Quadricentennial Events
400th Anniversary of Henry Hudson and Samuel de Champlain's Historic Voyages
2009 marks the 400th anniversary of two historic events that shaped New York State's future and established its place as the economic and social center of the New World. Henry Hudson and Samuel de Champlain simultaneously explored the southern and northern waterways of New York State, and changed America forever with their discoveries of the Hudson River and Lake Champlain.
A Year-Long Celebration
In honor of the momentous voyages, DEC and the Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial Commission will oversee a year-long celebration of New York State's historical, cultural and environmental achievements of the past four centuries. Many exciting activities and events are being planned from New York harbor to the Canadian border , starting in January 2009. As plans unfold, we invite you to check the official Quadricentennial website http://www.exploreny400.com/ (leaving DEC's website) for detailed information about upcoming events and programs.
Historic Voyages that Shaped the Future
In August of 1609, explorer Henry Hudson, an Englishman hired by the Dutch East India Trading Company to find quick passage to China, sailed aboard the ship, the Half Moon, into New York Bay. Thinking he and his crew had found what they were looking for, they traveled up the river later named for him to a point near the site of present-day Albany.
Hudson's navigational error opened up a whole new area of natural abundance and commercial advantages, as communities settled along the river's banks and the creation of the Erie Canal eventually allowed shipping between the Great Lakes and Europe.
Only months earlier, hundreds of miles north, French explorer Samuel de Champlain journeyed into an area of incredible splendor with a lake as its centerpiece, now known as Lake Champlain. While the ports along Lake Champlain are now used mainly for recreation, they had significant commercial and military importance during the 18th and 19th centuries. Today, the Lake Champlain area generates billions of dollars for New York's tourism industry.
More about Quadricentennial Events:
- Quadricentennial Grants - Application information on eligible project funding.
