River, New York, U.S. Originating in the Adirondack Mountains and flowing for about 315 mi (507 km) to New York City , it was named for
Dutch settlement of the Hudson valley began in 1629. The river became a strategic waterway during the American Revolution and was the scene of many battles. Linked by canals with the Great Lakes and with the Delaware River and lower {{link=Saint Lawrence River">St. Lawrence River valleys, the Hudson is now a major commercial route; its southern end forms the New York–New Jersey boundary.