Over four hundred years ago, Peyhaunet, Aepjen, Amenhamit, Wanapet, and their families, all members of the Mohican Nation, lived along the banks and flood plain of the 'Muh-he-kun-ne-tuk,' the "river that flows both ways." While their children played around the small villages of circular wooden homes, their fathers hunted in the forests. Their mothers gathered nuts and berries along the banks of the river in the land that we now call Troy.

Where currently sits Congress, Ferry, State, and River streets, once stood a forest of red spruce, oak, pine, maple and birch trees. This forest was filled with white tailed deer, moose, beaver, otter, bobcat, mink, wild turkey, and other animals that served as food, and also symbols of family relationships. The forests were broken in places with open cultivated fields that grew corn, beans, and squash.

Along the banks and islands of the river grew white and blue grapes, chestnuts, plum, hazel nut, and large walnuts, along with flocks of swans, geese, pigeons, teal, and wild geese. The river itself teemed with 400-pound sturgeons, and millions of herring, shad, bass, and salmon, not to mention tons of shellfish.

This was the scene encountered when Henry Hudson first visited our region in 1609.

Is it any wonder that Adrian van der Donk wrote in 1654, that his "attention was arrested by the Hudson, in which a painter could find rare and beautiful subjects for his brush." He was way ahead of his time as the Hudson River School of painting didn't appear until 1835, some 181 years later.

No matter what you call it - the North River, Manhattes, Mauritius, Rio de Montaigne, Rio San Antonio, or 'Muh-he kun-ne-tuk' - today's Hudson River is the artery that nourished our region for thousands of years.

Even as the Mohicans shared their land with the Dutch, English, and other nationalities, and eventually were replaced by these European transplants, the Hudson River remained the focal point for trade, transportation, and life sustaining food.

River transportation continued to be the primary way to move people and goods -even with the advent or roads, turnpikes, and trains - right up to the 1960's. The millions of pounds of fish taken from the river fed many a palate. Millions of mass-produced products found their markets as they were carried down the river and shipped further to ports around the world. Writers and artists immortalized the river for centuries, and the Hudson drew millions of people to it annually.

But then something drastic happened. We turned our back on our river. We saw it as a place to dump our man made garbage and toxic wastes. We cut ourselves off from the river by building highways along its banks. We stopped eating the fish that was now full of contaminants. Many started seeing the river only as an obstacle to cross.

Fortunately, there were those that began to alert us of what we were doing to the river more than 30 years ago. Environmental laws were passed and enforced during the 1970's. People like folk singer Pete Seeger and the crew of the sloop Clearwater sailed up and down the river during the 80's speaking out for the river.

Those that turned their backs to the river realized what a serious mistake they made and scrambled to reverse their errors.

In recent years, cities like Albany have spent millions of dollars to try and bridge the river back to its people. Here in Troy, we are only beginning to realize what a treasure we still have - several miles of river front waiting to be rediscovered.

I can announce that this rediscovery has begun! As you read this, the evolution of the newly created Troy Boat and Maritime Center is being charted. A regatta is being planned for this summer, and even a canoe race between Schenectady and Troy is being discussed. Plans are being drawn on how we can get back to the river through greenways, docks, and compatible riverside development. And, be it fate, serendipity, or simply plain luck, we in Troy still have our connection to the mighty Hudson.

If the visionaries get their way, you will see in the near future sloops, schooners, tugs, sail boats, barges, canoes, yachts, and maybe even steamboats of yesterday gliding up and down the river. There are even plans proposed for building these boats right here, not to mention bringing back an industry that was born and died in Troy - paper boats - created by Eliza Waters and his son back in 1867.

Can it be done? Anthropologist Margaret Mead said it best, "Never doubt that a handful of committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."