Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 1
New York City At a Glance (Manhattan
and Its Surroundings)
Map 1: New York City and its surrounding Boroughs
In 1609, English explorer Henry Hudson re-discovered the New York Metro region when he
sailed his ship into the natural New York Harbor. Although he was searching for the North-
west Passage to the Orient, the Dutch's claim on New York City and Hudson's employer the
Dutch East India Company helped New York City start to grow as an initial trading post. It
wasn't until the 1700s when the British acquired the land and saw the growth potential, and
invested in the land to make it a major trading port.
New York City is in the Northeastern United States. The location at the mouth of the Hudson
River and along the East River, feeds into a natural sheltered harbor and then into the Atlant-
