New York from Jersey City, Hudson River

Original title: City of New York, from Jersey City, 1849. Lithographed and published by Nathaniel Currier (1813-1888), New York. Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1849 by N. Currier, in the Clerk's office of the District Court of the Southern District of New York. Source: New York Public Library. Below, enlargements of the buildings in New York.

Panoramic view of Lower Manhattan, from across the Hudson River from Jersey City. It includes boats in Hudson River, church spires and other noted buildings. There is another view of Manhattan from New Jersey by Fanny Palmer, published in the same year.

The Hudson River is a big natural feature of a major region in New York State. It runs through Manhattan Island on the west side. In 1609 Henry Hudson, an Englishman sailing for Holland's East India Company, captained a Dutch ship up this historic river in search of the fabled Northwest Passage. He referred to the river as the "Manhatees." Dutch colonists named it "River of the Prince Mauritius" and "North River." Hudson's name wasn't applied until 1664, when the British took over the region.