Fort Nassau (North)
Encyclopedia
Fort Nassau was the first Dutch
settlement in North America
, and was located along the Hudson River
in present-day Albany
, New York
, United States
. The factorij was a small fortification which served as a trading post and warehouse. It was sited on an earlier French fortification from 1540.
explored what would be known as the Hudson River
for the Dutch in 1609, including Castle Island
which was at the center of Native American
fur
trading routes from the interior. Castle Island was so named for the ruins of a French
fortification which was dated from 1540 and had been abandoned due to flooding. Hendrick Christiaensen
chose this same location to build Fort Nassau in 1614 or 1615 as a dual warehouse and military defense structure and named the fort in honor of the stadtholder
of the United Netherlands, who was of the House of Orange-Nassau
. This was the first Dutch settlement in North America
. Jacob Eelkens became commander on Christiaensen's death in 1616.
In 1617 a freshet
damaged the fort to such an extent that it was abandoned and rebuilt on more secure ground at the mouth of the Normans Kill
(called the Tawasentha by the natives) with the Hudson River. This new fortification was built by Eelkens on a prominence
called Tawass-gunshee by the natives. Once the new fort was completed the first treaty between natives of North America and the Dutch was concluded. In 1618 a freshet destroyed the new fort, and it was abandoned for good when Fort Orange (New Netherland)
was built in 1623.
since 1932. The island was part of the town of Bethlehem
until 1926 when it was annexed to the city of Albany.
. The fort was defended by two large cannon
and eleven swivel gun
s. The fort was garrisoned by 10-12 men.
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
settlement in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, and was located along the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
in present-day Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The factorij was a small fortification which served as a trading post and warehouse. It was sited on an earlier French fortification from 1540.
History
Henry HudsonHenry Hudson
Henry Hudson was an English sea explorer and navigator in the early 17th century. Hudson made two attempts on behalf of English merchants to find a prospective Northeast Passage to Cathay via a route above the Arctic Circle...
explored what would be known as the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
for the Dutch in 1609, including Castle Island
Castle Island (New York)
Castle Island is in the city of Albany, Albany County, New York and has over the past 400 years been referred to as Martin Gerritse's Island, Patroon's Island, Van Rensselaer Island, and since the late 19th century has been referred to as Westerlo Island...
which was at the center of Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
fur
Fur
Fur is a synonym for hair, used more in reference to non-human animals, usually mammals; particularly those with extensives body hair coverage. The term is sometimes used to refer to the body hair of an animal as a complete coat, also known as the "pelage". Fur is also used to refer to animal...
trading routes from the interior. Castle Island was so named for the ruins of a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
fortification which was dated from 1540 and had been abandoned due to flooding. Hendrick Christiaensen
Hendrick Christiaensen
Hendrick Christiaensen was a Dutch explorer who was involved in the earlier exploration of what became present day New York City.In 1611, Christiaensen paid two visits to Manhattan, including one with fellow explorer Adriaen Block...
chose this same location to build Fort Nassau in 1614 or 1615 as a dual warehouse and military defense structure and named the fort in honor of the stadtholder
Stadtholder
A Stadtholder A Stadtholder A Stadtholder (Dutch: stadhouder [], "steward" or "lieutenant", literally place holder, holding someones place, possibly a calque of German Statthalter, French lieutenant, or Middle Latin locum tenens...
of the United Netherlands, who was of the House of Orange-Nassau
House of Orange-Nassau
The House of Orange-Nassau , a branch of the European House of Nassau, has played a central role in the political life of the Netherlands — and at times in Europe — since William I of Orange organized the Dutch revolt against Spanish rule, which after the Eighty Years' War...
. This was the first Dutch settlement in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. Jacob Eelkens became commander on Christiaensen's death in 1616.
In 1617 a freshet
Freshet
A freshet can refer to one of two things:* A flood resulting from heavy rain or a spring thaw. Whereas heavy rain often causes a flash flood, a spring thaw event is generally a more incremental process, depending upon local climate and topography...
damaged the fort to such an extent that it was abandoned and rebuilt on more secure ground at the mouth of the Normans Kill
Kill (body of water)
As a body of water, a kill is a creek. The word comes from the Middle Dutch kille, meaning "riverbed" or "water channel." The modern Dutch term is kil....
(called the Tawasentha by the natives) with the Hudson River. This new fortification was built by Eelkens on a prominence
Topographic prominence
In topography, prominence, also known as autonomous height, relative height, shoulder drop , or prime factor , categorizes the height of the mountain's or hill's summit by the elevation between it and the lowest contour line encircling it and no higher summit...
called Tawass-gunshee by the natives. Once the new fort was completed the first treaty between natives of North America and the Dutch was concluded. In 1618 a freshet destroyed the new fort, and it was abandoned for good when Fort Orange (New Netherland)
Fort Orange
Fort Orange was the first permanent Dutch settlement in New Netherland and was on the site of the present-day city of Albany, New York. It was a replacement for Fort Nassau, which had been built on nearby Castle Island in the Hudson River, and which served as a trading post until 1617 or 1618,...
was built in 1623.
Geography
Fort Nassau was built on what is now called Westerlo Island, which has been the Port of Albany-RensselaerPort of Albany-Rensselaer
The Port of Albany–Rensselaer, widely known as the Port of Albany, is a port of entry in the United States with facilities on both sides of the Hudson River in Albany and Rensselaer, New York. Private and public port facilities have existed in both cities since the 17th century, with an increas in...
since 1932. The island was part of the town of Bethlehem
Bethlehem, New York
Bethlehem is a town in Albany County, New York, USA. The population was 33,656 at the 2010 census. The town is south of Albany. Bethlehem includes the following hamlets: Delmar, Elsmere, Slingerlands, Glenmont, Selkirk, South and North Bethlehem. U.S. Route 9W passes through the town...
until 1926 when it was annexed to the city of Albany.
Structure
Fort Nassau was a 36 feet (11 m) long by 26 feet (7.9 m) wide building enclosed by a 58 feet (17.7 m) square stockade surrounded by an 18 feet (5.5 m) wide moatMoat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
. The fort was defended by two large cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
and eleven swivel gun
Swivel gun
The term swivel gun usually refers to a small cannon, mounted on a swiveling stand or fork which allows a very wide arc of movement. Another type of firearm referred to as a swivel gun was an early flintlock combination gun with two barrels that rotated along their axes to allow the shooter to...
s. The fort was garrisoned by 10-12 men.
See also
- Fort Nassau (South River)Fort Nassau (South River)Fort Nassau was a factorij in the colonial province of New Netherland from 1623-1651.The name Fort Nassau was used by the Dutch in the 17th century for several fortifications, mostly trading stations, named for the House of Orange-Nassau....
- Fortifications of New NetherlandFortifications of New NetherlandNew Netherland, or Nieuw-Nederland in Dutch, was the seventeenth century colonial province of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands on northeastern coast of North America. The claimed territory were the lands from the Delmarva Peninsula to southern Cape Cod. Settled areas are now part of...
- History of Albany, New YorkHistory of Albany, New YorkThe history of Albany, New York, begins with the first interaction with native Indian tribes that originally inhabited the area. The area was originally inhabited by Algonquian Indian tribes, namely the Mohican and the Iroquois....
- New Netherland settlementsNew Netherland settlementsNew Netherland, or Nieuw-Nederland in Dutch, was the 17th century colonial province of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands on northeastern coast of North America. The claimed territory were the lands from the Delmarva Peninsula to southern Cape Cod. Settled areas are now part of...
External links
- The Trading House 1615 Artist Len Tantillo's vision of what Fort Nassau may have looked like