Normans Kill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Normans Kill |
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Normanskill Creek in Duanesburg
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The Normans Kill basin encompasses
parts of three counties. |
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| Other name(s) | Normanskill Creek |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  New York |
| Region | Upstate New York |
| Metropolitan area | Capital District |
| Counties | Albany County Schenectady County, Schoharie County |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Darby Hill Duanesburg, near Delanson, Schenectady County, New York |
| River mouth | Hudson River Bethlehem, Albany County, New York 0 ft (0 m) |
| Length | 45 mi (72 km) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Hudson River Watershed |
| Basin size | 170 sq mi (440 km2) |
| Tributaries |
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| Basin Discharge |
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The Normans Kill is a long creek in New York's Capital District. It flows for about 45.4-mile (73.1 km) through Schenectady and Albany counties. The creek starts in Duanesburg and ends where it joins the Hudson River in Bethlehem.
A dam on the Normans Kill in Guilderland creates the Watervliet Reservoir. This reservoir provides drinking water for the city of Watervliet and the Town of Guilderland. A special plant at the dam uses the water's power to create electricity. This electricity helps pump water to a cleaning plant.
The Normans Kill collects water from a large area, over 170 square miles (440 km2). This area includes parts of Schoharie County, along with Schenectady and Albany counties. In the past, the creek was important for water power. Many mills used its flow to grind grain or saw wood. Before refrigerators, people even cut large blocks of ice from the creek in winter. These blocks were then shipped to New York to keep food cold.
The name "Normans Kill" comes from the Dutch word for a Norwegian. The Dutch called Norwegians "North Men" or "Normans." The word kill means "creek" in Dutch. So, Normans Kill means "North Man's Creek." This name honors Albert Andriessen Bradt, an early settler from Norway. He built sawmills along the creek in the 1600s. People sometimes call it "Normanskill Creek" as one word.
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Exploring the Normans Kill's Path
The Normans Kill is more than 45 miles (72 km) long. Its basin, which is the land area that drains into the creek, covers over 170 square miles (440 km2). The last 1-mile (1.6 km) of the creek is affected by the tides from the Hudson River.
The History Behind the Name
Long ago, Native Americans called this creek "Tawasentha," which meant "a place of the many dead." The name "Normans Kill" came later. It is named after Albert Andriessen Bradt, who was a Norwegian immigrant. He was one of the first people from Scandinavia to settle in the Dutch colony of New Netherland.
Albert Bradt came to the Normans Kill area to grow tobacco. He also built two sawmills along the creek. Because he was Norwegian, or a "Norman," the creek was named in his honor.
Creeks That Join the Normans Kill
Many smaller creeks flow into the Normans Kill. These are called tributaries. Here are some of them:
- Vly Creek - The word Vlaie means "swamp" in Dutch.
- Krum Kill
- Hunger Kill
- East Branch Hunger Kill
- Blockhouse Creek
- Kaikout Kill
- Bozen Kill
- Wolf Creek
- Bonny Brook
- Indian House Creek
There was also a historical Native American name, I-os-co, for a tributary in Guilderland. However, its current name is not known today.
See also
