Today in History

February 2, 1653

The Incorporation of New Amsterdam (NYC)

The Dutch first explored the New York Bay area of the Americas in search of highly prized beaver pelts. They established a Fort Amsterdam in 1625 to protect the entrance to the Hudson River on Manhattan Island. The Dutch West India Company placed Peter Minuit in charge of the settlement. Minuit purchased the island from local Lenape Native Americans for a small amount of goods. On February 2, 1653, New Amsterdam, as it was by then called, received a grant of incorporation, becoming a city. On August 27, 1664, a small fleet of English ships seized the city and renamed it New York.

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