The exhibition Hudson: A History of Whaling & Maritime Commerce had its official opening at the Hudson Area Library on March 6. Now, the Hendrick Hudson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution announces its participation in the event: Women and Whaling in Hudson.
Historic Robert Jenkins House History Tour
Each tour features the Historic Robert Jenkins House, built by Robert Jenkins in 1811. Jenkins was the son of a Proprietor and twice a Hudson Mayor. The Chapter’s extensive historic collections and items reflecting women’s endeavors and their households are included in the tour. This tour provides reflection on women during this exceptional era.
Panel Discussion
Women and Whaling in Hudson will examine, provide civic dialogue about, and describe the lives of women in this dynamic time. In 1783, Hudson was radically altered. The Treaty of Paris was about to be signed. Seeking a deep-water harbor away from harassing British, a group of 33 entrepreneurial Nantucket Quaker businessmen, “Proprietors,” led by brothers Seth and Thomas Jenkins, sailed up the Hudson River. They bought land at Claverack Landing from the Dutch owners. Many were Revolutionary War veterans. Their families followed. By 1785, Hudson, as incorporated and renamed, went from 150 to 1,500 residents. It was the first chartered city in the U.S., the first planned American city based on a modern grid, and on its way to becoming a booming shipping and whaling seaport. Hudson grew rapidly. It was nearly named the state capital and for years was a Port of Entry. A new city in a new country, it entertained leaders like Jefferson, Madison, Jay, and the Marquis de Lafayette.
But how did women adapt as they moved into this radical new era? The Dutch inhabitants went from living in a quiet farming community to living in a city with several wharves, 25 sailing ships, four warehouses, a ropewalk, spermaceti-works, whale oil processing and candle-making, 150 dwellings, shops, churches, and barns, a noted distillery, and fifteen hundred souls. The immigrants from Nantucket went from living on a small island in the Atlantic to living in a brand-new river town 120 miles removed from the ocean.
All the events at the Robert Jenkins House, the Hendrick Hudson Chapter House, 113 Warren Street, are free, but reservations are recommended. To reserve your place, call 518 828-9764.
Woman and Whaling in Hudson continues through the summer and fall of 2025. See hudson-dar.org/2025/03/22/women-and-whaling-in-hudson/ for more information.
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