Women and Whaling at the DAR

The exhibition Hudson: A History of Whaling & Maritime Commerce continues at the Hudson Area Library. Tomorrow, Saturday, April 26, the Hendrick Hudson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution presents its part of the first time ever project about whaling in Hudson: Women and Whaling in Hudson.

The events on Saturday at the DAR are docent-led tours of the historic Robert Jenkins House, 113 Warren Street, built in 1811. The tours focus on the chapter's extensive historic collections and items reflecting women's endeavors during the earliest years of Hudson's history--1783 to 1850. Tours begin at 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.

At 3:00 p.m., there is a panel discussion that will examine, provide civic dialog, and describe the lives of women during this dynamic period in history.

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 thirty-three 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, twenty-five sailing ships, four warehouses, a ropewalk, spermaceti-works, whale oil processing and candlemaking, 150 dwellings, shops, churches, and barns, a noted distillery, and 1,500 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.

The tours and the panel discussion are free, but reservations are recommended. To secure a spot, call 518 828-9764.