New York Information

The traditional home of the Iroquois, Algonquin and Lenape American Indians, New York was colonized by the Dutch at the beginning of the 17th century. It was annexed by the British in 1664 after their success in the Second Dutch-Anglo war and was renamed after James. Duke of York. It remained a part of the British colony for the next hundred years or so.

The Patriots of the state of New York (also known as Americans) claimed independence from British Colonial rule in 1776 but later that same year New York City again fell to British rule in the American Revolutionary War. The remainder of the state however continued to be under the control of the Patriots.

New York City consequently became British military headquarters for the duration of the war until the final departure of British forces in 1783 and Britain’s relinquishing of any claim to the American colonies under the terms agreed to in the Treaty of Paris in 1763

For visitors to New York State there are virtually limitless scenic opportunities. From Adirondack Park in the north, the largest state park in the US, to the Catskills Park to the south to the Great Lakes of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie and the famous Niagara Falls to the west, New York is a wonderland of nature.

To the south in downstate New York State you’ll find New York City - ‘the city that never sleeps’ - home to such icons as Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, Manhattan, Long Island, Times Square, the Broadway theatre district, and countless others.

New York State is a must-see destination for anyone travelling to the US.