Experience first-hand the unparalleled year-round beauty and charm of this region, spanning from the magical snowy mountaintops of the Adirondacksto the glass and steel of Manhattan. In over 200 breath-taking photographs, The Hudson River follows the course of this great natural beauty, exploring its picturesque banks, historic riverfront towns and stately old mansions, and magnificent public parks and wilderness. Paired with these images are inspired writings by 19th- and 20th-century authors such as Washington Irving and Robert Caro. The source of the mighty Hudson is a small misted pond high atop Mount March in the heart of Adirondack Park: Lake Tear of the Clouds. Flowing more than 300 miles before reaching the Atlantic Ocean, the Hudson River is truly the main artery of New York State. It has witnessed four centuries of transformation in New York, from early English and Dutch trading settlements and mansions of the Guilded Age to the skyscrapers of the world?s greatest city.

Frances F. Dunwell presents a rich portrait of the Hudson and of the visionary people whose deep relationship with the river inspires changes in American history and culture. Lavishly illustrated with color plates of Hudson River School paintings, period engravings, and glass plate photography, The Hudson captures the spirit of the river through the eyes of its many admirers. It shows the crucial role of the Hudson in the shaping of Manhattan, the rise of the Empire State, and the trajectory of world trade and global politics, as well as the river's influence on art and architecture, engineering, and conservation.