations. I have tried to keep as near to the stream as I could and to avoid, where I thought it possible, things that happened out of sight of Hudson water.

The Hudson is rich in material and there will be people who will accept the boundaries I have set for myself and still object to my sins of omission. To them I can only answer that what I have chosen to tell here in this book seemed to me to be the best to tell.

Carl Carmer

Last changed August 2001