Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: NewAmsterdam
Merry Christmas to you and your family. Yes, I did see the Concert Hall (Concertgebouw). We also enjoyed the Paleis and Nieuwe Kerk on Dam Square, and floating down the Prinsegracht. Was Harlem in New York given its name by Dutch settlers, naming it after the city of Haarlam outside of Amsterdam?
42 posted on 12/25/2001 9:03:31 AM PST by AdvisorB
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies ]


To: Mr.Smorch
Yes, Harlem stems from Haarlem. Brooklyn stems from Breukelen, a village outside Amsterdam with many 17th and 18th centuries mansions built by the rich merchants of Amsterdam. My family comes from there.

Staten-Island is named after the Estates-General which in present form we call parliament. Nassau street in NYC is named after our royal family. There is some debate over Wall street which some claim derives from the river Waal in Holland, but more likely it refers to a wall that once stood at that site. Same with Yankees: some claim it comes from Jan-Kees, two Dutch names which can be joined together. I do not know whether this is true.

Travelling up-state last September I noticed many placenames on the way to and around Albany which derive directly from Holland. Initially that area was settled by Dutch immigrants but quite soon it was taken over by Germans, if I remember correctly.

50 posted on 12/25/2001 9:24:51 AM PST by NewAmsterdam
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson