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New York, May 28, 2009--- The indefatigable spirit of the Dutch and the indelible role they played in the formation of the ideas and ideals that shaped this great city and America today, is celebrated by National Parks Service, the National Parks of New York Harbor Conservancy and the Henry Hudson 400 Foundation with The New Amsterdam Trail. This free innovative downloadable audio walking tour launches on May 28th. It is the first of three in a series featuring the iconic National Park Service Rangers and an expert cast of historians, scientists, and other great storytellers.
Using a backdrop of period music and special sound effects, the audio with map can be downloaded from the Harbor Conservancy's website or on the Henry Hudson 400 website. Visitors travel through the streets of downtown Manhattan to 10 historically significant locations, cueing commentary from their mobile phone, mp3 player or ipod. As they stand at the tip of the Battery, they can visualize Manhattan in the hours before Henry Hudson arrived and when he first navigated our waters and then listen to the stories of the life and times of New Amsterdam's most famous and infamous settlers.
The New Amsterdam Trail features Steve Laise, Chief of Cultural Resources for Manhattan's National Parks; Eric Sanderson, author of Mannahatta, Natural History of New York City; Andrew Smith, editor of The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America, and Russell Shorto, author of Island at the Center of the World.
The Tiffany & Co. Foundation is a founding sponsor of the Harbor Conservancy. Their generous gift was matched, in part, by a federal grant for The New Amsterdam Trail, produced by Acoustiguide.
"The tour provides rich detail about the origins of New York City and shows that, much like New Yorkers today, the first inhabitants of the New Amsterdam settlement were committed to the values of a tolerant, entrepreneurial society," said Angela Haines, Executive Director of Henry Hudson 400 Foundation, a partner on the New Amsterdam Trail.
Maria Burks, Commissioner, National Parks of New York Harbor said: "The tour is inspirational, educational and entertaining, affording visitors a new way to discover the treasures found in the 10 National Parks that call New York Harbor home."
"The time is right," said Marie Salerno, President and co-founder of the National Parks of New York Harbor Conservancy. "We yearn for a national park experience in this great city, that is free or affordable -- staycations of nature, history and recreation, all in our own backyard." The Harbor Conservancy's producer is Renee Barnes.
The family-friendly walking tour takes about 90-minutes-- however, you can walk the trail at your own pace during lunchtime and pause the recorded commentary at any point. For more details and to download the free tour, visit www.nyharborparks.org or www.henryhudson400.com.
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