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Hudson River

geography Maturity 7-9 Next article →

The Hudson River is a huge and important waterway in New York.

Hudson River outflow from Henderson Lake
Hudson River outflow from Henderson Lake

It begins in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake in the town of Newcomb. From there, the water flows south through the state. It eventually reaches New York Bay, which sits between New York City and Jersey City.

Hudson-East Rivers
Hudson-East Rivers

This bay is a tidal estuary that leads into the Atlantic Ocean. The river also acts as a border between New York and New Jersey. It marks the edges of many different counties in upstate New York.

Bird's-eye view of Hudson River from walkway 5
Bird's-eye view of Hudson River from walkway 5

The river works in a very interesting way because of the tides. In the lower half, the river is a tidal estuary. This means the ocean water moves in and out with the tides. Even far north in the city of Troy, the water changes direction.

Rapids on the Hudson River Gorge.
Rapids on the Hudson River Gorge.

This part of the river is actually deeper than the ocean it flows into. This deep path is called a fjord. Long ago, massive glaciers carved out this special shape in the land.

View of the Hudson River-Robert Havell Jr-1866
View of the Hudson River-Robert Havell Jr-1866

Many different groups of people have called this river home. The Munsee, Lenape, Mohican, Mohawk, and Haudenosaunee lived in these lands.

Bird on the bank of the Hudson River 1
Bird on the bank of the Hudson River 1

The Mohicans called the river Mahicannittuk. The Lenape had their own name for it too. Later, the river was named after Henry Hudson. He was an Englishman sailing for the Dutch East India Company. He explored the river in 1609.

Bierstadt - discovery of the hudson river
Bierstadt - discovery of the hudson river

Before him, an Italian explorer named Giovanni da Verrazzano saw the bay in 1524.

History shows how much people used the river for travel and trade. The Dutch called it the North River. They built settlements all around it. Later, the Erie Canal was finished in 1825.

Lock Number 11 Erie Canal, Amsterdam NY 2918 (4029379915)
Lock Number 11 Erie Canal, Amsterdam NY 2918 (4029379915)

This canal linked Albany on the Hudson to Buffalo on Lake Erie. It helped settlers move west toward the Great Lakes. Another path, the Delaware and Hudson Canal, moved coal from Pennsylvania to Kingston.

The river has also inspired many famous people and ideas. Writers like Washington Irving wrote about the river valley. In the nineteenth century, artists formed the Hudson River School. They painted beautiful landscapes of the area.

Cole Thomas Sunny Morning on the Hudson River 1827
Cole Thomas Sunny Morning on the Hudson River 1827

Today, people focus on keeping the water clean. In the mid-twentieth century, pollution from chemicals like PCBs grew.

Norrie Point Environmental Center
Norrie Point Environmental Center

Now, new projects help improve the water. Because of this work, fish like sturgeon have been seen in the river again.

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🖼️ Images & Media (20)
File:Bierstadt - discovery of the hudson river.jpg
Bierstadt - discovery of the hudson river.jpg
File:Hudson-East Rivers.png
Hudson-East Rivers.png
File:Hudson River outflow from Henderson Lake.jpg
Hudson River outflow from Henderson Lake.jpg
File:Bird's-eye view of Hudson River from walkway 5.JPG
Bird's-eye view of Hudson River from walkway 5.JPG
File:2016 One World Observatory view along Hudson River.jpg
2016 One World Observatory view along...
File:Breaking The Ice On The Hudson River With United States Coast Guard Cutter Hawser -y.jpg
Breaking The Ice On The Hudson River With...
File:Cole_Thomas_Sunny_Morning_on_the_Hudson_River_1827.jpg
Cole_Thomas_Sunny_Morning_on_the_Hudson_Ri...
File:View of the Hudson River-Robert Havell Jr-1866.jpg
View of the Hudson River-Robert Havell Jr-1866.jpg
File:Lock Number 11 Erie Canal, Amsterdam NY 2918 (4029379915).jpg
Lock Number 11 Erie Canal, Amsterdam NY...
File:The_sloops_of_the_Hudson;_an_historical_sketch_of_the_packet_and_market_sloops_of_the_last_century,_with_a_record_of_their_names;_together_with_personal_reminiscences_of_certain_of_the_notable_North_(14768617432).jpg
The_sloops_of_the_Hudson;_an_historical_sk...
File:View_on_the_Hudson_River._Hudson_R.R,_from_Robert_N._Dennis_collection_of_stereoscopic_views.jpg
View_on_the_Hudson_River._Hudson_R.R,_from...
File:George Washington Bridge from New Jersey-edit.jpg
George Washington Bridge from New Jersey-edit.jpg

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