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New York Harbor

New York Harbor in 1756

New York Harbor is a bay at the mouth of the Hudson River near the East River tidal estuary, emptying into New York Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. One of the largest natural harbors in the world, the harbor was used by the Lenape for fishing and travel before Giovanni da Verrazzano anchored in New York Harbor in 1524 and watered at Staten Island, initiating the European colonization of the region. In 1609, Henry Hudson further explored the harbor and the nearby river, and the first European settlement was established at Governors Island in 1624 and at Brooklyn in 1632. Governor Peter Stuyvesant oversaw the construction of a wharf in 1648, establishing a port that would thrive under British rule. In 1824, the first American drydock was completed along the East River, and the port grew rapidly with the introduction of steamships. New York Harbor became a major port of entry for immigrants and commerce, and the Statue of Liberty was installed in the harbor in 1886. New York Harbor became the world's busiest port during World War II, and German U-boats used the glow of New York City's lights to identify American ships by their silhouettes and close in on their targets. The waterfront became a source of organized crime corruption, especially from the Mafia, resulting in the creation of the Waterfront Commission in 1953; this institution became equally corrupt, resulting in New Jersey's withdrawal from the pact in 2023. New York Harbor is still served by cruise lines, commuter ferries, and tourist boats.

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