Fort Orange, 1635

 

1632, clearly indicates the fort standing on the river’s edge in an area of cultivated flats. The moat which surrounds the fort on all but the east side next to the river is visible. Specific plans for this fort are not known to exist. This fort however was built on the same general plan as numerous other Dutch facilities around the world. 
          Numerous data sources provided the basis for this painting. Details were obtained from the archeological findings uncovered by Paul Huey for the New York State Historical Trust in a partial excavation of the Fort Orange site in 1970. Additional material was gathered from studies of similar Dutch installations in Europe, North and South America, and Asia. Seventeenth century Dutch paintings and drawings provided much of the information pertaining to building details, ship construction and rigging, clothing, and various site embellishments. Many hours of consultation with historians from different disciplines brought all the pieces together into a coherent form.