Hudson's Merchants and Whalers: The Rise and Fall of a River Port, 1783-1850

This is the remarkable story of the seaport far from the sea-the city of Hudson, 120 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, founded 1n 1783 by seafaring Quaker emigrants from Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and New Bedford who transformed a sleepy boat landing "at the head of navigation on the Hudson River" into a booming city and a bustling port that rivaled the port of New York City. Shipyards, candle factories, rope walks, and warehouses clustered near the port, while stately mansions and glittering storefronts were raised on the hills above. Then it all came tumbling down, and by 1850 the "miracle city" faced a very uncertain future.