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CATSKILLS HISTORY: A TIMELINE

1609	Henry Hudson, an English sea explorer, "discovers" the Catskills on his trip up the Hudson River on the ship Half Moon.
1708	Johannes Hardenbergh and associates purchase two million acres in the Catskills from the Queen of England, in what would become known as the "Hardenbergh Patent". Steeped in controversy and accusations of illegal dealings, lawsuits relating to the patent would continue for generations.
1750	Agriculture, including dairy and livestock, take root with inland road expansion.
1753	Noted American naturalist John Bartram visits the Catskills with his son to collect balsam fir samples. His short written account of the adventure, "A Journey to Yet Cat Skill Mountains with Billy", is one of the earliest travelogues about the Catskills.