Maritje Kill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maritje Kill |
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| Other name(s) | Marytie's Kill, Maricha Kill |
| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| Region | Hudson Valley |
| County | Dutchess |
| Municipality | Hyde Park |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | 41°48′38″N 73°53′29″W / 41.8105556°N 73.8913889°W |
| River mouth | Hudson River Hyde Park campus of the CIA 0 ft (0 m) 41°45′13″N 73°56′12″W / 41.7537045°N 73.9368039°W |
The Maritje Kill is a small river, also called a tributary, that flows into the famous Hudson River in Hyde Park, New York. It starts about three miles northeast of Hyde Park village. The river then joins the Hudson River at the Hyde Park campus of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). The name Maritje comes from an old Dutch word. It means "little Mary". This river is one of two main waterways in Hyde Park. It flows from north to south through the town. People have used the Maritje Kill area for a very long time. Evidence shows activity from around 1700 BCE. Farms and mills were built along the river from the 1700s to the mid-1900s. The Culinary Institute of America bought some of the land around the river in 1970.
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The Maritje Kill's Journey
The Maritje Kill begins about two miles east of the Hudson River. Its source is just east of New York State Route 9G. The river generally flows southeast. It passes through land and two trails of the FDR Home's Roosevelt Farm & Forest. Finally, it reaches the Hudson River. This happens at a small bay on the undeveloped part of the Hyde Park campus of the Culinary Institute of America. The river also flows under the Amtrak Empire Corridor railway on its way.
What Does Maritje Kill Mean?
The name Maritje is an old Dutch way of saying "Marietje". This means "little Mary". The word "Kill" comes from the Dutch word for "creek". So, Maritje Kill means "Little Mary's Creek". This name has been used since the early days of the area. This was around the time of the Colonial Era in the United States. Other names for the river include Marytie's Kill and Maricha Kill.
In 1936, Franklin D. Roosevelt wrote a letter about the river. He was a former U.S. President. He said, "Maritje Kill runs, as you know, right through our place. We have always called it by that name, but I do not know who the little Mary was." Helen W. Reynolds was a friend of FDR. She worked with him on local history. They both helped start the Dutchess County Historical Society.
History of the Maritje Kill Area
The Culinary Institute of America owns forests around the river. This land is at the north end of its main campus. People likely first lived near the Maritje Kill. This was probably because the river had many fish. It also had edible plants and clean water.
Archaeologists studied the wooded property for one year. They found signs of human activity from at least 3,600 years ago. Some items were from around 1700 BCE. Others were from the mid-1900s. They found old stone tools and pieces left from making tools. They also found arrowheads and places where fires were made. These were in the part of the site used for growing crops.
The first settlements in the area were in the 1600s. But the first recorded land sale was in 1719. A saw mill was on the property by 1786. It was owned by a Revolutionary War officer and his family. Their family burial ground is a short distance across the river. A map from 1789 shows a grist mill on the north bank of the river. It was a short distance west of US Route 9.
An atlas from 1893 shows large ponds or lakes behind the dam. This means the river level was once much higher. The land changed owners many times in the 1800s. James Roosevelt owned the land in the 1820s. By the 1860s, a farmhouse and stone terraces were built along the stream. The Webendorfer family built more farm buildings in the 1890s.
Old buildings and ruins from the Colonial Era still exist. These include two house structures, a dam, a mill, and old walls. There are also old outbuildings and barns. This site was found to be important enough for the National Register of Historic Places. Digs found old foundation walls, a well, and a cistern. They also found artifacts from the mid-to-late 1700s. These included old dishes, tobacco pipes, coins, and buttons. They also found buckles, military items, thimbles, and animal bones. An old piece of slate with writing was also found. There are no records of mills east of Route 9. However, a large stone dam is a short way east of the highway. It has a long wooden channel built into it.
In 1976, two freight trains crashed near the river's mouth. One of the train cars fell into the Maritje Kill's bay.
A big new development is planned for the forestland across the highway from the CIA. It is called Bellefield at Historic Hyde Park. It will have shops, hotels, spas, and many homes. It will also include the Parkside Residences at Maritje Place. These will be houses and apartments along the Maritje Kill.
Trails Along the Kill
The Maritje Kill flows through land and two trails. These are part of the FDR Home's Roosevelt Farm & Forest. The National Park Service wants to connect these trails. They want to extend them south of the CIA campus. This would need a way to cross the Maritje Kill. The Culinary Institute of America plans to build a road across the kill in the future. But they are concerned about the riverbanks being unstable. There is also a historic site just south of the river.
Protecting the Environment
The Maritje Kill Critical Environmental Area protects part of the river in Hyde Park. This area includes wetlands. It also has places known for rare animals and plants.
Images for kids
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The Maritje Kill, between Crum Elbow Creek and Fall Kill, 1829
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A tributary of the Maritje Kill
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The Maritje Kill Bridge
