The Hudson River: Connecting Past and Present

The Hudson River: Connecting Past and Present. . , For millions of years, the Gansevoort Peninsula did not exist. New York City created it during the 19th century through the sale of underwater lots and the subsequent placement of fill into the water., Long before these changes and still today, Indigenous peoples have been calling the Hudson River their home. This includes the Lenape people, the original inhabitants of a large territory encompassing portions of today's New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Peninsula. The Lenape people relocated with the seasons by traveling on a network of waterways and trails, including a route nearby, for available resources., In early spring, massive fish runs brought the Lenape to the shore to catch species like shad, herring, and sturgeon. Oysters, mussels, and clams were harvested year-round. Inland, the Lenape planted and harvested crops like tobacco, squash, beans, and corn., European colonization, wars, and centuries of government policies forcibly displaced the Lenape people from their traditional homelands. Today, there are large Lenape communities in Oklahoma, Kansas, Wisconsin, and Canada, and many Lenape have returned to New York City as well., The Hudson River is a link between the past and present. In addition to being part of the Lenape homeland, the waters surrounding Gansevoort are part of Hudson River Park's 400-acre Estuarine Sanctuary, an important natural resource supporting abundant fish and other marine life.