Escape to Upstate New York (Part Two) By Renée S. Gordon Albany
began as the Dutch West India Company's northernmost Dutch
settlement. In 1614, less than 10 years after Henry Hudson's
explorations, a small building was constructed on Castle Island
to store trade goods and house approximately 12 men. Inside a
moated stockade stood a small wooden structure, 36-ft. by
26-ft., known as Fort Nassau. The fort flooded, was relocated
and then abandoned in 1618. In 1624 a second trading fort was
built on the west side of the Hudson River. Fort Orange quickly
became the premier fur trade center on the continent. By 1652,
the colony around the fort was referred to as Beverwyck and it
was so called until New Netherland was taken over by the British
in 1660 and was renamed Albany. For a very brief period,
1673-74, the settlement again fell to the Dutch and they called
the area Willemstadt. For the final time it was renamed Albany
under British jurisdiction in 1674. Twelve years later Albany,
one of the oldest cities in th