The Year: 1624 Although the Netherlands only controlled the Hudson River Valley from 1609 until 1664, in that short time, Dutch entrepreneurs established New Netherland—a series of trading posts, towns, and forts up and down the Hudson River that laid the groundwork for towns that still exist today. The Early Years New Netherland was on the eastern coast of North America in the 17th century which stretched from latitude 38 to 45 degrees north as originally discovered by the Dutch East India Company with the yacht Half Moon under the command of Henry Hudson in 1609. On October 11, 1614, merchants from the cities of Amsterdam and Hoorn formed the New Netherland Company, receiving a three-year monopoly for fur trading…
