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Village gears up for Explore NY Quadricentennial

By Colin DeVries

CATSKILL — In the fall of 1609, Dutch explorer Henry Hudson and his crew were the first Europeans to lay eyes on the fertile lands of the Hudson Valley.

Hudson, who had already attained personal fame from explorations of Arctic waters, was hired by the Dutch East India Company to find a northeasterly all-water route to Asia.

While he never did succeed in finding such a route, he did enable colonization and development of the Hudson River Valley. To mark the 400th year of that achievement, former governor George Pataki signed a 2002 legislation to establish the Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial Commission.

Samuel de Champlain, founder of Quebec, discovered Lake Champlain that same fateful year, and is also being recognized for his achievement. Robert Fulton, who navigated the first successful steamboat voyage from New York City to Albany in 1807, is being honored for revolutionizing the commercial shipping industry.

Now, all the communities of the Hudson River Valley are planning events that will coincide with 400 years of history.

The village of Catskill approved a resolution Monday to officially become an “Explore NY 400 Community.”

As a representative community of the Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial Commission, Catskill may be eligible for either state or federal grant money to assist in Quadricentennial planning.

According to Linda Overbaugh, Heart of Catskill Association executive director and Explore NY 400 committee member, the village is eligible for $45,000 to be used for planning, events, and projects associated with the Quadricentennial.

“The ultimate goal is to have some sort of promotion, monthly, throughout 2009 to attract tourism to Catskill and Greene County,” she said.

Overbaugh said the committee is very open to concepts and plans on how to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the region’s discovery.

Village President Vincent Seeley said that one idea is to have the Half Moon replica dock in Catskill and allow visitors to take a step back through time, perhaps getting a small taste of a seafarer’s lifestyle in 1609.

The landmark event is geared toward providing an unforgettable experience that will commemorate and educate through high profile events, as well as enabling visitors to discover the rich heritage and historical significance of the region.

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