Hudson River History

Over the years, from our curator and a variety of professional and hobbyist historians, the Hudson River Maritime Museum has amassed a collection of history articles that may interest the general public. You can peruse PDFs of these articles through the links below.

"Destination Catskill Mountains" Pilot Log, 1995. 
Chronicles the tourism past of the Catskills. 

"Fire and Ice" Pilot Log, 1996. 
Compares brick making industry to the ice harvesting industry in the Hudson Valley. 

"Rowing on the River: Transport, Regattas, and Recreation" Pilot Log, 1997.
A brief history of rowing on the Hudson River.

"Rondout: A Hudson River Port, 1850-1950" Pilot Log, 1998.

"Hudson River Cargoes and Carriers" by Allynne Lange. Pilot Log, 1999.
Tugboats, barges, and cargoes of the Hudson River.

"An Informal Glimpse of Shipbuilding Along the Creek" by William duBarry Thomas. Pilot Log, 1999. 
A description of William duBarry's experiences and observations of shipbuilding along Rondout Creek.

"The Hudson River in the Age of Sail" by Len Tantillo. Pilot Log, 2000.

"Newburgh's Shipbuilding Heritage in the Days of Wooden Ships & Sail" by William duBarry Thomas. Pilot Log, 2000.

"Children Helped Save a Lighthouse" Pilot Log, 2000.
The preservation story of the Jeffrey's Hook Lighthouse (also known as the "Little Red Lighthouse"). 

"The Mary Powell" by Roger Mabie. Pilot Log, 2000.
A brief history of this beloved Kingston steamboat. 

"Thomas Cornell and the Cornell Steamboat Company" Pilot Log, 2001.
From senator to monopolist, the founding of commercial steamboating on Rondout Creek. 

"The Iron Age Comes to Newburgh Shipping" by William duBarry Thomas. Pilot Log, 2001.
The transition from wooden to steel shipbuilding in Newburgh, NY. 

"The Illusion of a River" by Vernon Benjamin. Pilot Log, 2001.

"350 Year of Hudson River Maritime History" by Allynne Lange. Pilot Log, 2002.

"The Towboats" Pilot Log, 2002.

"Jitneys on the River: The Local Steamboats of the Hudson" by Allynne Lange. Pilot Log, 2002.

"Kingston's 350th Anniversary, 1652-2002: What Might Have Been" by Edwin W. Ford. Pilot Log, 2002.

"The Hudson River Day Line" by Allynne Lange. Pilot Log, 2003.

"The Bigelow Dock of Malden" by Stuart Murray. Pilot Log, 2003.
The story of Asa Bigelow and the shipping dock he built in 1808.

"A Surreptitious Christening" by William duBarry Thomas. Pilot Log, 2003.
The story of the christening of the Hudson River Day Line steamer Hendrick Hudson.

"The Ice Houses" by Roger Mabie. Pilot Log, 2006.

"World War I and Shipbuilding at Newburgh and Kingston" by Allynne Lange. Pilot Log, 2006.

"A Salute to Athens and New Baltimore-Built Tugboats" by William duBarry Thomas.  Pilot Log 2006.

"Two Centuries of Ice Yachting on the Hudson" by Brian Reid. Pilot Log, 2007.

"The Hazards of the River" by William duBarry Thomas. Pilot Log, 2007.

"Schooner Manchester and Hudson" by Allynne Lange. Pilot Log, 2007.

"The Port of Rondout in the Days of Sloops" by Ted Dietz. Pilot Log, 2007.

"The Third Journey of Henry Hudson and HRMM's Aft Cabin" by Lana Chassman. Pilot Log, 2008.

"Small Steamboats: Passenger 'Yachts' of the Hudson River" by William duBarry Thomas. Pilot Log, 2008.

"Henry Hudson's Journey Through the First Mate's Eyes" by Lana Chassman. Pilot Log, 2009.
The story of Robert Juet, first mate on the Half Moon.

"The Evolution of the Hudson River Towing Industry" by William duBarry Thomas. Pilot Log 2009-2010.

"The Golden Age of Steamboats" by Allynne Lange. Pilot Log, 2010-2011.

"The Face of Work in the Hudson Valley" by Russell Lange. Pilot Log 2011-2012.
The story of men and women who worked in the Hudson Valley's industrial and maritime past. 

"Sunken Treasures of the Hudson River" by Roger D. Flood, Professor, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University. Pilot Log 2011-2012. 

To view full digital versions of the Pilot Log after 2012, please visit the Pilot Log page. 

We also have history pages which may be of interest, including digitized historic books, photos, and more. Use the drop-down menu under "Research" above to peruse these topics.