Fort Orange

Fort Orange was a Dutch trading post established in 1624 near present-day Albany, New York. It served as an important center for the fur trade, particularly in beaver pelts, and was one of the first Dutch settlements in North America. The fort facilitated trade between Dutch merchants and Native American tribes, fostering economic growth in the region. Over time, it became a key part of New Netherland, the Dutch colony in North America. Although abandoned and replaced by English control in the mid-1600s, Fort Orange's legacy persists as a significant early European presence in the eastern United States.