The first capital of New York State The city of Kingston was
first called Esopus after a local Esopus tribe, then Wiltwijck
(sometimes anglicized to Wiltwyck). Settled in 1651, it was one
of the three large Hudson River settlements in New Netherland,
the other two being Beverwyck, now Albany, and New Amsterdam,
now New York City. In 1777, Kingston became the first capital of
New York. During the summer of 1777, when the New York State
constitution was written, New York City was occupied by British
troops and Albany (then the second largest settlement in New
York) was under threat of attack. Ironically, the British never
reached Albany, being stopped at Saratoga, but they did reach
Kingston. Shortly after the Battle of Saratoga, the city was
burned by British troops moving up the Hudson River from New
York City, disembarking at the mouth of the Rondout Creek on the
formation the Dutch had named Ponck Hockie. Contrary to popular
belief there wasn't a large conflict between the townsfolk and
the British invaders