The Hudson River Today and Yesterday

An unusual tour guide to the Hudson River from the mid-1910s.

“There has never been a time in the history of our nation when the story of its glorious past was so important as today. A large percentage of the millions of aliens flocking to our shores, as to a city of refuge, know but little and consequently care less, of our institutions, their purpose, and ideals…” – Author’s Introduction.

This photographic tour of the Hudson River was written by Arthur P. Abbott and published by the Historian Publishing Company of New York in 1915. According to the introduction, quoted above, the volume was intended to educate foreigners about American history so they can become better educated and more civically engaged. Thinly veiled xenophobia in the midst of WWI was not unusual in the U.S., but it seems to be a strange catalyst for their work.

The book includes dozens of black and white photographs that show the west (top) and east (bottom) shores of the Hudson River, starting with the Statue of Liberty in New York Bay and ending with the New York State Educational Building in Albany. Accompanying text provides a historical sketch of the Hudson River Valley, as well as Short Stories from the Business World. “Outside of the Bible, there is no book as valuable or interesting as the checkbook.” The volume ends with a 2′ strip map of the Hudson River that emphasizes the topography of the adjacent banks.