Onesquethaw Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Onesquethaw Creek |
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Onesquethaw and Coeymans Creeks
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| Native name | O-nis-ke-thau |
| Other name(s) | Onesquethaw Creek, Oniskethau Kil |
| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | New Scotland, New York 42°37′06″N 73°59′35″W / 42.61833°N 73.99306°W |
| River mouth | Coeymans Creek Bethlehem, New York 118 ft (36 m) 42°32′19″N 73°49′40″W / 42.53861°N 73.82778°W |
Onesquethaw Creek is a creek about 14.5 miles (23.3 km) long in Albany County, New York. It's like a smaller river that flows into a bigger one, which is called a tributary. Onesquethaw Creek is a tributary of the famous Hudson River.
The creek starts in the town of New Scotland. This area is west of a small community called New Salem, located in the Helderberg Mountains. From there, it flows into Coeymans Creek in the town of Bethlehem, which is southwest of Delmar.
Discovering Onesquethaw Creek's History
Onesquethaw Creek has a long and interesting history, especially when it comes to its name. In the past, it was sometimes called O-nis'-kwe-thau Creek. This name was also used for Coeymans Creek, which is the stream Onesquethaw Creek flows into.
What Does the Name "Onesquethaw" Mean?
For a long time, people thought the name "Onesquethaw" meant "cornfields" in a Native American language. This idea came from a misunderstanding. It was thought to be similar to a word from the Mahican language.
However, the land where the creek flows was originally owned by the Mahican people. Later, it was taken by the Ma-quaes, also known as the Mohawks, during a time of conflicts. When the land was officially transferred, the original agreement showed the name as "O-nits-quat-haa."
When translated from the Ma-quaes (Mohawk) language, the name actually means "Sinking-Stream." This meaning makes a lot of sense because of how the land looks and how the creek flows through it.
