Ships

On April 12, 1792, Montauk Point Light was authorized by President George Washington.  It was the first lighthouse built in the state of New York and one of the first public works projects of the United States.

On September 16, 1620, the Mayflower left England. The Pilgrims braved rough seas and a harsh winter in search of religious freedom and founded the settlement of Plymouth.

Ordered by a Congressional Act in 1794, the first American ship to be christened the Constellation was launched on September 7, 1797.  It was the first ship commissioned into the United States Navy; the first put to sea; and the first to fight, defeat, and capture an enemy vessel.

At the behest of his critics, Robert Fulton launched his steamboat from New York harbor on August 17, 1807.  While many had their doubts, Fulton proved the commercial viability of steamboats, which would rule American waterways for the next half-century.

On September 25, 1909, the Hudson-Fulton Celebration opened in New York and New Jersey.